Tag Archives: gold leaf

The Golden Marble – More Gold and Silver Leaf

Posted on September 17, 2023 | Comments Off

The Golden Marble, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24. 23K gold leaf and sterling silver leaf. Kit Miracle

This is another painting in the gold and silver leaf series that I’ve been exploring. At 30 x 24, it’s the largest one so far. I also completed this one before Leo’s Muse which I posted last week.

The subject is a young boy who has been playing dress-up with his sister. In a spirit of silliness, she has adorned him with ribbons and hair clips. His smile engages the viewer as he shows off The Golden Marble which is a prized possession.

Although I usually plan my paintings very carefully, I’ll admit that I really wasn’t sure where I was going with this one. I liked the subject. I knew that I wanted some gold and silver. Other than that….well…

A preliminary sketch of the subject of The Golden Marble

As usual, I did some preliminary drawings of the child. These are just to familiarize myself with the subject. I then sketched him on the canvas, a straight-on shot. Then I began playing with background colors. I elected to use some very bright and warm colors, radiating out of the figure.

Initial lay-in of colors. I did the background warm/hot colors first. The began a grisaille of the figure.

I then painted the figure in grisaille, those greyish tones. Later working overall with adding some detail to the background. More paint on the primary figure. Although I had some reference photos to work from, this doesn’t really represent the situation. I painted very loosely, adding more to both the figure and the background until I was satisfied.

The figure is pretty complete. I decided to add a carpet to part of the floor, leaving the rest as hinting at wood flooring.

Because the canvas is so large, I had to place it on the floor of my studio to work on adding the gold leaf. Again, no fans or air conditioning blowing as the metal leaf is so fragile and blows everywhere. It was pretty challenging to decide where I wanted to place the metal leaf, plus I kept switching back and forth during the process. Sometimes the gold would be on top; other times the silver would be. The fixative is clear so I had to carefully judge where I wanted to place it, and estimate the right amount of tackiness for the metal leaf to stick. Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the result.

The Golden Marble, detail 1. I left plenty of the warm background colors show through. As you can see, I alternated placing the gold leaf on top of the silver, and the silver on top of the gold. Abstract shapes alternate with more organic circle or bubble shapes. No real planning, just in the flow.

The Golden Marble – detail 2 showing the texture of the canvas and close-ups of the hair decorations

The final steps were to go back and touch up the figure here and there. I have learned that it’s difficult to touch up or make changes in the gold and silver leaf as it just doesn’t look the same as when first applied. I may find some way to eventually meet this challenge, but haven’t yet.

The very final step is to spray a protective coat of clear acrylic over the entire painting. This keeps the silver leaf from tarnishing and the gold leaf from flaking off.

Overall, it’s a very striking piece. I want to explore my next subject in this medium.

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Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, painting instruction, portrait

Tagged acrylic, art, contemporary impressionist, gold leaf, kit miracle, painting instruction, silver leaf

Adding pizazz to a painting with gold and silver leaf

Posted on September 10, 2023 | 1 comment

Leo’s Muse, final, acrylic on canvas, 23K gold leaf, sterling silver leaf, 16 x 16, Kit Miracle

For the past several months, I’ve been experimenting with adding gold and silver leaf to some of my paintings. I don’t know why I decided that this was a path for me, but as with most artists, we get inspired with new ideas and techniques. I posted on here earlier about some glam cat paintings and some others, but the most recent sparkly paintings have been both challenging and rewarding.

Leo’s Muse, several sample preliminary sketches

In Leo’s Muse, I began with some ideas rolling around. I took a few dozen photos of my model in different lighting and poses. Then began the difficult part of winnowing down all my options to a few good poses. It may seem like an unnecessary step, but I have found that it helps to do a number of sketches even before I get to the final idea. This allows me to familiarize myself with the model and the lighting until I reach my final idea.

I then sketched the outline of the pose on a prepared canvas (gesso and a couple of coats of acrylic paint.) Then I basically start…somewhere. For a portrait, it will be with the head or body. Then I lay in some loose background colors. In this particular painting, I painted the flesh in grisaille (grey undertones) before I began adding color to the face. After I have the basic face laid in, I just keep working on the painting as I would a normal painting until I reach a point where I am satisfied.

Leo’s Muse, adding more color, grisaille grey under tones on canvas

Another challenge with this painting is the added wreath of flowers. That is entirely imaginary as I didn’t really think of it while I was planning the painting. That is often the way of the creative process. Surprises pop up.

