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Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Walnut Ink ~ Small Works





I did something I've never done before. I ordered a couple of packs of 8" x 10" pre-cut mats and mountboard and painted to fit the mat openings. I usually work the other way around. I also ordered the mats in black (I don't normally use black mats). I don't usually work this small either but I found a bag of 8" x 10" acetate sleeves I must have ordered a long time ago and wanted to use them up.
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I played with my walnut ink, my metallic acrylics, gouache and torn paper collage. I dipped evergreen sprigs in masking fluid, I poured, I mixed walnut ink with the acrylics (with some interesting results) and generally played "I wonder what would happen if...". Some of my results were better than others but I'm going to post them all anyway.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great series Billie. I think these will not be around long.
What is Walnut Ink? The color or what it is made from?

Billie Crain said...

Thanks, Robin.:) Walnut ink is a very old medium and is still in use. It can be purchased readymade from Blick, etc. but I had the chance to make my own ink when a friend sent me a bag of walnut husks. I posted the process along with photos here on my blog. If you'd like, check my archives for Sept./Oct. 2011 to see how I made the ink.

Jeanette Jobson said...

I think your experiments turned out well. You never know what comes from just playing around sometimes.

The walnut ink has a lovely look to it, soft and with a look of age to it. You've produced a few very nice pieces using it.

Billie Crain said...

Thank you, Jeanette.:) I like a few of the paintings a lot better than the others but I always enjoy experimenting. There's something to be discovered with every attempt.

Feathers said...

Love that you're using that Walnut ink and having fun with it. Have you done a lightness test with it?(I'd think it would be quite light-fast because of what it is made from) Your images are really interesting, have to admit that I especially love the Trillium,(it's spring after all) but it is very close to the first two which are so different, and make me want to look closer.

Billie Crain said...

I haven't checked to see how lightfast the ink is, Anita. From what I've read online it should be similar to normal watercolor paint. It is a staining pigment so I doubt it's fugitive.