materials focus: metallic leafing, gold sumi ink

Daniel Smith metallic watercolor powders, Sennelier pastels, glitter glue, Stabilo crayons, silver leaf, gold leaf, imitation gold leaf, gold sumi ink, metallic gouache, gold and silver inkpads for stamping. I also have metallic oilsticks.

I love using both sumi ink and metallic art media. So when I saw an artist colleague @jimitick on Instagram, who specializes in sumi ink enso drawings, using gold sumi ink on some of his posted images, I loved the idea and asked him about it. He kindly shared his source, and it's a wonderful ink: https://amzn.to/2Izv8Bo Now that's part of my metallic repertoire, along with dry pigments, oilsticks, watercolor, gouache, metal leaf, and glitterglue tubes. 

I've been using metallic leaf with Japanese Nihonga techniques but need more practice. I also want to explore other leafing/gilding techniques. Recently I learned a new technique for applying metal leaf from Solange Roberdeau at ink.paper.plate in Point Reyes Station out in West Marin here in northern California. I loved that she learned this technique from Robert Kushner while working for him--and that he suggested she teach these workshops. She now teaches this course all over. Contact her on Facebook or Instagram for locations and dates. Solange took this photo of us working on our art pieces in her Contemporary Gilding class.

That's me intently working away on the far right. Photo: Solange Roberdeau.

Here’s what I made that day:

Acrylic, copper leaf, and embroidery stitching on cardstock. Sherri Silverman. 2018.

Two Flowers, Two Stripes. Acrylic, copper leaf, pencil, and mica powder on cardstock. Sherri Silverman. 2018.