Aug
29
How You Can Help – Harvey Recovery – Houston

Hello friends,

I have been asked by a lot of you what you can do to help. As some of you know Denise and I flooded during Allison and learned quite a bit about the process. Here are some things to keep in mind as well things you can do to prepare for what comes next.  Some of this information may not pertain to you but may help guide you in some direction.

Because of the shock from flooding will persist for days and weeks, a lot of people you go to help may be confused and disoriented. In some cases, you may need to help make decisions for them, but the following information may be helpful.

Immediately call your flood insurance provider to start your claim. Call your auto insurance provider to start your vehicle claims…REGISTER WITH FEMA!! (www.disasterassistance.gov) They are amazingly fast believe it or not. Choose direct deposit option and text notifications.

Before The Cleaning Starts

1. Take photos! Take photos of everything that you can. The most important ones for your insurance are the water lines for all side of your home as well as your interior walls. The best way to do this is to take a photo with something of a reference. If you can grab a yard stick, have that in every photo for measurement. The perspective will help adjusters review your images. After Allison, adjusters could not get to us for weeks if not months. These photos are vital for your recovery.

2. ANTS! There will be fire ants on EVERYTHING! Be sure to use gloves and be very careful when you do begin to move items around.

3. Mosquitoes are going to get very bad. If you can bring anything to your friends, it will be gloves and repellent.

Now For The Clean Up

2. Because of Flood Insurance, you will only get a percentage of your content losses. Back to Photographs. You will want to take a photo of everything that water touched. EVEN IF IT IS NOT SOMETHING, YOU THINK IS NOT IMPORTANT. If you bought a roll of toilet paper and you need to replace it, take a photo of it. If you had $300 worth of ground beef in a freezer, photo it. You get the idea.

Here is how this process works well. Instead of photographing every single thing, make a space somewhere that items can be staged. Lay out as much as you can fit in a photo and then make a list of each item. You will use this list later. On your list you will need:

-the item
-what room it was in when flooded
-the age
-any model number and make
-replacement value

3. Here is the order of getting stuff out I will be taking:

Food:
The best way to start getting stuff out is to start with any food that will begin to rot. Try to put this in separate trash bags from flood junk. There is going to be a lot of trash and debris everywhere, so the critters will start coming out.

Furniture:
Get the furniture out and if it is salvageable then start cleaning it up. Flood water is nasty so clean it up fast.

Photos:
If you have photos sitting in water, DO NOT TRY AND SEPARATE THEM. Photo paper (NOT INKJET PAPER) can get wet. You can take a bucket or container and fill it with clean water then submerge the photos is the water. Let them sit a little and then you can gently pull them apart. Try to hang dry so that the water will drip off of the paper. This process also works with DVDs and CDs however, if you will see them apart without letting them soak you will destroy them. Inkjet prints, sorry those are gone.

RUGS AND CARPET:
Get all the rugs out fast. These are mold nests and get nasty. Also, carpet needs to come out. But be careful, there are lots of opportunities to get cut. YOU HAVE TO LEAVE A 3 FOOT X 3 FOOT section with carpet pad for the adjuster to look at when they do arrive.

Walls:
If you can start knocking out the sheetrock, cut above your flood line. The insulation is going to be soaked so get that out too. Be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when doing this. Also, if you power is working, you may want to shut it off during this period, so you don’t accidentally cut through a line and electrocute yourself.
Sheetrock comes in 4X8 sheets if you got less than 4 feet try not to cut above 4 feet if you got more than 4 feet just cut above the line because it’s going to have to all be replaced.

After you have done this, you will need to photo everything again. Make sure you get every wall and include where your electrical boxes are located and photo that too.

