Verdigris 2013 - Pigment to Paint

Managed to find the time this past weekend to mix the various verdigris pigments into paint and test them.  I mixed up the 2012 White Vinegar, 2013 White Vinegar, 2013 Wine Vinegar, and 2013 Apple Cider Vinegar verdigris with both glair and gum water for binders.  I labeled each shell with a sharpie to keep track of what mix was in the shell and after mixing the paint into the shell, I painted a test splotch for compassion. After 6 hours and with the paint in the shells, nearly dry, I added water to reconstitute them and painted a second splotch. I'm planning on painting a third this evening that will most likely be 28 to 30 hours after the paint was first mixed to again test how they reconstitute.

Little scoop of verdigris ready to be turned into paint.

Hydrophobic properties of Verdigris

Using a Mini-Muller to incorporate the pigment and binder

Transferring Mixed paint into a shell for storage

Verdigris 2013 - Scraping Pigment

I finally made the time to scrap the verdigris off the copper tube, while the rest of the house took a nap.

Every verdigris covered tube smelled faintly of vinegar.

The white vinegar produced dark green crystals on the tube, that were the most difficult to scrape off. The scrapped pigment was a teal color. The white vinegar copper tube was left with a dull, dark appearance.  From appearance, the white vinegar produced the least amount of verdigris.

Verdigris made with White Vinegar

The wine vinegar produced teal to medium green verdigris on the tube and when scraped off, the pigment was the same teal color as the white vinegar.  The tube was covered with raised areas giving it a really rough appearance that came off in chunks when scrapped. The wine vinegar copper tube was left dull, with a light rust color.

Verdigris made with Wine Vinegar

The apple cider vinegar produced the same teal to medium green verdigris as the wine vinegar.  The verdigris was smoother than the wine vinegar, but scraped off just as easy. From appearance, the apple cider vinegar produced less than the wine vinegar, but that could also have been from the dunk it took, while getting it out of the container.  Apple cider vinegar also left it’s copper tube, dull with a light rust color.

Verdigris made with Apple Cider Vinegar

Future verdigris experiment ideas include using a homemade vinegar to see if the different acidic strength would change anything.  Also, making some salt green and some soap green.

Gold leafing Finished

I recently managed to finish up the gold leafing, so now it on to painting the base colors.  After the base colors are painted I'll add the shades, highlights, and diapering.

Gold leafing finished.

The gold leaf reflecting light.

Adding base colors.  Colors so far include Red lead and synthetic Ultramarine

The red lead glowing under the camera's flash.

Inking sketch and leafing

I've finished inking the sketch on the quote project. I've started working on the gold leafing.

Inking more or less done on one side.

Close up of the ink.

Inking is finished.

Gold leaf started.

The flash illuminates the gold leaf.

My verdigris experiment continues, no noticeable changes have been happening, so no bad, blurry pictures of the jars.

More Progress

Verdigris 2013 - No noticeable changes this week.

Quote project -

I've got the calligraphy done.  It's not the greatest, but I was also having some issues with the parchment wanting to move even when holding it down.  I need more practice in working with real animal parchment.

I've also started to transfer the drawings for the illuminations over to the parchment.

I did also go by the local hobby store with a framing department in it.  I use to work in the framing department and while some things have changed over the years, some things are still the same.  There were two new girls working and they didn't have a clue what to do with me when they saw I had a blank piece of "paper".  All I was interested in was a mat and two pieces of foam core board to sandwich my project to help protect it when I'm not working on it.  The assistant manager on duty was also once a framer with me, so he got a good laugh out of his new girls.

Current over all view.

Close up of the calligraphy.