Coffee table, part two:
I had decided to tape over the arrows that I had painted, so that I could do and evenly flowing background, while saving the work that I had already done.
Why not just redo them after, you may ask? Welllll..... if you add too many layers of underglaze, you lose your original shade and end up with dark mud. Not pretty, I guarantee it.
So I taped it, brushed on the underglaze over the taped area, then removed the tape, and.....
Voila! As you can see, from the photos below, it worked! I'm a happy girl. Now all it needs is a little touch up and we're good.
Here's is Ted's excellent rendering of one of the benches I'm working on for Chandler Center for the Arts. The other one is just below.
I figure each tile has taken me about an hour to do, with all the steps the process itself takes.
Explains the 6 days a week I've been spending at the studio. Trying to get the first steps, making the tiles, done before all the students get back.
I'm so proud of my client. She went out of her comfort zone and picked more of an abstract scene. It's in desert canyon colors. The drawing I sent to her was in pencil, so we've made some color changes and we're ready to go.
Here is the first pass. I've painted the arrows in, and will cover them with painter's tape so I can then paint the background over them. Hopefully the paint won't come with the tape when I remove it after the background is complete.
OK, now this may not look like much, but I've laid out the tiles for my initial drawing.
Checked each for blemishes.
Wrote tile number, my signature and direction arrow for finished tile on the back of each one, so assembly is easy when they're done.
Received my new underglazes and the table in the mail.
Laid out color diagram of finished work, written instructions from the client, and photos of the room the finished piece will occupy.
NOW, I'm ready!
It's a new year, with new stuff to do and old stuff to complete.
Still working on the Chandler Center for the Arts Tile project. Had a kiln catastrophe which put me back a bit, but I'm slowly getting back to where I was, thank goodness.
Remember I told you I was going to try a high-fire yellow? Well, it worked! These altars were for a client who picked them up right after Christmas. The yellow is Hobby, Colorobbia, Sunburst, and it's an underglaze. Kind of a limey yellow, but at least it's a yellow, right?
Starting to work on a client's coffee table, and have a new commission: an altar with a "cat" theme. I'll let you know what I come up with.
My newest challenge: a long distance client, and work that must be performed without benefit of live, in-person review of designs chosen.
So I'm making several design options for a coffee table, which I will scan, then e-mail for approval.
For the colors I've selected underglazes that would work with their palette, and put them on a tile, then fired the tile with a clear glaze. I'll mail the tile to them within this next week.
The clients can tell me exactly which of the variety of shades they like from the tile, and all can be approved long distance.
I also did several layers of color, so they can decide whether they want one layer, to make it look more painterly, with the brushstrokes showing, or more layers, which has a solid, more graphic look.
I just love this photo. It's so very pretty.
How's that for procrastinating? I've been holidaying with my family, and going today to do some more holidaying.
Have done absolutely nothing of note, planning to get back into it again next week.
Have three commissions, plus 2 benches to do, so it's not like there's nothing going on.
Just too much party. Poor me!
See ya next week.
