Birds!!!

I am a Michigan birder (fiber artist) who winters in Arizona and am visiting my daughter in Rhode Island.  We received nearly a foot of snow the day after Christmas, and the birds began flocking to her feeders.  We discovered a bird who should not be here this time of year (according to David Sibley's book):  a Swainson's Thrush, buffy eye-ring and all.  I can't get a good picture of him/her because of skittishness ( a technical birding word), but he/she is making good use of the suet feeder.   

While I am out here, my daughter asked (insisted) that I use my new set of traveling water colors, to make her a set of bird sketches.  Since I had just taken a water-color sketch/journal class from Jane La Fazio in San Diego, I decided to try.  My technique is a bit fuzzy, but it was fun!!!  The above sketch is the afore-mentioned thrush.  I haven't put in any background yet.

Chickadee and peanut-butter pinecone.

More prints. . .

These are another set of gelatin prints with maple and oak leaves.  The top print had the leaves still in place, and the bottom print was made with only the impressions left.  These prints, and the previously posted ones,  were all done last October after I had read about this particular process on Cynthia St. Charles's blog (Living and Dyeing under the Big Sky).  I followed her simple instructions and was very excited about the results.  I am using these photos now as an easy way to begin my blogging experience. 

Oops!!!

I'm still really new at blogging, and yesterday's entry was ahead of the game.  This print was actually the first pull off the weeds on the painted gelatin plate.  After removing the fabric  from the plate, I let it dry completely; ironed it to set the paint; and then washed the back with diluted Dyna-flo to give color to the "weeds."  

After cleaning up the first plate, I applied different paint, new
weeds, and laid down another piece of fabric.  This print is from the first pull with the weeds in place.  I did the same thing as above:   let it dry, ironed it, and applied a light wash to the back.

This was the second pull on the same plate after removing the weeds.  I haven't added any additional paint to this print yet. 

Second Gelatin Print

This is the second pull from the same gelatin plate I posted yesterday.  I removed the weeds from the painted surface, leaving behind only an impression (and some seeds).  I then laid a new piece of white fabric across the plate, pressing it into the paint, and lifted it off.