There was a time when I planed all my wood from rough to finished, and on smaller works I sometimes still do, but when there is a whole slab measuring 20 inches x 8 feet I like to get some of the rougher work done on a machine. So, after marking out the different panels … Read more
I recently finished Moby Dick, the 1851 book by Herman Melville. One of the many wonderful passages that caught my attention is this one from chapter 32, “Small erections may be finished by their first architects; grand ones, true ones, ever leave the copestone to posterity. God keep me from ever completing anything!“. As of … Read more
Since I began this project I have been pining for a good blue to use in my work. Growing some woad and thereby having indigo to use was a wonderful start.Certain concerns, however, were always in the back of my mind as to whether such pigment could really be counted light-fast. So I kept … Read more
Only one step remains in creating my first Mars Colour … Turning sand to magnetite, magnetite to iron, and iron to green vitriol has been a real education for me but with those steps successfully accomplished I had created the base for my yellow pigment. The best results I’ve had so far proceeded from the … Read more
The story of collecting the wood for the panel of this icon is one that I realized I haven’t told yet in this blog. So here it is: On February 5th, 2007 the temperature in our area went down to -32°C. To the Mennonites in our area this meant that it was the perfect time … Read more
Creating an iron bloom was very exciting for me, and if iron ore had any use as a pigment I’d be quite content to stop here; but it doesn’t. My next step in creating a good Mars pigment involves changing the iron ore into iron sulphate (or Green Vitriol). There are a lot of different … Read more
The other part of my first attempt that I wasn’t happy with was the lack of good walls for my bloomery. I’m not naturally someone who likes one-time use items and there was no hope of reusing the half melted stove pipe. So, I went looking for good firebrick … There was a place across … Read more
The magnetite collected at Kintail is great to have but there was one problem: Sand. No matter how careful we were I would guess that only 10% of what were carried away as magnetite. To solve this problem I decided to levy the one property that is indicative of magnetite: It is magnetic! After putting … Read more
Ever since my attempt to make iron ore failed I’ve been asking myself why? Many times in my life after something hasn’t gone according to plan that failure has actually became an opportunity to better understand my work. I guess in reconsidering how something works, and fitting into that a new experience, I’ve come away … Read more
While I really love the idea of following the historic method for making flake white, I have also decided to try and create this pigment using some of the newer methods developed within the last century. I’ve come to realize that in making flake white I am creating a pigment by taking my ore through … Read more