Georgia started us off with creating 2" squares on our substrate - I used Canson Biggie 90# CP watercolor paper (smooth side). She brought all kinds of powdered pigments for us to try from all over the world. Unbelievable the variety. She had also brought the stones she picked up around the world which made some of the powders. Just beautiful.

After drawing our squares, we were going to fill them with mosaics, with a simple focal point design which would be gilded at the end. Then we started mixing our pigments or powders. This section was creating tints which is your basic color mixed with white (Zinc white is used for mixing colors keeping the color pure). We used either the powdered pigments or gouache mixed with a bit of Gum Arabic and distilled water. A small scoop of paint with about 2 or 3 drops of Gum Arabic (if you put too much, your paint may crackle...), then some water .

All the mosaics were done with combinations of parallel pens, very small flat edge brushes and pointed pen.

Created: February 5, 2017
Modified: 

I used this fabulous mixing well tray (30 wells...) and even with 30 wells... I ran out of room. Sheesh

I mixed my zinc white in one well and my main color (Winsor & Newton Opera Pink) gouaches.

Then you put the same amount of the lightest color (in this case the white) into 4 to 6 wells. You then take the amount of the main color to mix with the first white well (see pic). mix till you have the color and consistency desired. Then pick up color from that well and mix with the next white well. Continue mixing colors using the well you just mixed. (if you need to strengthen the color, mix a bit from the main color into each well to keep the variations equal.) The wells in the "B" image are the tints created with my 2 main colors.

Tints: Verdigris

I mixed Cornelisson Verdigris (Copper Acetate) powder with my Gum Arabic and water. Took a lot of mixing and it still separated...

I sized all my work with Jerry Tresser gilding size adhesive - 2 coats, drying between coats for about 10 minutes. Most of the gold's I used were transfer golds (a thin wafer adhered to a tissue type substrate, which make applying and handling of the gold easier. I prefer loose gold... After the gold was applied, then cleaned up with a soft brush, burnished through glassine paper, it was ready to be tooled. The heart was gilded with White Gold and then tooled. 

Tints - Mayon Indigo:

I used Cornelisson Mayon Indigo powder, and Tooled the Platinum gold

Tints - Mummy Violet:

I used Copper Hills Mines Mummy Violet powder, and tooled Moon Gold.

Tints - Burnt Sienna:

I used Burnt Sienna powder, and Tooled the Renaissance gold.

Please use your back button for previous images or should you wish to go back to the Georgia A's - Greek & Gilded Class Gallery please click on the link below.

Georgia A - Greek & Gilded Class Gallery

or click HERE to go to the Shades Gallery