First a reminder about the materials used (see previous posting on October 12)... We have cotton, silk habitat, raw silk, and wool. They have been soaked in mordants (Alum, Soy milk, Sumac) or nothing. I used a cold-bath technique of soaking the materials overnight (after wetting them in warm water). I'm not sure if the … Continue reading More Natural Dye Tests… Subtle to stunning
Coming Upon Amber
These delicate flowers live in a leafy cropping so dense that the leaves themselves are almost black. I did nothing to tweak the colours here... the gorgeous amber colour of the petals is exactly what my naked eye saw. Perhaps the dark indigo-green leaves gave the contrast needed to make the petals look so vibrant; … Continue reading Coming Upon Amber
Cascade
The staghorn sumacs around my yard shed leaves all summer... it's the squirrels who break some branches and hasten their transformation into beautiful reds and pinks. Against the backdrop of deep dark forest greens, they give off their own light. This is how I see them in my minds-eye. They wilt into a gentle cascade … Continue reading Cascade
A Moment of Contemplation
Obviously, I didn't take this shot, but I feel it's worth sharing as part of my creative process. I was standing for a time near the water's edge, contemplating what might be floating downstream from the waterfall. Everything around me was green, but I was apparently so focused that my friends and my wife couldn't … Continue reading A Moment of Contemplation
A Living Painting
A day in the woods of Rawdon, Quebec... everywhere you looked there was something strange and wonderful to see. In a small area, near the river, we found these odd little caterpillars. I haven't the foggiest idea what the butterfly must look like and I'm not sure I care; this was amazing enough. It was … Continue reading A Living Painting
A Beautiful Day on the Farm
The last days of summer spent on excursions into the countryside with family and friends... well, as many as allowed under COVID restrictions. Stopping at a roadside farmer's market to get some fresh supplies for the week ahead and parking next to a field of amazing sunflowers. Each one sings with love and life... so … Continue reading A Beautiful Day on the Farm
(Home) – Studio Painting – 3rd Still-life Project – 3-Colour Palette – The First Brushstrokes
I selected my three colours and started my personal worrying about how to use them... This is what I decided (to start with)... Note: These are all pébéo brand Studio Acrylic, high viscosity, opaque paints: I'll use Light Ultramarine Blue for my blacks, Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue for my whites, and Cadmium Red Hue for … Continue reading (Home) – Studio Painting – 3rd Still-life Project – 3-Colour Palette – The First Brushstrokes
Natural Dyes – The first trial baths…
From top to bottom, we have Turmeric, Madder, & Red Cabbage. Each bundle contains cotton, silks, wool and in different mordants (or none at all). All the dyeing was done in cold baths and the materials were soaked overnight. I'm not sure why I don't have similar variety with the Turmeric as we can see … Continue reading Natural Dyes – The first trial baths…
Echo Printing – Natural Dyeing Explorations – I see the possibilities here…
I'm finally finding my own way of getting through the workload of my FBRS260 class. I just have to do one thing at a time and do what I understand clearly first. The echo printing exercise seemed simple enough. Take a piece of silk habotai, scour (clean) it, lay some flowers and other organic materials … Continue reading Echo Printing – Natural Dyeing Explorations – I see the possibilities here…
(Home) – Studio Painting – 3rd Still-life Project – 3-Colour Palette – Trying Something New
A little bonus (& maybe I'm cheating a little)... I printed out the b&w photo of my shot and placed it near my canvas to remind me of the contrasts... I'm supposed to paint only from observation, but this should help with that too. Now, I have to pick my 3-colour palette! Oh, boy! I … Continue reading (Home) – Studio Painting – 3rd Still-life Project – 3-Colour Palette – Trying Something New
The New Renaissance Mindset 