"Inkwell"

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"An inkwell is a reminder of unwritten thoughts." This new addition to my inkwell collection is from the 1800's. And with the takeover of technology, it is a beautiful reminder of the handwritten thoughts that reveal our personality. There are still some things that computers cannot do!

In mixed media, timing and planning ahead are key. The silver leaf square was the first thing that was adhered to a blank sheet of Arches Text Wove. I brushed Gel Matte Medium in a freely formed square and then placed silver leaf (the kind with an easy release backing...available at Michaels) over the gel. It is best to brayer over it with lots of pressure for good adhesion. Let it dry overnight. Failure to give it sufficient drying time will result in the leaf moving around and tearing in places when you go to the next step of your process.

I printed my inkwell onto transparent tissue (check paper sources that carry exotic Japanese and Chinese papers. This one is gampi) Brush gel matte medium over the silver leaf and adhere the image. Dry thoroughly with hair dryer.

The remainder of the steps were accomplished with gesso, a brayer, and Speedball Printing Ink. This was an experiment in black, white, and gray with contrasts of shiny silver vs. tarnished silver in the image and the black, white, and gray in the background. A renown interior designer inspired me to try it as I was reading what she had to say about black and white. The beauty of it is that you can get away with using lots of complex patterns and texture. The black and white values tie them all together beautifully. Just a few more things to think about.

"Dear Friends" (unavailable)

(unavailable......in the permanent collection of dee day)

"Pen and ink are like dear friends." (Several people have ask me to type the quote in my commentary. I will now include it as the first sentence.) My inspiration for this piece was this inkwell made in the 1800's. It is a prized part of my collection.

All week long I have included gesso as the first layer of my process. It will continue because I am fascinated with the process. Anything that adds a look of spontaneity is a good thing. Also, by working on a large sheet of paper and cropping, you can take it up another notch.

I know I sound like a broken record, but cropping is the only way you can come up with these totally random looking layouts. I heartily recommend experimenting on "parent" sheets of paper so you can experience the thrill of the "crop"!   Just something to think about...and do.


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"A Signature" (unavailable)

(unavailable)

Most of the time a signature refers to the written name of a person. However, there is a broader definition that refers to a distinctive action or characteristic of a person's style. For instance, if you see enough of one artist's work, you can immediately tell that it was done by that artist. Each artist has their habitual marks or arrangement of elements, or techniques that visually describe who they are. None of us can run away from our signature. It is who we are!

I actually created this background some time ago, but never could write a quote that seemed to fit. The "aha" moment for me was realizing that the gestural marks in the background reminded me of someone's signature. Better yet, I had made a gestural mark with a brush, the corner of a credit card, and a pointed shaper tool. I also used a credit card to incise some lines in the paper while it was wet. This does add some energy, especially when they are inscribed at an angle or veer off in a different direction.

The inkwell is from my personal collection and I'm particularly fond of the shape. You might not be able to pick up the subtle nuance of the dark values in the pen, bottle, and shadows, but they are not black. I mixed up Ult. Blue, Winsor Violet, and a bit of Burnt Sienna (in gouache) to create a color that looks like black. It is a livelier color combination with the yellow green background because yellow and purple are complements. It is one of those details that can make a huge difference, especially in the original.

As always, these comments might spark your imagination to try a few new things or just give you something to think about.

"A Trace and Testament" (sold)

(sold)

This age of technology can leave us yearning for something other than printed matter created on a computer. That's probably why many of us want the lettering arts to continue on. Whether it's a prescribed hand or one's own handwriting...the person who wrote it has created something that no one else can create. Your own hand is yours and yours alone.

Hazel Dolby was the reason I sent in my check, bought an airline ticket and headed for Sonoma, Calif. The class was a week of creating artwork and lettering on primed and gessoed surfaces. We painted and lettered on fabric, paper, and MDF board. It was grand! A good white and black gesso is worth its weight in gold.

You can cover your entire surface with gesso or thin it by adding water to create a "veiled" effect. The effect in this piece was achieved with a credit card dipped in gesso and scraped across the desired area...but don't stop there. Dip the same credit card in water and go over the same area again and again until you achieve the desired transparency. I also chose to add more gesso by dipping the credit card into gesso and touching the damp edge. There is really no end to what you can do if you just experiment. Also remember that white cools down a very warm piece. Enjoy!


Please visit my ebay listing to bid on original art from Dee Day Art Journal Painting a Day.
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"Fresh Ideas" (unavailable)

(unavailable)


Have you ever had an idea and failed to write it down? No matter how hard you tried to remember...it was gone forever. This quote is a reminder to write down all of the salient thoughts you want to remember.

Having a center of interest enclosed in a band of space from edge to edge is one of those design decisions that works every time it's tried. (as long as you don't divide the space equally) The white band in this piece is made more interesting by having an erratic edge rather than a straight line. The color showing through the black gesso is another way to "kick it up a notch". Notice also that all of the crisp, solid lines are in the drawing and lettering which is in direct contrast to the edges of the white band. Just something to think about.

Please visit my ebay listing to bid on original art from Dee Day Art Journal Painting a Day.

Dee Day ebay

"Writing" (unavailable)

(unavailable)

When writing your own thoughts with a special pen or in your own hand...you are revealing something of yourself that is like a fingerprint. It is unique to you!

I collect inkwells and this is one from my collection. The pen shown is my favorite type for "script" lettering and the nib is a Leonardt EF Principal. I still like Moon Palace Ink...but remember to dilute it with a few drops of water. You might also need to add a drop of gum arabic to get a thin line if the paper is too absorbent. In this piece I deliberately write a bit heavier, weighting the letters more so that it could be easily read on this background.

In case you might be playing around with black gesso, try applying it with an old credit card as though it were a brush. If it lays down thicker than you want...give it a light spray of water and use your credit card to remove excess. You can get some interesting edges that way. If you are like me and you like to texturize the acrylic paint and gesso with a sharp object such as an x-acto knife, your underneath layer (in this case...red) may not always be exposed. Try applying a bit of paint over your scratch marks and then brushing off the excess with a dry brush (wet, but squeezed dry) or blotting with a kleenex. The white applied on top of the black in this piece is bleedproof white. It is a good choice because it has great covering power...but is also rewettable. Have fun with your techniques and keep writing!

"Memories" (sold)

    SOLD

This particular style emerged as a result of incorporating all of the things I personally love to do. The original quote is packaged amid an array of visuals including stamped geometric images, expressive drawing, flourished caps and script. My pieces are created on acid free watercolor paper with mixed media techniques and mounted on a gessoed, masonite panel. These original pieces will be posted each day. Enjoy and be inspired!