When you trace a stained glass design, you trace one line after another. So you trace the first line, and then the second, and the third and so on, until you’ve copied all the lines.
My point to you today is, you must study the design before you start. But not just that, because the crucial bit is this: you must decide the sequence of your lines. Decide? Yes, decide. In a moment, you’ll get two walk-throughs. But to start with, just take your design and …
Great!
I wonder what you came up with.
Like I said, it’s not a test.
It’s not a trick question.
It’s just this.
And I’m not going all psycho-babble on you …
But what’s in your mind makes a huge difference to how you paint.
Of course:
A calm and focussed mind will paint better than a fluttering, distracted one.
Everyone knows that.
But please just do this thought-experiment with me.
Think of your brush as a scalpel
Imagine how, instead of a brush, you have a scalpel / kraft knife in your hand.
Imagine how, rather an undercoat on the surface of the glass, instead there is a thin layer of sticky-back plastic.
And imagine how you’re using the scalpel to cut out a delicate design.
You just want to cut through the plastic.
But you don’t want to scratch the glass.
All your attention is focussed on the tip of the blade.
All your attention is focussed on exerting just the right amount of pressure – just enough to cut the plastic but not enough to scratch the glass.
And that’s what tracing feels like when you’re in control of your brush.
That’s how tracing feels when your brush is loaded with the right consistency of paint.
Your brush really is like the tip of a scalpel.
The brush’s tip is like a scalpel
As you draw it towards you, the line of paint you leave in its wake is like a delicate cut – just enough pressure to draw down the paint, not enough to break through the undercoat.
So all I ask is this.
Next time you trace, spend however long it takes to mix the right consistency of paint – not too wet!
Then put this thought in your mind that the tip of the brush is like the scalpel’s tip.
See you brush differently.
You’ll see what a difference it makes.
Now maybe you did – or maybe you didn’t – see this video when it was posted.
No matter. Just watch it again. And now see what you think about the brush’s tip …
All the best,
Yes, of course, it’s fine to fill a jam jar or bowl and use this to wet your tracing brush.
But as with so many things in life: the more there is, the more extravagent – and sometimes even wasteful or thoughtless – many people sometimes are.
So with a jam jar or bowl, the temptation always is, to jump in and soak the brush, then return it to the palette … where now a deluge of almost Biblical proportions makes a mess of your palette and its puddle of working paint.
That’s why an egg cup can be so useful.
It reminds you or your students just to dip the brush’s tip.
Once dipped, you return to the palette, and swirl and twirl your brush until the new water has been completely absorbed by the puddle of working paint.
Then, if the puddle is fine as it is, you test and start to trace.
If it’s not yet right, you either dip the brush’s tip again, or you draw down more paint from the concentrated lump, depending on whether you need a lighter, or a darker mix.
Sure a jam jar or a bowl is fine. But, time and time again we’ve found that having just an egg cup-full of water really focusses your mind on how much/how little water you add to the palette.
And that is a marvellous thing when it comes to tracing.
Another tip tomorrow!
Best,
P.S. You’ll see from the photo how we make a sold base from modeling dough / plasticene (which, I understand, is called “pongo” in Italin). It helps prevent accidents.
See here for
our students’ arrival – a 90-second introductory video
or
This is David talking and demonstrating to Philip and Eugene who visited the studio from Singapore. (If it’s not showing, please check here for common problems.)
Context: David has just finished mixing paint for flooding, and now he wants to test it, to see if it is right …
This quick video and the others, they’re exactly that – quick. So they can’t say much. But they can make a point – quickly.
Why this clip is interesting: you see how glass paint has a tipping point – you see how its consistency changes dramatically just by adding a drop of water. One moment it’s too thick to flood with, the next moment it’s absolutely perfect. That’s one thing this clip shows you.
Please do add your thoughts and comments – use the Comments box below.
Thanks!