Ink Painting Demo:

Completed work is titled, “Stone Worlds.” The art process begins with using a handmade turmeric+ alcohol based ink, made over the course of 3-4 days. It is pure sunshine gold colored and it splashes starkly against the bright white of Yupo paper. Then, surprise! A few drops of dull amber Safflower ink is dropped onto the Turmeric causing the bloodiest red to appear. In this homemade ink process, yellow + yellow do not equal yellow. Many other such surprises are experienced as this process unfolds. After the ink is laid down, blending as though it is alive, it is dried for about 24 hours and sprayed with a milk caesin fixative followed by a UV light protective varnish spray. Then, mounted on an easel, white acrylic paint is used to outline the precious parts, the parts that then appear as precious stones, like tiny worlds of their own. The final part of the process involves gluing the finished painting to a large cradled wood panel, and over the course of 2 days meticulously applying liquid resin to fully coat and seal the ink. The use of a blow torch is needed to cure and help purify the resin. After two coats are applied, sanding between each, the framed wood is sanded and stained and sealed with Tung Oil.