Last of the Bole...

One more coat of red to go on the top frame & I'm just going to go with a single coat of black on the mirror frame as I want as much warmth to show through the silver as possible. These need to dry out for a couple of days now before we move onto the next stage... :-)

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Bole...

This is the first coat of red Bole (clay & size), both frames will have 5 coats on the areas that are to be gilded, the larger of the two will also have a couple of coats of black Bole as I'm going to gild that one with silver.

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Silky smooth...

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The two original frames have been sanded and water polished...silky smooth now :-) in the background are three more sample pieces, each of these is using a different profile of moulding, so I should have a nice little selection once they're all done.

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The Forest Paintings

I realized I hadn't added images of all the latest pieces finished and framed...so here they are :) Have been building some new handmade frames today, will post some pictures of those later in the week :)

Gesso

More work on the handmade frames today. I realised I wasn't going to have enough size so I've made up some more, this time using rabbit skin, this comes in granules rather than parchment form. This is what it looks like when you've soaked it in water overnight...

Next, we just needed to warm it through gently and then add the whiting (chalk). Once that was done I started applying it to the frames...here's a frame after the first coat...

The tricky bit now is to keep adding layers of gesso at the right intervals, it mustn't dry out or the bond will be weak. But you don't want to add it too soon, or the new layer will pull up the one below... So basically, it's a case of keeping your eye on it, while dancing around the studio to kill odd bits of time in between layers :-) Here is the frame once its had 6 coats of gesso...

 

Now the gesso needs to thoroughly dry out, this will probably take 3-4 days in my studio...then it'll be ready for the next short stage...water polishing....more on that in 3-4 days ;-)

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First handmade frames

Here are the first of the handmade frames I'm going to be producing, I thought I'd show the behind the scenes processes here on my art blog and leave the main Cuckoos Nest blog for the finishes pieces. Anyway to start with I'm going to make a couple of test pieces, one for a mirror and one for this small pear painting I did a while ago. I'll be using the same moulding for both, but the gilding and paint finishes will be different.

Here you can see both frames assembled and getting their first 'size' coat (that lovely brew I cooked up the other day). They need to dry for a couple of days now and then I'll mix up some gesso for the next layers...

 

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Exhibition all setup :-)

Everything framed & hung, shelves polished and floors swept, the Autumn exhibition begins tomorrow :-)...I've some commissioned work to start on next week and I want to begin working on the handmade frames also...once that's underway, work can begin on pieces for the winter exhibition...;-)

Some Cuckoo's Nest blurb :-) ... Our Autumn exhibition opens tomorrow and runs through to the end of October. We've a new collection of forest themed paintings by Graham along with a selection of prints including some Andy Warhol art prints and beautiful Tintin cover posters. We're open every Thursday 12 to 8, Friday & Saturday 10 to 6.

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Yummy...

 

Here we have the leftovers...

And here's the bit we were actually after...'size'...I'll be using this on a sample piece of frame later in the week....

Not much in there as I cooked it a little too long, but I'll add a little water to it when I use it and there should be more than enough for my little experiment...:-)

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Cooking....

Cooking up something different tonight....framing related, but thought I'd post it in here anyway :-

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1st piece all framed up..

 

A happy, but tired artist.... :-)

 

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Painting finished

Here are the paintings drying in the sunshine, they've just had the final layer of painting done...

Here I am getting ready for the final resin layer, note the new face mask. Now I sound like Darth Vader as I sing along to the radio...

I also managed to cut all the frames for the paintings today, I'll start assembling them tomorrow. :-)

 

 

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Resin stage 1

A nice hot way to start the day ! :-)

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Darkening up the colours

I've had a very busy week framing, so only got onto painting this afternoon. Luckily it was a productive afternoon :-) I've started darkening up 4 of the pieces, I'll try and work on the other 3 early in the mornings next week and hopefully all will then be ready for the first coat of resin before next weekend. It's going to be a very busy couple of weeks in the run up to the exhibition.... :-)

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