Iron Lace

 

On my Facebook page I have been posting pictures of my progress with Iron Lace, I was asked today what it was and what I'm going to do with it. This actually ties in with what I was thinking about while I put the next coat on it this morning. This morning a lady on Facebook asked if she should do formal study or study at home herself.  This is something I have been struggling with the last three years or so after making a promise to myself (see previous posts).

There is part of me that wants to go and study art etc. but there are other parts that strongly object to this plan.  Firstly my back and hip often make it hard for me to get around, and sitting studying would be very painful. Secondly I have never fit well into the education system. I don't just want to know something, I want to know and understand why something is as it is, why it is done this way and why if I can see another way of doing something it is wrong.

But that is for another blog or five.


I am doing Iron Lace because I thought of it quite awhile ago. I also like the iron on old houses, grates etc and I wanted to see id I could duplicate it. I never throw anything out if I can visualise using it another way. And I had a picture in my mind of sticking these 2nd laces to an artist board and painting them.

I also thought of sewing them by hand to an artist frame and I will probably try that later.

This time I wanted to do them in iron type colours, and because I couldn't decide which paint would go on first, I decided to do a series and explore different colours and how they work together.

I have not worked with the Derwent Paints before, so was unsure of the coverage, how the colours would stand out etc. I painted the stuck down lace with gesso, and then did the darker red oxide first.

Now at the time I thought about not painting the laces themselves with this colour, but I wanted to see how the lighter Australian Sienna would show up on it, and that's when I came up with the idea of doing a series.
I wanted to know how and why and the only way to find out was to try.

That is the way I am. I want to try it myself so that I can visually see why something doesn't work, not just be told 'you don't do it that way'  Having not used these paints before I wanted to experiment with them. Try out how they work over different colours etc.

And so I have learnt that this colour doesn't stand out as much as I want over the red oxide as I wanted.  So maybe later on I will try a lighter colour.

As for what I am going to do with them? I'm not sure. Keep them as displays of what my laces can be used for I think.

I plan on doing more in pinks, blues etc. Lighter colours for wall hangings etc.

But for now I am just focusing on the darker iron colours, and having fun