These miniature pieces measure just 2.5″ x 3.5″. They’re the same size as a wallet photo, just a little bigger than a business card. They’re on Ampersand Claybord tiles, and I used ink, colored pencil, and scratchboard techniques. I have a feeling this is my new favorite thing, creating very small paintings.
Once again, I drew a bird on Claybord using ink (mostly fountain pens and Faber Castell Pitt Pens) and scratchboard techniques. This time, it’s an American Tree Sparrow, one of my favorite backyard birds.
I sprayed several coats of Spectrafix Final Fixative and then poured Natural Glass Varnish over it. When it comes to pouring, I’m a novice. I found it’s easier to tape the panel to a plastic cup so I can hold it and tilt it this way and that while pouring the varnish. I catch the excess in a container. This method creates a fairly thick layer, and it takes about five or six hours to dry. I always find some dust particles in the surface, but if I truly minded, I’d sand it and do another coat.
I tried to replicate the lighting from one day to the next to show the difference between unvarnished (left) and varnished (right), but it was a little darker today, but the color is a bit richer overall. The end result has a light gloss which I love.
I’m so pleased with this one, not because I like the image—I think the bird is a wee bit wonky—but because I varnished it and it turned out great. I reached out to the Spectrafix company and asked about some of their products and also asked what I could do to diminish brush marks when using Natural Glass. Delia wrote me back with a variety of thoughts, one of which was pouring the varnish instead of brushing. I gave it a try (over three coats of Final Fixative) and held my breath and it worked! I’m very happy with having this option for finishing these Claybords so I can frame them without glass.
Another 6”x6” Claybord using ink, this time a little more stylized.