Let’s talk about insurance a second.
This is a very frustrating part of the process. One thing we were unaware of with Allison was that Flood Insurance is not Homeowners Insurance. If you have flood insurance, then you are good but will be limited because it is a federal program. Flood insurance does not cover any living expenses. So your hotels or apartments you are going to stay in will not be covered. However, there is assistance through FEMA for specific hotels. (Transitional Housing Program through FEMA)

When we flooded during Allison, our insurance rep told us to move into an apartment and that our homeowner’s insurance would take care of it. This info was not true, because home owners insurance DOES NOT COVER FLOODS. This is why the area deemed a disaster is important. If you did not have flood insurance, you will need to get with FEMA as soon as possible. Even if you have flood insurance, you still need to use FEMA. There are other programs you can utilize that may help. FEMA will also refer you to the Small Business Administration (SBA) which can provide very low-interest loans for the difference of loss that insurance doesn’t cover up to $200,000.

I’m not going to lie, this is going to be a real pain in the ass dealing with the insurance, but it is hard when you have all the stress and trauma from the flood mounting. If you are helping a flood victim, they will need your level head to navigate the system.

I hope that helps get you started. Everyone that is in need of help will be grateful for you. They may not express it right away, they may even get fussy with you, but just remember it is not you that they are upset with. Also, it’s going to be very emotional, make sure you take care of yourself and give yourself time to process what is happening.

Below are some links with more info.

FEMA:
http://www.disasterassistance.gov
http://www.myflood.com

LIST OF THINGS TO BRING TO YOUR FRIENDS HOUSE:

Gloves – work gloves and rubber gloves
Bug Spray – Mosquitoes will be bad, and they are going to get worse
Masks – It is going to smell, and there will be lots of molds
Crow Bars and Saws – For removing sheetrock and carpet
Extra Shoes and Socks – Your feet are going to get wet.
Wear Protective clothes – Long sleeve and jeans

If you have a bug sprayer and some bleach bring it so you can disinfect the walls to top any mold growth.

There is more, but this is all I can think of now.

We will add more as we think about it. Good luck and thank you for all the support. All this water will just make Houston sparkle more when the sun comes out.

 

 

 

Aug
28
Houston – My Family – And What You Can Do To Help

Hello all,

First let me say that my family is safe, dry and comfortable in a hotel in Houston.  We have flooded before, and I want nothing  Unfortunately our home did flood, but we were able to get all the super important stuff to storage long before the storm arrived.

For the rest of Houston and our friends, there is going to be a lot of help needed.  If you have never been through a flood, just imagine your entire house filled with the contents of a port-o-potty.  That is pretty much how it looks and smells.  Locally we are physically hands on, but there are ways in which you can help.  Below is a link to an article with all the different organizations that are working on the recovery.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/hurricaneharvey/article/Hurricane-Harvey-How-to-help-victims-of-the-12003372.php

This storm takes a giant tole on a lot of peoples physical health as well as mental health.  We will not just be rebuilding homes we will be rebuilding lives.

Please keep everyone in your prayers!

Danny

Aug
01
One Minute Fluid Acrylic Painting

This piece just reminds me of cotton candy.  If you want to learn more about the process please check out my other videos.  Also, there is a lot of additional information in the comments so be sure and check them out.  You can see all the videos at my YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/DannyClarkArt

For all the colors I used in this video please see the list below:

The color that I use in the video are all Golden Fluid Acrylics. Below is a list with links to each color.

Iridescent Gold Fine – http://amzn.to/2uEz1AW
Teal – http://amzn.to/2thlU5q
Quinacridone Magenta – http://amzn.to/2gM3x6V
Hansa Yellow Medium – http://amzn.to/2ths0mn
Titanium White – http://amzn.to/2gM3dVC

 

 

Jul
26
Using Molotow Masking Fluid in a Rapidograph Technical Pen – Geometric Mountain Watercolor Painting

So recently I have been playing with my Molotow Grafix Masking Fluid and started using it with a calligraphy pen.  It was straight forward, but like most situations, I don’t particularly like wasting expensive art supplies.  I like to make small little watercolor paintings with designs, and this technique was pretty cool.  The only problem was that after I had finished, I would have a puddle of masking fluid I just had to throw away.

Over Christmas, I received a set of KOH-I-NOOR Rapidograph pens.  I love these pens except for the largest size of 1.2mm  When I use this pen the ink just runs out all over the place and is a huge mess.  Of course, I am probably using it wrong, but I am not too worried about it.  SO I took the largest of the pens and instead of ink I used the masking fluid.  TO my surprise it worked great, and so I set off into the sunset to make wonderful watercolor paintings!

