My puppy is melting.

We’re having a heat wave here and little one is like a piece of half chewed licorace.  Limp and heavy.

While he’s languishing the ants are thriving in the yard.  At first you don’t see them, then you realize the ground is pulsing with hundreds of them.  I think I upset their home when I began digging up a plant.  Pippin got in on the fun too and quickly exited when they began crawling on his paws.  He didn’t quite understand what was going on and kept looking at the ground.

Wouldn’t be so concerned but next week I’m teaching my first workshop of the year and I want us to be able to enjoy the garden.  This is figure-out-able as Marie Forleo explains in her book, Everything Is Figureoutable. Until I figure it out I’ve panels to prepare and some mixed media to test.

I want to teach how to use india ink to make strong marks and shapes with the wax.  These panels show a few experiments yet I realize my india ink is water soluble.  That could be the reason I’m not getting the desired black mark.  Back to the art store for Sumi ink or Speedball printing ink.  These should be more opaque.

I’ll also show how to use oil paint with wax.  I’m not so fond of this because I tend to be messy with my materials.  The oil paint ends up everywhere and one time I even tracked it into the house.  One way to use the oil paint is to rub it into incised areas.  It can also tint the wax.  A lot of fun but it can get muddy awfully fast.

Tomorrow I’ll play with attaching paper to the wax and see where that goes.  In a one day class it’s best to show a few techniques and use basic materials.  Otherwise, people get overwhelmed and they start using everything in an attempt to solve problems.  And when that doesn’t work, they learn how to scrape it all away.

Start again.  With the basics.

XOXO,

Francesca