Leo’s Muse, nearly finished. Last step before gold and silver leaf is added

The canvas is two inches deep so the painting is carried around the sides.

After letting the painting dry for awhile, I then began to add the gold and silver leaf. I was a bit conflicted about this step as I really liked the painting without the added touch. But the design in my head called for it so, what the heck? I took the leap.

If you have never used gold or silver leaf, let me tell you, it is challenging. This is not a paint but actual sheets of real 23K gold and real sterling silver which have to be applied to the painting. The sheets of precious metal are so thin (.003 microns, whatever that is), that I can’t have a breath of air in the studio. No fan. No air conditioner. Hold my own breath while I’m applying the metal. And the little flakes get everywhere! On me, my clothes, other parts of the painting, all around my studio.

A fixative must first be applied to the surface that you wish to apply the metal. Then you have to wait until it has the right amount of tackiness. Then gently apply the metal, transferring from the tissue paper leaves to the painting, then gently press it into the fixative, and then remove the tissue paper all the while praying that the gold will actually adhere to where you have placed it. The fixative is clear as it dries, so that’s another dimension of challenge. Where did you paint it? Ha!

After I’ve let it dry, then I can take a somewhat stiffer clean brush and brush it off the rest of the painting. More challenges with flying gold and silver flakes. If you’ve never tried this before, you might want to experiment with the fake gold until you get the hang of it. When possible, I collect the extra flakes and put them in labeled jars for use on backgrounds or other areas.

After the paintings have had time to “set”, I will spray them with a clear coat of acrylic. This prevents the sterling silver from tarnishing, and the gold from flaking more or rubbing off. Or so I am told. I haven’t used it enough to be absolutely certain but we’ll see.

By the way, the title of the painting, “Leo’s Muse” is actually short for Leonardo’s Muse. The model’s direct gaze and Mona Lisa smile of that other famous lady with the knowing look.

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Posted in art, painting instruction

Tagged acrylic, art, contemporary impressionist, gold leaf, kit miracle, mona lisa, painting instruction, silver leaf

August summary

Posted on September 3, 2023 | Comments Off

Afternoon visitors. They’re eating fallen fruit from the orchard.

If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, maybe imagining some exotic vacation, nothing could be further from reality. Mostly just hanging around here tackling one thing after another.

Although we had a week or two of pretty hot weather, last week was marvelously cool with temps in the 70s. We also have managed to have pretty even rain – not too much, not too little. All good.

My little raised bed garden has been producing better than I thought. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant. Note to self: plant less squash next year and more beans. And I just planted a fall crop of spinach and lettuce.

Unfortunately, all this produce came at an unlucky time when our 35 year old freezer elected to die. This involved a lot of hassle with the local big box store (HD) on delivery dates. But mostly the fact that the huge truck they decided to deliver the freezer – the same one that they delivered the washing machine two months ago – suddenly couldn’t make it down our drive. Lots of unhelpful phone calls until we cancelled the order and went with the local appliance store. Spent a little more but the service was great. I like supporting local businesses, too.

The second half of this misadventure is that the freezer resides in the back of my studio. Which meant, of course. hauling out most of the paintings that have been stored back there. Might as well clean it out while I’m at it. None of this was on my schedule. Anyway, it’s all fixed up now. On to other things.

The Golden Marble (detail), acrylic, real gold and silver leaf, 30 x 24. Kit Miracle

I’ve been experimenting with more applications of gold and silver leaf to my paintings as discussed earlier. I really like this but it is so tricky to work with. This is 23K gold and sterling silver on the thinnest of metallic sheets. Even a breath of air will mess it up while applying it to the canvases. Here is a detail shot of one of the largest paintings that I’ve done using this technique. I’ll post more about it later.

And, the deer seem to be out in abundance. Although we rent our fields out, it’s sure a shame to see how much these visitors eat. The beans are high enough now that we mostly only see their heads. And they don’t seem to be skittish at all with the noises coming from the house and yard. Well, another couple of months it will be a different story when hunting season starts. Meanwhile, I love watching the twins playing in the yard just as any youngsters might do.

I hope to post a bit more regularly in the future. And I also hope that you’ve all been managing the weather – heat, drought, hurricanes. Autumn is coming and the leaves are even beginning to change. Can’t wait!

