These are both 6”x6” Ampersand Claybord panels with ink for the backgrounds and a combination of graphite, ink, and scratchboard techniques for the birds and branches. I can use a spray varnish on these and simply pop them into a frame, which is a real plus when using a surface like Claybord.
I love using this type of surface compared to paper because it’s both an additive and subtractive process. I add in colors, shapes, and values, and then I can scratch and erase detail and highlights. With these two birds, I used graphite for shadows and dulling some of the bright white lines that happen with scratching.
This Infinity pencil is supposed to last a long time. Is it compressed graphite, a mix with some type of metal? I don’t really know. It writes like a very light H pencil on regular paper, but it does a fantastic job on stone paper, which makes me think there’s metal in the nib. I drew these birds with this one pencil, and it shows the variety of tones I can get on this Etched paper, which now comes in single sheets.
Ink on Stonehenge Aqua, 140 lb., finished with Spectrafix Final Fixative and Natural Glass and mounted on mat board.
In the end, these six ornaments turned out great–but I would not recommend using Spectrafix Natural Glass as an adhesive. As a varnish, yes, but as an adhesive, no. Most of the paper pulled away from the mat board, and I ended up using Tacky Glue instead. The star, the Cardinal, is still questionable because I never found a good way to put it on the tree, which is a gigantic Norfolk Pine we’ve had for years and years and is now 6′ tall (including the pot). I also made a Downy Woodpecker, which turned out great.
One last lesson to remember–getting these to dry flat is difficult was they stuck to the glassine paper. I had to carefully peel it off before they were totally dry, and as a result, some of these have a wavy look.
If a three-day art class exists on how to finish artwork the same way there are dozens of three-day art classes on how to create artwork, and if this class focused on pencil and water media works and taught the various ins and outs of framing, varnishing, alternative methods of varnishing, storing, and so on, I’d take it. It seems I only learn by failing, and my latest project is starting to feel like a big lesson in what not to do.
I started with a piece of watercolor paper (140 lb., Stonehenge Aqua) stretched on a watercolor stretcher board. I created a moody background in ink and proceeded to sketch six songbirds, thinking I’d create Christmas ornaments. I drew a woodpecker, too, and completed all of this drawing, which took a week of evenings, with a Cardinal for the “star.”
The drawing part I’m comfortable with, but then the questions begin. Can I use acrylic on paper and alongside ink? Should I use a fixative first? How will I “finish” these so they can be hung on a tree? After watching a very informative video about the Spectrafix products (Final Fixative and Natural Glass), I dove in. I sprayed fixative a few times before drawing in the gold ornaments and stars with an acrylic marker. I then brushed on three coats of Natural Glass over everything. After it dried, I adhered the birds to mat board and attempted to sandwich yarn in between for hangers.
Did it work? As it’s all still drying, tune in next time to find out…
