Materials List

You do not need everything on this list. Begin with what you already have and choose materials that feel meaningful to you.

Foundation and structure

• Deep stretched canvas or another sturdy base
• Small wooden, cardboard, or papier-mâché box to serve as the reliquary compartment
• Acrylic paints in a limited palette
• Acrylic matte medium or gel medium
• Texture materials such as cheesecloth, muslin, modeling paste, sand, or fiber

Images and papers

• Personal or vintage photographs - copies
• Handwritten notes, letters, maps, book pages, or other meaningful papers
• Decorative, handmade, or found papers
• Magazine images or copyright-free printed images
• Scraps from earlier artwork or unfinished pieces
• Scissors and/or craft knife
• Cutting mat
• Ruler and pencil

Objects and embellishments

• Found objects and small personal keepsakes
• Beads, buttons, charms, keys, shells, stones, feathers, or small bones
• Fabric, ribbon, thread, lace, and cord
• Small handmade clay pieces
• Wire, nails, tacks, or eye screws
• Optional metal leaf, mica, wax, metallic paint, or aging medium

Adhesives and tools

• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
• E6000 or another strong adhesive for heavier objects
• Acrylic gel medium for attaching paper and lightweight materials
• Paintbrushes in several sizes
• Palette knife or old plastic card
• Water container and palette
• Paper towels or studio rags
• Awl, small hand drill, or hammer, if needed for attachments
• Clips, clamps, or painter’s tape to hold pieces while the adhesive cures

For safety and cleanup

• Table covering
• Apron
• Disposable gloves
• Eye protection when drilling, cutting, or hammering
• Good ventilation when using E6000 or other solvent-based adhesives
• Heat-resistant surface for the hot-glue gun

Most important: bring a small collection of images, fragments, and objects that call to you—even if you do not yet understand why. Your reliquary can reveal its meaning as you work.