SOEWN EARTH

The Earth Reliant Artist



Trace Willans All Natural Mixed Media







Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Playing with Xanth


I had an idea while gessoing paint rags
So did a little experiment
with combining Xanthorrhoea resin
and gesso*

in all the combos each was applied to 
only approx half way


1 is Xanth first allowed to dry then 
gesso applied 

2 is Gesso applied and while still wet
dipped into Xanth

3 is Xanth applied and then painted with gesso 
while still wet

4 is gesso applied left to dry and then 
dipped into Xanth

5 is gessoed on both sides, left to dry and 
then dipped into Xanth

I had such fun doing this 
I am going to make the samples 
into a little book
with notes
and then I think I might make some for sale

x te

* by gesso I mean traditional 
gesso made with whiting and 
rabbitskin glue
applied while warm

8 comments:

MOD said...

What medium is the Xanth in?

Trace Willans said...

I dissolve the Xanth in methelayted spirits

sarah said...

What a lovely idea!

Velma Bolyard said...

trace, very cool, put me down for one (you knew i'd say that!)

Trace Willans said...

Thank you Sarah
Duly noted and Thanks Velma, and it did come through the first time.
x te

Penny said...

Is that the Xanth I gave you? Glad you are playing with it if it is.

Trace Willans said...

Hmm no idea Penny, it all just goes in the jar. So it might be part of it. x te

Unknown said...

Hello, from northern nsw. Got your contact via web from Encaustic artist in WA. Interesting Blog - I was wondering about xanthorrhea resin as I have a previous career in fine wood working and remember reading technical documents from the late 19th cent talking about using xanthorrhea resin as a varnish medium. The matter of other aus tree resins could be explored too.

The binder for ocher pigment on bark paintings in Arnhem land in times past was the sap of native native orchids, tree cymbidiums . But a somewhat exotic resource unless one could obtain bulbs disregarded by native orchid growers when repotting. I grow them myself and will experiment next time I repot.
have you seen the henna designs on wool cloth done in the mountains of Algeria?

Also wax of native bees was used to make sculptural pictures in Arnhem land - little balls of wax stuk on rock to make pictures. Its a strong wax and had many other uses.
After I am finished my current big hous restoration I will do some experimenting too.
Cheers
John Allan vajiro53@gmail.com