Friday, February 10, 2012

An exciting week planned out

I had a bit of a rough week (sickness/etc), hence the later-than-usual post this morning, but I have AWESOME plans for next week!

Many of you know that my grandmother passed away in October, and about a month ago, I drove the truck over to Vancouver (on the ferry of course, since the truck isn't a sea-worthy vehicle in itself... though that would be awesome) and spent three days packing up all her porcelain painting supplies. No one else wanted them besides me, so I got everything, including three different sized kilns.

The boxes filled every square inch of my Ford F150... extended truck bed + all interior space.

And next week, I'm headed back to the mainland to spent three days painting with one of my grandmother's painting-buddies!

Porcelain painting is literally a dying art, and that's mostly because a 'young' china painter means you're only in your 60's. It's a very traditional art form, the style is pretty old, floaty with lots of delicate flowers and things, plus it is the hardest kind of painting you can do, because the medium itself is finicky. There's a real trick in even mixing the powdered paint to a proper consistency, paint doesn't behave on porcelain the way it behaves on canvas or paper. If you don't have enough paint on your brush, or try to paint over another brushstroke, you'll actually remove the paint already on there. There's also no such thing as white paint -> you have to remove paint deliberately, with a brush or another tool.

I think, in terms of how you use the medium, it would be most closely related to chinese ink brush painting. You have to have confidence in your brush strokes because mistakes can't easily be fixed. Often you have to wipe everything off and start all over again, which is why porcelain painting is usually done in thin layers which are fired before another layer is added on top. But when it's fired, it's there forever.

Since I haven't actually painted on porcelain in a few years... I have a lot to re-learn. If my teacher deems me worthy, I also may get a lesson in painting with 24 carat gold, raised enamel and lustres -> all of which are very expensive... so I don't want to waste the materials I have inherited.

I'm going to prepare a few posts to go up while I'm gone because I doubt I'll have internet access next week (more Project #5). If, after three days of painting, I end up with anything not hideously embarrassing, I'll post some pictures the following week.

There is also a National Porcelain Painters of Canada convention in Ottawa the first week in May, which I think I'm going to sign up for.

So those are my exciting, far-reaching plans :)

How about you? Any non-writing challenges going on? How about a new hobby?

14 comments:

  1. I wish I was talented enough to get into painting porcelain or do some kind of art, but alas I am not. But it sounds like the perfect week for you. Post some pics when you're done!

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    1. I don't think painting is a talent. I think you can learn it like any other skill. Half of it is training to use the medium, the other half is training your eye.

      Someone who knows nothing about flowers will see a huge garden and just go, 'how pretty,' but someone who knows all about the flowers can appreciate the ones that are there, the difficulty level to maintain them, and the arrangement.

      It's all about what you are trained to see. Painting, and art, is very much the same way. You can train your eye to recognize perspective, colour, shape, dynamic lines, etc.

      I am very excited to paint though ;) I really look up to the painter I'm going to learn from :)

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  2. It sounds beautiful... Would be willing to share some pics of what you've done?

    Writing-wise, I've been working on a bit of fluff... a narrative of a musical I show I like that could use some backstory and storyline closure. lol Just something fun to entertain myself and practice doing some things that I'm not very good at doing.

    Otherwise, I've been getting back into linedancing (just classes and doing it at home), but I'm trying to get up the nerve to go somewhere and play for real.

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    1. Perhaps, if I make something worth showing ;) A friend of mine turns 30 next weekend, so I'm secretly hoping I can paint something small to give her as a gift.

      Oooh! What musical?

      Hahahahah, now, dancing is a talent I am sorely lacking. If you could give prizes for lack-of-coordination, my house would be full of those instead of my legs/arms full of bruises/bumps/cuts... and I have a nicely healing burn just from last night!

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    2. LOL maybe beginning linedancing for you! ;)

      Have you ever heard of Celtic Thunder? They show them on PBS a lot... (lol this is where I betray my Irish boyband addiction). They usually do concert-type shows, but this one year, they tried a musical theater production that was written by their composer. It's called "Storm," and I'm redoing that... which is proving to be kinda fun.

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    3. ...I think I might be thrown out or sued for crashing into other people... seriously, I was born without the *elegance gene*. I'd probably take down the whole line with one shot.

      Hmmm... I'll have to Google that ;) Sounds fun!

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  3. Winter has returned and spouse away tonight and tomorrow so I’ll have peace and quiet to: finish Rowling paper get some house paper work done and maybe —even—write. I was up bright and early this morning with inspiration thanks to a friend’s experience on how one of my six kids meets his wife. Glad I got that figured out as could have been tricky but thank goodness for real life experiences that are translatable into my characters.

    I’m sure your week will be productive and anticipate some great pics upon your return :D

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    1. Winter may have returned to Ontario, but it's lovely here on the west coast :) It was even super sunny the last few days.

      Glad to hear your story, and your paper, are coming along nicely :) I have been busy with... other things the past few days.

      Thanks, I'm very much looking forward to a week of painting, AND learning how to use the kilns that are taking up space in my garage!

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  4. It sounds lovely. I wish I knew how to paint.

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  5. yes, love to see some finished or even half finished work. I don't paint/draw as much as I'd like but I find it very meditative when I do.

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    1. I think it's always a wonderful to switch up the pace and do things we don't normally do. What kind of painting/drawing did you used to do?

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  6. I'm so glad you're getting the chance at some lessons, I hope they go well for you.

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    1. Thanks :) ...as long as I don't have to paint flowers, we'll get along great ;)

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Type me out a line of Shakespeare or a line of nonsense. Dumb-blonde-jokes & Irish jokes will make me laugh myself silly :)