Red Bird Mosaic Pendant and Necklace

January 2016   Red Bird

A spontaneous sketch ... two sessions later. a Mosaic Pendant

 

A thin layer of gold Premo was applied to the back before baking just enough wider than the front to accept the extruded bezel. An admitted afterthought, but useful to know. The bail was then added as well.  

A hollow cord was used (shown off-center) to allow wire to be threaded through but to have soft material to protect against wear on polymer bail.  Wire required to accommodate coral beads.

The beads were made from scrap from the tesserae (tiles); the large beads made from translucent clay tinted with alcohol inks.  Beads were lightly buffed.   Red beads are dyed coral.

A polished black chain was used to complete.  It is 25 inches long and is intended to slip on over the head. 

Desert Cat continued

I had thought I would finish him today, but am too distracted by family genealogy exploration, Valentine card for granddaughter (mailing Priority),  beginning packing lists, and cat herding.  
So aside from a little bit of a slimming down on cat and some under painting, this is it for the day.  Tomorrow I hope to finish. 

Palette notes: Cobalt & brilliant blue; Ochre & Azo yellow orange; red oxide & Indo Orange-red; Dioxazine Purple;  Titanium white. 

Ruffles compliments of Scribbler . . .

What great good fun!  Working on a painting "Desert Cat" I "sketched" with this little program ...   I'll post that when the painting gets a bit further on. 
In the meantime, here's Ruffles wearing her winter finery ...

Did Someone Just Open the Refridgerator?

Charlie and Jake, ever hopeful, just about to start the grooming-to-slapping game, are suddenly alert to a sound which could mean yummies!

 



Acrylic on 5 x 7 stretched canvas.  Palette:  Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Cadmium Red Medium, Yellow Oxide, Yellow-Orange Azo; Ivory Black; Titanium Dioxide. 

Discussing Where to Grab Lunch on the Blue Ridge

Finished.  I had thought there would be additional layer(s) of wildflowers but I soon realized precious little, if anything, would be gained, so I simply added more wild blackberries and suggestion of pastures in the land beyond. 
Acknowledging the nature of crows and their relatives, the title has been modified, grabbing lunch seeming most likely.
The canvas is 12 x 10 inches, the palette Quin. Magenta, Cadmium Red Med,  Azo yellow, Cadmium Orange, Cerulean Blue, Pthalo Blue, Pthalo Green, Unbleached titanium and Titanium Dioxide; Ivory Black.    While some black was worked into the birds' bodies, the "black" is primarily the pthalos and magenta.