Category Archives: Art

Granulating Color Facts

Granulating earth based colors like ochers are ancient and were used in cave paintings.

Many granulating colors now can be produced synthetically, but they are still chemically similar to the original colors and still have granulating properties. 

They doesn’t dissolve in water and can be pushed around like tiny pebbles.They tend to be very dense. Granulating pigments are also known as sedimentary colors, because they settle on whatever surface they are applied to. They show off textured paper by settling in any dips in the paper.

Blobs of dried granulating paint tend to look matte and may crumble and even fall off the palette. 

More likely to wash out of clothes

Names of Granulating colors are often named after where they were mined. Sienna is a town in Italy. Ultramarine which is mined in Afghanistan means beyond the sea. An exception is cobalt, which is named after the heavy metal.

Granulating colors are generally more neutral and natural looking, and many are blue or brownish.

Staining

Most colors were created in labs in the 20th century. And are used as colorants in general manufacturing, printing and lab work.

They behave like a dye, dissolve in water and covers surfaces evenly. They provide smooth even coverage over the whole surface.

Blobs of staining paint are more likely to remain shiny and sticky forever and get on everything

Colors are brilliant, very intense and are commonly found in nature. They also will stain clothes, hands and plastic palettes.

Staining colors are often named after their chemical structure, and can be difficult to pronounce.. Dioxazine. Phthalocyanine. Quinacridone (note that quinacridone gold is intense brownish yellow, but is still a staining color)

Here is a review of different stitch lengths. In our hat we did double crochet, but it’s good to memorize the main stitches. Note that the instruction for all of these is for crocheting a rectangle as opposed to a circle, and so set up instructions will differ.

Here’s a review of Single Crochet. This is a dense, fairly stiff fabric which I use for potholders and washcloths.

Here’s a review of Half Double Crochet. This creates a slightly more flexible, very versatile fabric.

Here’s a review of Double Crochet. This is the longest, drapiest stitch that is commonly used, and is called for in our hat pattern.

Here’s a review of Crochet Slip Stitch. This is different than a knitted slip stitch.

Here are some cool tips for changing colors and weaving in ends as you crochet to reduce the amount of ends you will have to weave in later. I like crochet over my end, skip a spot and do a hair-pin turn, pushing the yarn back into the work to help lock it in place. This is especially important with granny squares and small motifs.

At last you can follow my watercolor class at home at your own pace! Below is every exercise I include in my four session watercolor class that I’ve taught all over the San Francisco Bay Area and on Zoom, plus a talk about the best materials to use. You read and see photo illustrations covering this material and more here.

This is a seriously nostalgic recipe that makes use of any greens from your garden. My mother used chard, which volunteered in our garden when I was a child. It is similar to a crustless quiche, but it relies on cottage cheese instead of cream. This recipe can be halved or doubled, but I recommend you use two eggs for every cup of steamed greens.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 3 cups of steamed leafy greens. Any combination of Spinach, cabbage, beet greens, kale, parsley, turnip greens or chard will work.
• 16 oz. of low fat cottage cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup of grated cheddar
• 1/2 cup of sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup of onion, minced
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Squeeze excess liquid from the steamed greens, pick out any tough stems and give them a quick chop.
3. In a large bowl, combine greens, cottage cheese, eggs, onion, chili powder and black pepper and stir gently until combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into a casserole or baking dish and sprinkle grated cheese and sesame seeds liberally over the top.
5. Place in the oven for at least one hour, or until the center of the pudding becomes firm and the top becomes slightly brown. 

Enjoy!

This hand cream is very rich and spectacular for reviving hands that have been washed too many times. Emulsifying Wax NF is a safe, commercially manufactured product that can be purchased online. 

The process of making hand cream or lotion involves heating and combining oil and water with an emulsifier, and then cooling the mixture while continuing to blend. You make this recipe richer by adding a little shea butter or lighter by choosing grape seed oil for your base. You can apply the final cream to your face or body and scent it however you wish, taking care to avoid essential oils that can be irritating such as tea tree, citrus and cinnamon essential oils. Rose, geranium, lavender, chamomile and rosemary essential oils are safe for most people, but there are always exceptions. You can also choose not to add any scent at all.

I discourage readers from adding herbal teas, aloe vera juice or any other minimally processed plant material to your lotion, since these ingredients will encourage bacteria and mold to grow. If you are really determined, make a very small batch that can be used up in less than a week and keep it in the refrigerator.  

This recipe calls for a double boiler. You can substitute with saucepan, a heat safe bowl that will fit in the pan and canning rings to prevent to bowl from touching the bottom of the sauce pan.  The photos below show this method.

Ingredients

1 cup of purified or distilled water

½ cup of oil. Good options include olive, avocado, jojoba, almond or grape seed oil.

1 tablespoon of coconut oil, shea, mango or cocoa butter (optional)

¼ teaspoon of vitamin E oil (protects from rancidity)

12 drops of grapefruit seed extract (antimicrobial)

6-10 drops of essential oil of your choice. Good options include lavender, geranium or rose. 

3 tablespoons of emulsifying wax NF (E wax)

Tools

All of the following should be very clean, and should be thoroughly washed with soap before they are used with food.

double boiler

1-cup Pyrex measuring cup

1 metal spoon

Measuring spoons

Electric mixer

Zip lock plastic bag that can hold at least 2 cups

Tea kettle

Small, clean containers with lids for cream.

Large bowl of ice water

Directions

1. In the top of the saucepan, combine the oil, optional fat and the emulsifying wax. Fill the bottom half of the double boiler with 2-3″ of water and place the double boiler on medium heat. Stir occasionally with metal spoon until all of the wax and fat have melted.
2. Heat water in a kettle and measure one cup. Remove the top half of the double boiler from the stove and blend with an electric mixer. Slowly pour the hot water into the oil while continuing to mix. Continue to mix for two minutes. 
3. Turn off the mixer and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Carefully place the top of the double boiler into the bowl of ice water, taking care that the water doesn’t get into the boiler. Mix the contents of double boiler again for 2-3 minutes. Let the mixture continue to cool for a few more minutes, adding more ice as it melts. 
4. The mixture should become opaque and thick like frosting as it reaches room temperature. At this point add 12 drops of grapefruit seed extract, Vitamin E oil and optional essential oil. These ingredients will help protect your cream from bacteria and rancidity. 
5. Once your hand cream is completely cool, use a silicone spatula to scoop it into a zip lock bag. Push as much air out of the bag as you can and seal it closed. Open your hand cream containers and cut a tiny corner off the filled bag. Place the clipped corner over a container, and gently squeeze the bag to fill it. You may need to stir the containers with a toothpick to release any trapped air pockets. You can also cap the container and tap the bottom on the counter to help the lotion settle to the bottom. Continue filling your containers until the are full and place the lids on top. You can print out sticker labels for your cream or write directly on the bottle with a sharpie marker. 
6. Enjoy your cream and share your with friends and family!