C&I project #20

[liadethornegge]

Because I like to share, here's a close-up of the top left corner of my assignment. I am calling it finished now. Just letting it dry thoroughly, then I'll put it on the scanner and save a good copy for my own files. Once it has been handed out in court I will upload that and show you all.

For now, you just get a little taste.

Comments

[englandbound.livejournal.com]

Pretty!

When you do the colors, do you do the light or dark shades first? For example, in the blue there is both light and dark. Do you paint the entire thing blue then go in with a blue/white mix to add the lighter blue? or do you paint it light blue and then go back with dark blue to add the darker shade? Does it matter? I'm still trying to figure out the best way to do this.

[liadethornegge.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

Well, the method I used for this entire scroll is done by mixing the darker shades of my colours, pouring a little bit off, and continuing to lighten them to the lighter shade. Then I painted the entire shapes with the lighter shades.

At this point everything was baby-pink and -blue. Very unattractive, and always disheartening. But never fear, it does get better!

Then I went in with the darker shades on top, and finally I came back on a few places with an even lighter shade of colour, and finally whitework on top of everything.

Does it matter? To a point, yes. If you are using gouache paints that cover up the underlying layer completely it might not, but then you might build up your layers a bit thick, which I think you should avoid. But that's my opinion only. If you come in with darker colours ontop of a lighter shade you won't need to use as much to cover and create your shadings.

[englandbound.livejournal.com]

Thanks!
I did notice on the last one I did that the paint ended up a bit thick and the whitework flaked off. I will try this way on my next projcect!

[aylwin101.livejournal.com]

That's really gorgeous work. I'm a complete beginner when it comes to illumination - what did you use for the raised gold detail??

[liadethornegge.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

Actually, it's flat gilding pretending to raise up... I've got a modern gold ground mixed with a bit of red paint. What I do is flood the shape I want to gild with the gold ground, starting with a bead in the centre which I then push out to fill the entire shape. Once that is dry, I breathe on it to re-activate the surface, and then I stick my 23ct transfer gold leaf down on that. If it needs it I try a second layer of gold by burnishing the first, breathing on it and pressing on a second layer. Gold will stick to gold in the right circumstances.

I am not very good at gilding. The idea is you should be able to polish it up to a flat shine, but, I haven't managed that yet.

[love3angle.livejournal.com]

That is beautiful!

[liadethornegge.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you :)

Hopefully it will arrive safely to be delivered this weekend. At which point I can show you more of it :)