The Making of a Bluebird Jewel #6

Here I've added "feathering". The photos get somewhat saturated in color now, as so much rich color is being added to the jewel. I'e added blue to his head, terra cotta to his breast, and a little terra cotta on his lighter, underbreast.






Here I have added a little yellow overall to brighten him up. When I add feathers, I use my smallest brush and just add them sporadically over the entire design. Then I "pull" feathers out around his outer edges using an empty brush. Notice his head...the difference between the previous photo and this one. His feathers look like they are sticking up a bit, which they were from our winds we are having today.

Here I've refined his body overall - with some cream feathering, especially on the lighter underbreast. I've worked on his beak some more. I've deepened the shading on the leaves and branch. And I've added the white dot to his eye which brings him totally to life! He looks done, but there is something that's bugging me between his orange colored breast and the cream underbreast.





Aha.....it's not defined enough! Time for a little black. I add a bit of black in various places between the two breast colors, and this further defines things in that area. He's ready for the oven, and it's time for me to eat lunch! YEAH!

Note: While the defining details in black might look a bit TOO defined here, keep in mind, this piece is still wet and when he is fired in the oven, the colors "meld together", the layers on top blend with the bottom layers and it all creates a very realistic design.

After he comes out of the oven, I will put his first coat of glaze on while he's hot. This sets the glaze nicely. Then he will receive 2-4 more coats of glaze on the front of the design, which gives him the glassy like shine I like to see in my pieces. The next photo you'll see will be the finished piece, photographed a bit more professionally than these in this production.

At this point, I have 5.5 hours in the design, and it will probably have another 1 hour before completion. There is time needed for the glaze to dry totally, so I won't be able to show his finished photo until this evening.

Jai