In the video, I show what I did and have a timelapse video of the process.  FO the items I used or discussed I have links below.  I am sure some pens can be used so if you love the process than having fun and make some art!

Items used in the video:

 

Jul
16
Zoe Playing with Funnel’s in a Fluid Acrylic Pour.

Both my younger kids James and Zoe love to make videos and love to watch YouTube.  After much deliberation we decided to go ahead and create a channel dedicate to kids making stuff and having fun teaching.  The above linked video is from their channel and I hope you will subscribe and give them a little love.  They are super excited!

My youngest Zoe has been wanting to try making a fluid acrylic pour using a funnel.  I have not ever done this so I told her it would be a great technique for her to learn.  Over the next series of videos, Zoe will be perfecting, testing and sharing what she learns.

Having an opportunity to set Zoe free and let her learn a technique based on her own experience is a gift.  I encourage everyone to be brave and try new things.  It is helpful to understand the basics, but there is a point where learning for yourself is more important.  It not only builds confidence, but it also builds tolerance and empathy for other.

In the video, I mixed all the paints for Zoe beforehand.  Each color uses a simple recipe that I have used many times before.  Below is a link to the ingredients and the recipe for each color:

Ingredients:

  • Golden Fluid Acrylic – Teal
  • Golden Fluid Acrylic – Ultramarine Violet
  • Golden Fluid Acrylic – Phthalo Blue
  • Jacquard Lumiere – 555 Halo Pink Gold
  • 91% Rubbing Alcohol
  • Flood Floetrol
  • B’Laster Silicone Spray
  • Small 2 ounce funnel
  1. Mix carefully 1 part paint to 2 parts floetrol.  This needs to be well incorporated before adding any alcohol.
  2. Add 91% alcohol to the mix to thin the paint further.  This is a personal preference and is solely based on how YOU want the paint consistency.  You can substitute the alcohol for distilled water.  We use alcohol because it dries faster and reduces cracks.
  3. Just before the paint is used spray one shot of silicone in your paint mix and gently stir.

You can follow the video on how Zoe setup and poured in the funnel.

Jul
14
Kid Safe and fun Almost Acrylic Tempera Fluid Painting

I have been asked a few times about using Tempera paint as a substitute for acrylic pouring.  As far as I can recall I had a grandmother asking if it was possible to use this type of paint so she could show her grandchildren.  First I have to say it is awesome showing kids how to make brave art.  Children have no interest in selling their art and do this for themselves and not for “Likes.”  In some ways, it is much like intuitive painting.  If only we could all go through life with childlike faith, childlike curiosity and childlike love.

Since this is really for kids and not intended to be archival, I used tempura paints and regular school glue.  Both are washable and safe to handle.  Tempera paint is not much different from acrylic except it uses calcium carbonate as a binder and does not dry into plastic.  Calcium Carbonate is pretty much found in eggs, snail shells and various other organic minerals.  It is sometimes referred to as Egg Tempera and was used long before acrylics.  There are some permanent tempera paints, but I am using a student grade tempera from Chroma.  Chroma has a bunch of different types and recently came out with a Kids Chroma Tempera specifically for schools and kids.

What I found is that these act similar to the craft style paints.  Of course, the school glue is thicker and does not have a long-term archival property, but again, this is for fun and not for sale.  Based on the number of different types of tempera paints available I am sure you could get different results, but I hope you give this a try with a little one in your life!  So get your kids, get your paints and get your wet towels because this is tons of fun!

Here is the recipe I used.  (Please note, this is not exact, and I encourage you to experiment beyond just a recipe).

  • 1 part Paint
  • 1 part School Glue
  • A splash of alcohol
  • A splash of water

The alcohol will help with making cells and the water will help thin everything down some.  Once you get it the right constancy your can do a swipe, pour whatever you like.  Keep in mind, the Chroma Tempera paints actually use pigment so specific gravity does make a difference.

