Thursday, July 16, 2020

More agate explorations

Further explorations of creating agate using Zentangle's Auras.

MAPLE AGATE
Having done a green wash for the malachite, I tried a red wash over an eco-dyed image of maple leaves. The wash ended up rather pink so I used a lot of red pens. I fear it's a bit too much!
Original art is 6"x8"

GEODE
Some paper that I eco-dyed was a little too flimsy and corners fell off! Undaunted, I remembered 'no mistakes, just opportunities' and thought about how I could use this 'oops'. I'm delighted with the result! 
The paper is mounted on birch board. The corners are actually quite black and there is sparkle paint at the centers where there would be crystals in a geode. Below the finished piece is a photo of how it began, and a photo showing how I painted the sides.
Original art is 8"x6"

CARNIVAL AGATE
This went in a very different direction! Less realistic, wildly colorful, and quite a variety of centers.
Original art is 12"x9"
Here's a detail photo... because it IS very detailed!

14 comments:

  1. Margaret, your agate creations are quite simply - Amazing! Thank you for sharing your beautiful artwork with us!

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  2. Last summer I tried acrylic 'pouring'. It was fun and I really enjoyed the piece I made but thought what happens when you're through with it...more plastics for the dump! I like these 'geodes' so much better, lots of work and far more interesting to me. I also love the 'malachite' idea.

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    1. I would dearly love to try acrylic pouring and making all those bubbles! But my current space does not welcome much messiness and I feel like I'd want a class to get me going.

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  3. Great work, all of them but the geode is my fave gorgeous done!!!

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  4. Oh Margaret - these are so wonderful! I hope you will be selling prints of that carnival agate. I am infatuated with it! I have the project pack but have not done any. I guess I better get busy. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks so much Janet! I almost never make reproductions of my work, but if I ever do so with Carnival Agate I'll try to remember to let you know. :)

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  5. These nature-inspired drawings amaze and absolutely delight me, Margaret!! Each one is SOOO detailed, so carefully drawn and so VERY beautiful! Like Janet, I would LOVE to have a print of your carnival agate. Looks like you should start a request list!!!

    Your blog posts are always a highlight of my week. Your talent is off-the-charts amazing and so inspiring to me!! Thank you for treating us to these gorgeous glimpses into your creative life. :)

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    1. Thanks so much for your encouraging comments, Jan!
      I'll have to start a requests list.

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  6. So you have glued the paper to a birch gallery style birch board. Can you talk about how you do that?
    I am really impressed.

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    1. I use a framer's acid-free glue, but have also used acrylic matte medium to affix paper to a surface. Before that i seal the wood with GAC-100 to the acids and lingins in the wood don't seep through to the paper.

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  7. HI! What are you using for color in the agate??

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    1. Except for the carnival one they are on eco-dyed paper, which gives an initial texture. Then I add an acrylic wash. Then I draw with micron pens, Moonlight pens, brush pens, white pen, whatever I need.

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