Thursday 29 December 2011

Yummy Canvases

 I had a wonderful time making gilded canvas pictures as Christmas presents. I am really looking forward to doing some more some time soon
Mini Canvas...not brave enough to do the big one straight off
Once I got brave I made the one that was for my brother - James (Very Talented Brother) had mentioned he and (also talented and gorgeous) wife Harriet needed artwork for their newly painted walls. Not normally my metier but once I got started I really got into it. I bought pre-stretched canvases and gilded with metal leaf and then patinated the surface. Here was the first biggy


Here are 2 close ups .....I do LOVE the patinas



Having decided to do one for brother Jim, I also got it in my head that my brother in law John should have one too but his would be copper with a hint of green coming through


It was all a bit mad chemist in the studio while I did this, getting the best patination fluid from household products ....of course I left it all too late to order proper ones. Chemical drain clearer came out tops and I just have one tip.....wear gloves!!!!

6 comments:

  1. These are great Cait, I bet your family are really pleased.

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  2. Dad loves his canvas :D We have it in the living room and it looks fab! xxx

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  3. You know how much I love these! So glad you did a post on them. I think the "household" approach is the best. I really love the second pic-it reminds me of an engraving.

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  4. Love them!
    I've never tried the household cleaning product route. Did you also try bleach?

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  5. Thanks so much for the comments and Nikki I am thrilled Dad likes it......I did it with trepidation.
    Ann I did try bleach but our modern household bleaches here in UK (as I was warned about by Emily Swift Jones) have been chemically altered so the active ingredient (Sodium Hypochlorate)is no longer in a great enough concentrate to work. Industrial drain clearer however had loads!!!
    I also found to that copper metal leaf was harder to corrode than the gold metal leaf. That was a complete surprise.

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