Here are the products that were used:

Jun
15
Low Cost Fluid Acrylic Pouring with Anita’s Craft Paint

Recently I was asked to try out Anita’s All Purpose craft paint in a pouring demo to see what kind of results I get. Surprisingly the paint was very responsive and had a close consistency to Golden Fluid Acrylic. Now I don’t know what the archival quality of the paint is, but it looks good so far. In the video, I also show how I use a Polymer Medium to coat a finished piece after I cleaned off the silicone. If there is any silicone left behind when a resin coating is added, you will see tons of small pock marks. By coating the piece in a polymer medium, you seal the good paint and help lift the silicone missed after initial cleaning. It saves a lot of time re-coating in resin.

To purchase this piece please and support the YouTube Channel visit the Etsy Page: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DannyClarkArt 

For all the materials I used in the video:

May
19
How to transfer an image on an acrylic pouring painting.

I have been asked a number of times in my YouTube comments to explain how I transfer an image to a painting.  In this short video I go through all the steps I take to create such an effect.  Its a simple process that takes some time but always very calming and relaxing.

Here are the materials I use in the video:

May
03
Triple Pour with Lots of Cells – Latest Video.

This weekend I tried something a little different with my test canvases. I did a dirty pour with three flip cups, and I think it turned out OK. Below is a video from my YouTube channel with all the details. Additionally, I coated the piece in Art Resin.

 

Eventually, the piece will be available on my Etsy Page that I was finally able to setup. I am busy with so much other that stuff it seems like I am moving in slow motion. The Etsy shop is pretty much where these little test pieces reside. Otherwise, they collect dust in my house. So check it out and buy something will ya!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DannyClarkArt

As always here is a list of the ingredients I used to create this piece. I hope this inspires you to try it out. It’s not hard just sometimes messy!

Floetrol — http://amzn.to/2qqusJ7
Silicone — http://amzn.to/2qwgceR
91% Alcohol – http://amzn.to/2qws7cq
Golden Hansa Yellow Medium – http://amzn.to/2qCBh6B
Golden Titan Buff – http://amzn.to/2pW7eKM
Golden Raw Umber – http://amzn.to/2p6JUWH
Golden Quinacridone Magenta – http://amzn.to/2qCF3g6
Golden Cerulean Blue – http://amzn.to/2pGdYLV
Art Resin – http://amzn.to/2p3SdSn

Apr
26
Testing out the Pebeo Discovery Sets and not making a terrible mess!

photo-apr-26-2-40-01-pm.jpg

 

Over the weekend my lovely wife gave me three sets of Pebeo paints to play with.  There were three kits, each with their own specific purpose.   The tree kits are listed below with links.  For more information about Pebeo and what they have to offer go check out Pebeo.com.  They have a ton of different types of paints and I can’t wait to try them all!

The first kit I played with was the Vitrial set.  The colors included were Crimson, Lemon, Orange, Chartreuse, Sky Blue and Gold.  All the paints are mixable so you can make your own custom color.  I need to get some thinner but the look you get is of a stained glass.    They were really easy to play with and I had no problem getting them mixed.

The second set I used was the Fantasy Prism.  There were 12 different colors in this kit.  My favorite was Eggshell White.  The paints create a honeycomb effect.  I think they are intended to be used alongside the Moon Fantasy but can be used alone too.

The third set I used was the Fantasy Moon.  This set also came with 6 colors and they were sort of a two toned paint.  I liked the way they went down on the panel but they were really tough to get mixed appropriately.  They give a hammered metal look that is quite nice.

In the following video I put together a quick little abstract piece using each of the paints and finished off with a gentle spatula swipe.  I really liked the look of the paints and how they reacted.  After about 3 days it dried to a beautiful glossy look that is much like a resin piece.

Photo Apr 26, 12 32 43 PM

 

Here is a list of the items I used:

Pebeo Vitrail Discovery Set  —  http://amzn.to/2oNeUuJ
Pebeo Fanstasy Moon Set –  http://amzn.to/2oxBj35
Pebeo Fantasy Prism Set – http://amzn.to/2pj7U9Y

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