Citra Solv Background Swap, Mixed Media Collage, Due October 28th, 2021

Swap Due Date – Thursday, October 28th, 2021
Signup/withdraw Date – None; please just communicate
Number of Cards - 3 for 3
Number of Participants – Unlimited
Media – Mixed Media Collage
Theme – Citra Solv Background

Some years ago, SpottedCrow kindly sent me some “Citra Solv” collage paper with a trade. The paper had such a fantastic pattern on it that I had to learn more! In researching the technique, I discovered that Citra Solv paper is created using National Geographic magazines and Citra Solv brand concentrated citrus cleaner. Nat Geo magazines use a special type of clay-coated pages that react with the Citra Solv cleaner, causing the page inks (especially the photo spread pages) to create these wild color combinations and patterns that are perfect for collage.

When I first found out about the Citra Solv technique, I wanted to give it a try but I couldn't find any Citra Solv locally and I let it fall to the back of my mind—until recently when some more of SpottedCrow's beautiful Citra Solv paper reminded me that I needed to give this a try. I'm so glad I did, and I'm hoping this swap inspires others to give it a go as well!

For this swap, you will create cards of any theme of your choice, but they must have a Citra Solv background as their base. I used and would recommend the following YouTube tutorial for creating your own paper:
-Tutorial Part One (14:35): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv8R0A2r_Jc
-Tutorial Part Two (8:44): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WH4_qOnvTo
-Tutorial Part Three (4:13): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBxsCeYw8kE

Please note that finding Citra Solv can sometimes be a little tricky. I discovered that the cheapest source for me was to order off of Chewy.com when I was buying kitty food for my two girls. Citra Solv is also readily available through Amazon and other sites, but if you'd like to try to find it locally, you can check out the Citra Solv website, which has a “product locator.” It can search for local distributors in your zip code, but unfortunately it doesn't tell you exactly which products that distributor may carry. But it is a good place to start!

Card Guidelines:
1. Each card must be the standard ATC size of 2.5 x 3.5 inches.
2. Each card must be original and unique. Please don’t send in cards that you’ve swapped/traded in the past or plan on replicating for swapping/trading in the future.
3. Any embellishments must be relatively flat and lightweight.
4. Please send in only work that you have put thought, time, and effort into. Make sure that you are swapping a card you would be happy to receive.
5. Please make sure that cards have a sturdy background and earn the name “card.”
6. Each card must be in an individual plastic sleeve (please no connecting photo album sleeves without also including individual sleeves).
7. Each card should be labeled with the swap name, your username, your real name, date of creation, and your location.

Mailing Guidelines:
1. Please mail cards in a business sized envelope, spreading the cards over the space of the envelope.
2. If you tape your cards together or onto a sturdy background when mailing, please use an easy-release tape such as painter’s tape or washi tape. I don’t want anyone’s beautiful artwork to be damaged by tape.
3. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for your return cards.
4. If you are mailing from the U.S., one Forever stamp should cover the cost of returns.
5. If you are mailing internationally, please provide one of the following for your returns:
a. One U.S. Forever stamp.
b. One well-concealed $1 bill.
c. $1 payment via PayPal.

*When you are ready to mail your cards, please just private message me for my address. If you have it from an earlier swap, it has not changed.
*iTraders will be given when cards are received by me.
*Please note that cards must be received by the due date. No cards and no communication will result in neutral iTrader. You may withdraw any time before the due date.
*A host card would be greatly appreciated and loved, but is never required.
*Please make sure to leave an iTrader for your host (me) and You Rocks! for the artists that created your return cards when you receive them.

Here are a sample of backgrounds that I was able to create with just one Nat Geo magazine and half a bottle of Citra Solv:
View attachment 225218

Who would like to play?
0. TSMarie
1. NancyL - Received! You Rock!
2. CastleQueen5 - Received! You Rock!
3. somnia - Received! You Rock!
4. LuAnnP - Received! You Rock!
5. SpottedCrow - Received! YouRock!
6. Betsyg - Received! You Rock!
7. KatieV - Received! You Rock!

Looks like fun but where is the easiest place to get old National Geographic magazines?

Most thrift stores will have National Geographics. Also, you can buy single episodes or lots of them on Ebay.

CynthiaSillitoe said:

Most thrift stores will have National Geographics. Also, you can buy single episodes or lots of them on Ebay.

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Yes! I definitely see them at thrift stores, and they are also sometimes in the little bookshop that is attached to our library. But when I was looking I actually posted on a local Facebook group called "What's Going on in Yuma, AZ" and just asked if anyone might have any National Geographics they'd be willing to give away for an art project. A lady responded to my post and gave me a box of about 25 issues!!

Ooo, this brings back memories! Once you've done this, you'll always remember the smell. I think I recycled all of my old National Geographics when we moved, but I still have a partial bottle of citrasolv. I'll check out our library sale, and will be back if I get lucky and they have some magazines :-)

KatieV said:

Ooo, this brings back memories! Once you've done this, you'll always remember the smell. I think I recycled all of my old National Geographics when we moved, but I still have a partial bottle of citrasolv. I'll check out our library sale, and will be back if I get lucky and they have some magazines :-)

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I'd love to have you join, KatieV! Hope you find some!

I wonder if other magazines would work. I watched the video links above, and I saw another one where the person used other types of papers, but she did it completely different and the results were not compatible. I am going to look around and see if I can find any Nat Geo magazines...... I used to have a bunch, years ago, but they are long gone. The only one I have here now is from the year of my birth, and I won’t part with that one!

My update.

