I Can Hear You

The Ravenhill progress continues!  Just a little bit this week- it has been a busy one (aren't they all, though?).  I'm happy to say that he has his missing ear back; it's not quite finished yet as I ran out of super-glue, but it is getting there!

 

 

It needs a bit of carving down & filling, and then the whole broken section of his neck will get primered, and then painted to match the rest of his coat.  I do like the color/pattern he has, so I'm going to work with that.  I'm looking forward to adding in more details & fiddly areas though, because I can!  That will also include a fair bit of mottling on his nose, etc.  Can't wait to get to that part!

:)

For My Next Trick...

Of course, I had to put in a reminder for the auctions!  

Check them out before they end tonight at 5:54 pm, 6:08 pm & 6:14 pm PST!

And for my next trick... putting Humpty-Dumpty back together again!  Yes, I felt it was finally time for me to pull out this poor bone china Ravenhill (sculpted by Hilary Hurley), that I broke back in 2010, while trying to work in too tight of an area in my parent's garage.  It was just a couple of weeks before my wedding (I was trying to go a bit too fast).  I did find another body & do a similar glaze job for the friend I for whom I was painting him (after the wedding!), but seeing as it was only his head that fell off, I figured I could do something with him someday.  And that day is now!

 

As Joan Berkwitz always says (though maybe it was Kristina Francis who originated it),  

"It was fun until the head fell off."

So here he is thus far!  Lots to be done to him (including re-sculpting an ear that got lost), but I hope to make him a beauty once again.  He will be finished with cold-paint, like a resin.  Here's hoping it all works!

:)

At Auction- 3 Shiny Ponies!

 

They're up!

Auctions end this Friday, Feb. 15th starting at 5:54 p.m. PST

Little One in Black Appaloosa

Dante in Buckskin

Dante in Bay Appaloosa

Best wishes!

:)

China Painting- Before & After

Hi there!

Whew- I'm getting back into the swing of china painting (a.k.a. over-glaze painting).  I've done it so seldom in the past I find myself always having to turn to a couple of pros (*thanks Joanie & Karen!*) with questions every time I try it. 

I decided to let my Little One...  she needs a name, doesn't she?  Let's call her... Lizzy*.  I decided to let Lizzy be my guinea pig when it came to me getting back into china painting.  When last we left her, she was all shiny and ready for over-glaze.  This type of pigment gets fired on at a rather low  temperature for ceramics (in this case, around 1300-1400... really, that is low for me!).  You can't tell in these photos, but I've been firing a bit this week & actually still tinkering to find the sweet spot for my kiln.  I last fired to cone 018, but it wasn't quite high enough to fully set the paint (it still looks slightly matte in areas), so I'm going to have to go up to cone 017 (the smaller the number past the "0," the hotter, believe it or not!).  But I think that'll work! 

I thought I'd share one of the area's I'm working on- adding in faint spots and 'halo' markings. 

Here is Lizzy before:

Here she is after:

I might add a little more yet, since I need to fire her again!  The Dantes are coming along- I hope to get their 06 (glossy glaze) firing in this weekend, so I can start china-painting them next week.  Can't wait to finish them all!

:)

*After Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennett, of course!