Remember this pretty peck of pebbles from the beach?
I thought I'd put my money where my mouth is and do something with it. So I cut (scissors) some nice thick water colour paper and drew on it with charcoal.
Then I made up a purple solution of the old Condy's Crystals and dipped the paper in it. BTW, did you know Condy's Crystals were once considered de rigueur for chook farmers to flavour their chooks water and rid them of parasites. As it is a caustic solution, they may well have been rid of their chooks' digestive tracts too.
When it oxidises, it changes from purple to brown.
Then comes the magic science part. With some plain lemon juice, bottled or fresh, the paper can instantly be bleached back to white. It can be spattered on, or brushed or dripped. The edges can be bleached back too. The random organic nature of the runs is part of the charm of anything on watercolour paper.
Then some colour can be added back over with water colour pencils and a wet brush. Maybe a little white pastel can highlight bits and pieces. I'm still playing with this in between classes.
The yellow rock up the top is still my favourite just like in the photo.
Then some colour can be added back over with water colour pencils and a wet brush. Maybe a little white pastel can highlight bits and pieces. I'm still playing with this in between classes.
The yellow rock up the top is still my favourite just like in the photo.
Wow, that's great, love the effects........
ReplyDeleteClaire :}
That is so cool! I always learn something new from you.
ReplyDeletexo
Wowie!!! What amazing effects! :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a go, girls, It's lots of fun!
DeleteThat's gorgeous Annie. The yellow rock's my favourite too. Is there anything you can't do with good ole Condy's Crystals???
ReplyDeleteApparently not kill chook parasites! What else do you use it for?
DeleteOne word, WOW!
ReplyDeleteOh I love it Annie. You're right about that yellow pebble, it really adds something special. More of your work please.
ReplyDeletep.s. I think they used Condy's Crystals to treat nits in "the olden days" - painted it on shaved heads - imagaine sending your kids off to school like that!
imagine.
ReplyDeleteIf only they had known they could have bleached it out with lemon juice. Dad always recalls a poor little kid whose head was shaved and painted with some awful tincture. It was probably Condy's!
DeleteYou are a lady of many talents.
ReplyDeleteThis artwork is stunning.
x
That is stunning. What a clever lady you are. I hope you are going to frame this - it should have pride of place somewhere in your home!
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing!
ReplyDeleteWow....I wish I could draw and create such magic! You are artist extraordinaire! :) x
ReplyDeleteFantastic. Now I need to research "Condy Crystals"
ReplyDeleteThat is beautiful. You are very talented.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Annie, never new Condy's could be used like this, very very cool results. mel x
ReplyDeleteDo try it. Roboboy would just love the alchemy! It's so easy.
DeleteGorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteBTW when I was in the army we all soaked our feet in condys crystals (turning them an awful brown) to help prevent foot infections before going bush. That's my only brush with them - is that what they're supposed to be used for? I really don't know!
ReplyDeleteVery cool. I've never heard of this Condy's stuff. Will it degrade the paper if it's caustic or does that quality go away when it dries. And what turned the paper from pink to brown. Did I miss something?
ReplyDeleteIt's a really stunning piece you've created - and I love seeing the transformation stage by stage. Also never heard of Condy's crystals (and am not altogether sure that I would recognise a chook...) but sounds like powerful stuff!
ReplyDeleteAxxx
Condy's is really not that caustic otherwise I couldn't use it. You can buy it at the chemist quite easily over the counter. It was only with long term exposure that it would sicken a chook. It's very safe, just messy. Don't forget your rubber gloves.
ReplyDeleteThat was Master Class lesson . Thank you, Annie, for bringing us into your studio.
ReplyDeleteCondy's Chrystals is a blast from the past.
And yes, it was used for tinea in the army. (Between the toes!).
So it was regarded as anti-fungal agent.
But no sign of fungus on your masterpiece.
Please frame the end result and hang it on your wall for us.
Your take is a three dimensional gem.
Oh my. That's not only beautiful, but clever. I bet you could show those art teachers a thing or two! I hope they realise what a talent they have on staff.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, I love this. I am horrified to admit that when I was a teenager in the 60s, I actually followed a fad of bathing in a weak solution of Condy's Crystals, as it was supposed to imitate a tan! It did stain the skin slightly, but the effect was a bit blotchy!
ReplyDeleteYour art work is just wonderful - so evocative of beach days.
Linda
You are such a creative soul. Beautiful work. xx
ReplyDeleteWow, that is so clever! Loved seeing the steps in the process. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteHello, it's been too log!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, this process is wild and it's result so surprising. The yellow rock really draws your eye. Beautiful.
And your view on the sand , watching the small people in the more recent post, just wonderful.
There's not much I enjoy more in life is watching my children play in nature. Especially at the seaside.
I'm off to google Condy's Crystals...
Rachel
This is a wonderful piece of art - I used to use the condys crystals mix at art college but not sure if you mix it with water or you can mix with metholated spirits? Any answers here - just forgotten the mixture do you know? If it is OK to mix with metho as it would evaporate quicker than with water mixed? Please let me know would be great & are you on FaceBook?
ReplyDeleteonly if you want to blow yourself up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read the MSDS as this product, while great for art purposes, can be very dangerous!
Delete