I grew up knowing this bird as a Rufus Sided Towhee, but now they’re known as two separate kinds, the Eastern and the Spotted. It’s a handsome bird no matter what its name. This is another ink on Claybord with some graphite and lots of scratchboard techniques.

I’m experimenting with finishing all my Claybords. I used three coats of Spectrafix Final Fixative on this one, which leaves dotted marks on the smooth surface. So, I’ve been using either Spectrafix Natural Glass or, on this one, Gamblin Cold Wax Medium as a varnish. Natural Glass leaves brush marks, no matter how carefully I apply it, so I’m trying wax as another alternative. I’m nervous about the cold wax, as I need to wait until it’s no longer tacky and then buff it. I’ll check it in a week. My ultimate goal is to be able to finish these Claybord panels without anything terribly toxic (although there are ample warnings on the wax) and then frame them without glass.