Sunday 1 February 2009

Liquin Love

As much as I love Ponoko, until they get a manufacturer in Europe I simply can't afford the postage costs to here, particularly as I tend to order large cuts. Without them however I am reduced to sweating and cursing with a handheld fret saw...The blades break often, my back hurts, the air turns a shade of blue. So I gave it up and bought an electric scroll saw....


I almost took my eye out with it to begin with because the instructions on the machine are wrong.....seriously, it has a picture showing you to turn a key in a given direction to tighten or loosen the blade, I was trying to loosen it to change to another blade but was unknowingly tightening it...I couldn't figure out why it was having trouble turning the key when there was suddenly a sound like a gun shot and a piece of blade went whizzing past my face. I was rather shook up after this, and started sawing with some trepidation....

Anyway, things went better after that and I managed to saw out some wiggly shapes without cutting off any fingers.


It's by no means perfect and it's no laser cut, but it's a start!

Other than that I sat down to paint the fox taking plenty of breaks to look at it and drink tea.

Robin claims (after seeing many foxes on the hill) that my fox is essentially our cat with a kind of foxy coat. Foxes are much more angular in real life - I've looked at plenty of photos but still haven't seen one close up...So my fox is quite warm and round. This is still just acrylics so the hair is a little sharpish close up.

My magic ability to take 100% blurred photos helps to soften the effect though.

Addition of foliage and flowers

And finally the first coat of liquin. My favourite substance. It smells unusual and painterly, and it gives rich depth on the first coat. It's pure magic and it means I can work oil glazes over the top once it's dried. I know many of you like it aswell!

The top of the bush.

I noticed that some of the little rituals around painting are beginning to take a strong hold recently. I don't start without a hot cup of tea beside me. I have to have some kind of incense or candle burning (my favourite incense shop: Simply Incense ) and I listen to comedy (Hitchikers guide to the galaxy radio series).... I suppose you start with something and your work goes well and then you rely on it? Anyone else have this kind of thing?

A beautiful incense which i'm lighting a lot at the moment is this one:

Karin Perfumed Prince

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Possibly just baby fox-like, rather than cat-like, but very gorgeous anyway.

Eggman Studios said...

Wow! He looks gorgeous. Yes, art-making rituals are strange. For a long while, I had to have M*A*S*H reruns playing in the background while painting. Really weird.

Artsnark said...

Good luck with your new toy - jigsaws are fun!
Fox looks great.
I get in music grooves. The wrong piece will cause my pens & brain to skip a beat, so I have to prep the itunes before a new piece.

Penelope said...

I think there is more than enough foxiness about him. :)

I do have studio rituals- lately I can't seem to work properly unless there's piano music in the background- Chopin or Beethoven. I take violins too but piano is the top-o-the-list. As for incense, it has to be Nag Champa, or their fresher-smelling 'super hit'. Then there's a blend called Wild Honey that a witchcraft shop in the city provide, that's for calm and warm sewing sessions in front of the TV- to watch Time Team!

ink and ginger said...

I always need a cup of freshly brewed coffee, even though it tends to get cold before I finish it. I tend to listen to different things, but for the most part as long as it's not something I feel the need to actively pay attention to, like the news or a new radio podcast, it works for me. I have the Jeremy Irons audiobook of "Lolita," which words oddly well.

I *adore* that little fox king. The fur is acrylic? Or did you paint the red part of the coat in acrylic and then do the highlights in the glaze? Either way it's beautiful.

donna enticknap said...

foxes are masters of invisibility an shapeshifting. and foxes are more cat than dog anyway. he looks just right to me. and, those tiny teeth!

i like your working space.

ps.. yes, la machine! i managed to miss both the spider and the sultan's elephant by finding out about them both a day too late. one day though.

Pseudoangela said...

I love your fox! I know nothing about art and painting... usually I'm just on the consumer end. I have one of your prints up on my wall and I love it. So, is a print of the fox going to be up for sale? Hope I'm not ruining things by asking if it's for sale :) but I want one!

Wil Freeborn said...

that fox is great, real inspiring and magical paintings
w

viola kress said...

THat fox is MAGNIFICENT!!!!
loverly work! (yes, with an R)
<3
love everything that you make. so creative.

that machine looks pretty iffy to me. I would be scared to use it! I play a musical instrument so if I accidently sliced on a finger that would be reallllly bad! :0
-----------
http://amuse.laurakress.com

nillakitty said...

Ooooooohhh loooooooove the fox!

Add me to the list of requesters for the shop!

Unknown said...

Just found your blog through a friend's blog. I think your fox is so sweet and beautiful and cuddly. I don't know anything about painting, but I am endlessly fascinating by the depth of creativity in everyone!

Rowena said...

I posted about your art here
http://smallandheartfelt.blogspot.com/2009/02/swoon.html
I just started this blog, so it doesn't have a big audience or anything, but I love your art. It's dreamy.

Queen of Light and Joy said...

First, I want to tell you just how much I think you have an AMAZING talent/gift. Your art work is one of the most fascinating things I have seen in a long time. I can't get over how beautiful and gorgeous your work is... it's a world that I wish I could live in. I liken it to the original Narnia pictures I used to make in my head when I first read the books but with an added magical circus feel. I am thankful that you are on this earth to share you gift with everyone, you make me believe that this world can be better because we have people like you in it. Does that sound like I am in love with you? It's because I am!! <3