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Posted in contemporary impressionism, country living, garden

Tagged acrylic, contemporary impressionist, country living, deer, gardening, gold leaf, kit miracle

More glam cats

Posted on June 18, 2023 | 1 comment

June has been a hectic month so far. Gardening and property maintenance has taken a huge bite of my time. With spring rains and warm weather, all the vegetation has had explosive growth. Everything needs to be weeded, watered (if no rain), planted, trimmed, etc. The drive alone is a third of a mile long and requires whacking back all the brush and briars. When I do it, it usually takes three days; even then it still takes two people to do the overhead branches as I’m certainly not getting any taller.

Then there are all the other things to do around here. Library programs. Grandkids. Driving people for appointments. Welcome house guests. Not much free time for R & R.

But…I have still been pursuing my newest painting direction which includes more cat paintings with touches of real gold and silver. My “Glam Cats.” Why? Because it amuses me. That is what keeps artists and creative types going.

This is a painting of Pria, the pretty white cat from the animal shelter. First I painted her with just a blue background. I’m putting the cats on oriental carpets for an added bit of class. Then I add the gold and /or silver. This is not paint. It is real sheets of 23K gold and real sterling silver. The sheets are so thin that I can’t have any air flow in the studio otherwise it’s impossible to control and it flies everywhere. I’ve also discovered that timing is everything. Putting on the adhesive where I want the metal to stick, then judging when it is the right amount of tackiness, then transferring the gold. After this step has dried for a few days, I then spray the whole painting with a coat of acrylic. This prevents damage to the thin layer of precious metal, and prevents the silver from tarnishing over time.

Ki before the gold and silver was added.

I’m not sure how much longer I’ll pursue this direction of painting but I’m having fun now. I’ve often wondered how some artists just keep doing the same type of subject and style their entire lives (thinking of Renoir or Wyeth) while others have long and successful careers by seeking new avenues (Picasso or Calder). I guess it’s just temperament in the end. No right way or wrong.

P.S. Pria was adopted from the shelter shortly after I painted this picture.

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Posted in animals, art

Tagged cats, gilt, glam cat, glamorous cats, gold leaf, new ideas, trying new things

Golden cats

Posted on May 14, 2023 | Comments Off

Leo napping, original painting, acrylic on canvas 16 x 16 with gold leaf on sides.

As an artist, I’ve often been asked over the years, where do you get your ideas? This is a tough question because you can’t just go to the store and pick some ideas up. Well, maybe depending upon which direction you feel like moving.

For me, ideas can come from a variety of sources. Something I see, read about, even from dreams. Sometimes I think I want to explore a certain idea but end up going in an entirely new direction. That is what happened to me recently.

I was contemplating a series of local scenes. Landscapes, cityscapes. Just a variety of ideas have been strolling through my brain. Then I found myself noodling around with some sketches of my cat, in fact, various cats that I’ve owned throughout the years. (Not forgetting all the dogs, birds, lizards, and a variety of other pets we’ve had over the years.) No, I am not a crazy cat lady. I like cats and it seems as if I’ve had one around nearly all my life.

Tom. Original painting on canvas with gold leaf on front and sides. 8 x 8 x 2.5

So I started with some sketches of my little buddy Leo the cat. He seems to manage to find so many different ways to sleep that he’s almost acrobatic. One particular pose leads to another. Then I removed his ratty old blanket and put him on an Oriental carpet. And this lead me to think, Why not really jazz it up with some gold?!

Anyway, Leo was the first victim, er uh, volunteer. Then came Tom, my dad’s cat. Then Princess who is just too too glam. Adding backgrounds of oriental carpets and some real 23K gold or silver leaf. I have never done anything with gold leaf before but, hey, it’s always good to try new things.

Ki, original painting on canvas, 8 x 8 x 2.5. Unfinished.

Then I realized that I was running out of cat subjects. Even photos of my old cats.

So with the help of a friend who volunteers, I went to the local humane society. BINGO! Back in business. They have lots of cats. Every time the volunteer was telling me that this cat was shy or standoffish, it would come and climb all over me, waiting for its ears to be scratched or belly rubbed. Such a beautiful variety. These people do such good work, especially with the help of many volunteers.

But what really broke my heart was seeing the older cats who appeared in good shape but had been turned into the humane society because their owners died or who were no longer able to take care of them. How confused they must be. They looked so sweet and loving.

Anyway, I’ll be making more trips back there in the coming months. If you have a humane society near you, check it out next time you need a new pet, or just another pet. They definitely get high marks on my list.

Meanwhile, check out my Etsy shop KitMiracleArt to keep track of the new golden cats.

Dubois County Humane Society if you need to adopt a pet.