Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Whatcha Doin?


I am re-doing the last project we did in class with Dan.  I didn't finish it. We didn't have a lot of time to complete this project on the last day.  I work slowly, and I had a hard time floating the Instacoll in the center of the "O" designed by Dan. The letter was 2 1/2 in. square and larger than anything I've gilded. I found the edges were drying before I had the center filled. 

Instacoll is to be applied in a thick-ish layer, but in my haste I had added too much. The paper buckled and the goop pooled at the bottom of the letter. Instacoll takes 45 minutes to dry before you can apply whatever metal is being used. 

The surface of the Instacoll had dried, but underneath was still wet. When I went to tool the gold with the thin, cross-hatched lines, the gold tore revealing the Instacoll. 

Though I called this an epic fail, it really wasn't. I mixed the delicious blue-black background using red, yellow, and blue watercolor.  I learned how the materials reacted. How much time is needed for things to dry. How much time I need to work. All valuable lessons.

Dan told me I could try to salvage the piece by thinning some Instacoll with water, applying it again to the center, let it thoroughly dry, and lay another layer of gold. 

I think I'll add some lettering and re-do the project.

Whatcha doin?

16 comments:

Iris Flavia said...

It came out great! Lately I can´t make time for art-stuff....

CJ Kennedy said...

You've been so busy lately

robin cox walsh said...

IMHO we only learn from our 'mistakes'. (how boring would it be if everything we did came out perfectly?)

CJ Kennedy said...

I agree, but it would have been so cool to have this come out perfectly on the first attempt

Valerie-Jael said...

Practice makes perfect! Mistakes are bitter, but we learn from them. Your work is always fabulous! Valerie

CJ Kennedy said...

Thank you 😊

Sandra Cox said...

Ouch. I would have been jumping up and down and howling. I know I have an untrained eye but it looks good to me.

My name is Erika. said...

This is another beautiful piece. I think you learned a lot from your struggles with it. Hope you enjoyed the day!

CJ Kennedy said...

I'm pleased with some of it, but overall 👎🏼

CJ Kennedy said...

It was a really good learning experience

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

It's always nice to learn from our mistakes, but I thought this was simply amazing. It is beautiful.

CJ Kennedy said...

thank you 😊

Divers and Sundry said...

I'm waiting for the contractor the HOA is sending to see about our stuck gate fastener. Your activity sounds like much more fun. It looks lovely from the photo. I hope you can save it so it satisfies your more critical in-person eye.

CJ Kennedy said...

I hope your new neighbor comes out to make comments

Anonymous said...

That illuminated letter is stunning!!! - Anne (Cornucopia)

CJ Kennedy said...

I think it will look a lot nicer when I re-do it