The citrasolve stated that MY CVS has this product. They do NOT! LIARS!! Oh was there anyway picking up some prescriptions. I heard Home Depot might have some, I shop at lowe's.

I know for a fact when I was clearing out my craft room, to get the house carpeted AND to get the house on the market that, I put a National GEO in the donate box.

3. The library has all kinds of magazines but not Nat. GEo. I might have to go buy back my NAT GEO. I also remember when I was attempting this years ago. That the NAT GEOs had to be older for the right kind of ink.

I am still lurking til I get some supplies.

Suzi said:

I wonder if other magazines would work. I watched the video links above, and I saw another one where the person used other types of papers, but she did it completely different and the results were not compatible. I am going to look around and see if I can find any Nat Geo magazines...... I used to have a bunch, years ago, but they are long gone. The only one I have here now is from the year of my birth, and I won’t part with that one!

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I have seen on the internet that some other magazines might work, but I haven't tried any. Nat Geo seems to be the magazine of choice since it can be reliably depended upon to create such stunning papers.

CastleQueen5 said:

My update.

The citrasolve stated that MY CVS has this product. They do NOT! LIARS!! Oh was there anyway picking up some prescriptions. I heard Home Depot might have some, I shop at lowe's.

I know for a fact when I was clearing out my craft room, to get the house carpeted AND to get the house on the market that, I put a National GEO in the donate box.

3. The library has all kinds of magazines but not Nat. GEo. I might have to go buy back my NAT GEO. I also remember when I was attempting this years ago. That the NAT GEOs had to be older for the right kind of ink.

I am still lurking til I get some supplies.

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Yeah, the problem with that search function on the Citra Solv website is that it doesn't specify the type of product. Since Citra Solve makes other household cleaners perhaps the CVS carried one of those instead?

For the age of the Nat Geo, it does appear that some artists prefer the older magazines, but the newer ones are still used with the same type of ink and can be used also. The ones I got happen to be from the 90s, but if I remember correctly the ones that the lady uses in the tutorials are from the 2000s, and she mentioned she likes them better because the newer magazines aren't held together with staples, so you can more easily just rip the pages out. My 90s magazines do have the staples, but the pages can still be easily pulled out. And what a bummer about the Nat Geo in the donate box!

I am so glad the backgrounds and paper I sent inspired you to try this.
It really is great fun and so exciting to see what the pages will look like.

Still have some pages , so I will lurk till I catch up on some other things.

One suggestion that I saw on line was to poke holes in the foil seal of the top of the bottle.. much less waste that way.
it really worked for me. I prefer to do it outside. the odor is very strong.

I think I broke down and ordered mine on Amazon because I could not find it anywhere around me.

I just ordered Citra Solv and have a 2001 Nat Geo ready to give this a try. Good timing - looks like an outdoor project! I'll officially sign up for the swap if I manage to create some usable backgrounds.

SpottedCrow said:

I am so glad the backgrounds and paper I sent inspired you to try this.
It really is great fun and so exciting to see what the pages will look like.

Still have some pages , so I will lurk till I catch up on some other things.

One suggestion that I saw on line was to poke holes in the foil seal of the top of the bottle.. much less waste that way.
it really worked for me. I prefer to do it outside. the odor is very strong.

I think I broke down and ordered mine on Amazon because I could not find it anywhere around me.

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Awesome! Welcome to the lurkers' couch, SpottedCrow! Hope you find the time to join.

somnia said:

I just ordered Citra Solv and have a 2001 Nat Geo ready to give this a try. Good timing - looks like an outdoor project! I'll officially sign up for the swap if I manage to create some usable backgrounds.

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Yay, somnia! Yes, I did mine outdoors as well! The only problem I encountered was that I did it in the Arizona heat before our monsoon season started so there was no humidity in the air and the pages started to dry so fast that I had a couple stick together!

Sign me up !

A few years ago, a friend and I tried this process. Of course I don't remember where we bought our citrus stuff. But for the surreal swaps, I ordered some back copies of Nat Geo and still have lots of pages left over.

NancyL said:

Sign me up !

A few years ago, a friend and I tried this process. Of course I don't remember where we bought our citrus stuff. But for the surreal swaps, I ordered some back copies of Nat Geo and still have lots of pages left over.

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Wonderful! Welcome to the fun, NancyL!

So… does the technique only work with National Geographic or are there suitable substitutes? If so, what? I have the Citra Solv but my few magazines were discarded during my move. I’m not finding old magazines in any of the nearby thrift stores.

jo.on.the.go said:

So… does the technique only work with National Geographic or are there suitable substitutes? If so, what? I have the Citra Solv but my few magazines were discarded during my move. I’m not finding old magazines in any of the nearby thrift stores.

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I have seen some references online to other magazines possibly working, but I have also seen folks post that they tried a number of other magazines and only Nat Geo worked. If you can't find any locally, used issues are also readily available on ebay, thriftbooks, and nat geo itself.

I havent found Citra solv today. I wonder if the Awesome Orange would work the same?

Today, I went to Homedepot Goodwill, halo animal thrift, Az Humane society thrift and Salavation army. They do not even have a magazine section anymore. So I was just at the library this week, and not Nat Geo. But because I didnt want to make any left turns, I went to the Library to pick up a book I put a hold on. THEY HAD ONE! and the magazines are 5 for 25 cents.

So the chemical I got isnt citra solv. It oxygen orange.

You can get citrasolve at chewy.com and I am going to go there. I need some wet cat food anyway.

DONE it is should be here in 1-3 days. and I have wet cat food for hubbys favorite felines. And I got the old dog some wet small food, So I spent over $49 to get the free shipping. I would have bought the pet food anyway.