Brian
Whaley crafted this harpsichord by hand from a kit and
commissioned me in 2000 to illuminate the soundhole area
(14" x 12" overall). The project started in mid-June and
was completed by mid-July.
The blue banding matches the blue he used to cover the main
body accents of the harpsichord. The black acylic gouache
name ring was blocked in first with the Roman Cap lettering
transferred via white charcoal-coated tissue paper and
drawn/filled in with bright gold Acryla gouache. Everything
goldtoned in the illumination was first goldleafed, then
overbrushed with 24K shell gold (gold dust/powder suspended
in distilled water).
The floral elements were painted using casein to maintain a
somewhat historical accuracy (casein is a milk-protein
based paint known for its solubility and versatility in
creating layered glazes to opaque details). The flowers
featured are native to Virginia (cinquefoil, buttercup,
dogwood, wild strawberry, ivy, and harebelle).
