One of my favourite techniques….Grisaille.

There’s not a lot to tell this year as much of it was spent nursing my second ‘frozen shoulder’ and much idle contemplation!

I couldn’t drive or work in the studio so spent a great deal of time on the computer. The up-side was the time to go through hundreds of old slides and scanning them, a job which has been waiting for years… and still not finished as I have discovered yet another large box of them! So my enamel pic this year is re-visiting the ‘nineties’ when I made a series of enamels for Ikeguchi-san in Kyoto .

The pieces were commissioned by a Japanese kimono maker, Sadao Ikeguchi, along with several other pieces in the early nineties. I was part of a group of South Australian artists in various media to take part in an exhibition in Kyoto which also travelled to several other cities. My pieces were mounted on the silk and metallic fabrics used in his obi sashes and then on curved lacquered stands to sit on a low bench and I was fortunate to be able to go to Japan for the spectacular launch.

Some of the designs were from old traditional Japanese paintings and some from contemporary photos of temples and gardens in Kyoto .

So, they belong to him I’m afraid. I can’t work so big anymore, too heavy, these were approx 15 x 12 inches.They had 20-30 firings.

The way I use the technique worked beautifully with Thompson’s leaded enamel. I tried all combinations of unleaded black and white but nothing worked as well and I haven’t used the technique for years.’

In college I did like g. painting, used leaded enamels then. I always did well in b & w photography too.  I am not happy to hear that unleaded doesn't do as well. Guess imported enamel is going to be the ticket when I start working on everything I have been wanting to do...retirement someday. sigh. Has anyone found a particular imported enamel brand that works as well?

BTW, I do love this dragon.

Hi, this dragon painting is really fantastic, I love clouds or smoke on the background as it creates a mystical atmosphere.

Can you tell me what oil works best for mixing white enamel for the grisaille technique?

I'm trying to learn the technique and need some helps from your expertise, what should and should not.

Dear Terry, I don't have a foreign source, but I recently purchased a LOT of Thompson leaded Grisaille White. Maybe we can do a trade. Also, do you know which oil / suspension liquid works best with this material? I have just spend 7 hours grappling with it and any insights would be appreciated. Cheers,
Diana

Hi Diana, Maybe a trade but don't know that I'd have anything you'd want.  I know in college we had some fun doing gris. on non-black grounds, and non-whites: cream and ivory op on very dark grey, ?smoke tr. ground, deep mulberry tr. ground. It had a bit varied effect to use the tr. base. Those were all leaded way back then.  I just recently purchased about all the Thompson oil types, and have not had time to work with them. Various viscosity does let you chose your preferred effect. I'd try them all, and see. I do remember it was 'squeegee oil' that we used in college.  Not sure that's in the list of available now. Good luck, Terry

Hi Terry, thanks for your response! And you DO have something to trade -- your knowlege. I'd be happy to send you 3 ounces if you could work with it a bit, and let me know what works for you. I've had success with vintage (leaded) China paint suspended in lavender oil but nothing seems to translate to this. If you don't have time, I understand. But if you do want to try, send me your mailing address privately at dianawieler@sympatico.ca and I'll get the enamel on its way. Cheers, Diana

Did you use a particular base? let me know what base you are working on.

Hi Terry, I've been working on a base of Thompson unleaded grisaille black, which is a semi-transparent black. In the past I've had no trouble using leaded over unleaded. Can you remember what base you used to use?

Hi  Diana, I don't recall any black called 'grisaille' black but I believe we used hard black leaded Thompson.  Been so long that I can think either that or med black. But med would be 'softer' and let the white spread in firing. Each layer does sink and spread a bit on a softer base.  I know leaded on top of unleaded is OK, just the opposite order is not. As above mentioned, we soon used other very dark transparents as base, one friend was fond of the mulberry tr.  I did most of my wall plaques (college kilns were larger) on hard black, with white. Our enamels were not specifically 'for' gris. but a conversation with tech help at Thompson is always a good way to learn. They are very helpful with questions about their product. Since I haven't tried gris. in a long while, I have to do some testing. (grin.)

Terry