Becky Syroka

Information about My Products

Please email me  with any questions or comments:

syrokab@aol.com

Clear Grid Sheets

These clear grid sheets are a wonderful asset for comparison viewing between your painting and your study photo. They will provide you with a built in measuring tool (each square is ¼”) as well as enabling you to compare how your features line up vertically and horizontally.  (Make sure your study photo is the exact same size as your painting).  If both are small enough, line up your study photo and your painting side by side and place one clear grid sheet overtop of both.  For example, If you are comparing and 8 x 10 study photo with an 8 x 10 tile, then you’ll need two grid sheets.

Here's how to use the grid sheet overtop of your WET painting so that you can make corrections PRIOR to firing!  All you need is an inexpensive photo frame...similar to the one in the photo below  (size to hold an 8 x 10 photo).  Basically, you simply replace the glass with the clear plastic grid and you'll be ready to go!  But here are a few frame requirements to make sure of and complete instructions:

1)  Turn the frame over and look at the back.  Is the glass contained within a recessed area?   You'll need about 3/8" recess once you remove the glass.

2)  Take your 8" x 10" porcelain tile and make sure it would fit comfortably within the recess area where the glass would normally go.  This is just a test of size..(you will NOT be mounting the tile).

If your frame is passes the two criterion above, then carefully trim your grid sheet so that it fits snugly within the recess of the now empty frame.  Once you have the fit just right, run a thin line of glue around the rim of the frame (where the grid sheet will lay against the frame...just like glass would).  Insert your grid....smooth down the glued areas.  (If you have pre-existing clamps on your frame, just press them down lightly against your grid.

Now...your framed grid sheet is ready to carefully place overtop of your wet painting (assuming no larger than an 8" x 10" tile).   The frame itself should lay on the table (outside the edges of the tile) and your grid sheet will be elevated just high enough over the tile so it doesn't disturb any of your wet paint.  (see continuation of instructions below)

Now you are ready to do your visual comparisons .... and make any needed corrections PRIOR to firing! 

Use your second grid sheet to lay overtop of your study photo and place the two side by side, as illustrated in the photo below.  (Please refer to instructions below photo for aligning your grid sheets and doing your comparisons.)

To begin….Find a good point of reference on the study photo (perhaps the inner corner of one eye) and move your grid sheet so that a grid line intersects at that point.  That will give you a reference point for placing the second grid sheet overtop of your painting in the exact same spot. Align both sheets squarely with the photo and painting.  Compare the measurements and also the horizontal and vertical alignment between your study and your painting.  Are both eyes at the same horizontal level on the study photo or are they on a horizontal slant (as illustrated in the example below where the horizontal level of the right eye is higher than the level of the left eye)?  Are the eyes of your painting aligned similarly?  Compare (for example) the width and horizontal level of the corners of the mouth, the nose and nostrils, the eyebrows, etc.  Compare the accuracy of the outer silhouette.  Remember, in order to achieve an accurate likeness, you must be able to accurately compare and measure features.  These grid sheets will enhance your ability to discern exactly where features are “off” and will guide you in determining how to correct.

Take a moment to compare features in the example below. There are several areas which are good and even more which are “off”.   I’ll help you find one area which is “off”.  Find the grid line which is at the top of her upper lip on the study photo (left side).  Follow that line on across to see how the line compares with the upper lip line on the painting (right).  The lip on the painting is slightly lower and ALSO you’ll be able to see that the teeth on the painting extend down too far (compare with bottom line of teeth on study photo)

How do the horizontal levels of the features of each eye line up?  How about the height of each eyebrow?  Can you discern that the outer edge of her face on the left side is an inaccurate silhouette?  Please use the grids to measure the comparative width of her left cheek.  Have fun finding my mistakes!

Are you better able to compare features when seen within the grid lines?  I hope you find these sheets useful with your own portrait projects!

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Becky's Favorite

Hair Texture Brush

Click on this link to view a short video clip demonstrating the use and care of this brush:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk_PM-C2D4Q

Prior to using this brush for the first time, condition the brush well using mineral oil or your painting medium.  The factory coating has already been cleaned out, but the hairs need to be conditioned with oil prior to use.

After each use, clean very thoroughly and lightly condition with mineral oil (gently press out excess) prior to storage. 

Your brush might shed a few hairs during the first use.  This is normal at first…after a couple of sessions,  loss of hair should be minimal and rare (assuming careful storage and care).

I do not apply paint with this brush.  I use this brush (clean) to create texture through already applied wet paint.

First, apply your paint onto your porcelain using a square shader.  Next, lightly oil the hairs of this brush and gently press out all excess oil.  The brush works best when just lightly oiled….almost dry, but with some oil to protect the hairs of the brush.

 Pretend that you are styling the hair, stroking in the direction of growth or style.  Experiment with using the brush until you get the feel of lifting it lightly off the porcelain to create soft wisps flowing outward into the background.  Other times, it works well to lay the brush down (try to keep the hairs of the end pressed outward as widely as possible)  and pull inward from the background (or skin) into the hair line.    Clean the accumulated paint off the brush frequently during the texture process (either dip into your oil for a light cleaning or dip into a solvent (such as Marci’s orange brush cleaner) to clean more thoroughly.  If you solvent clean, be sure to condition lightly with painting medium again prior to going back into the wet paint. to allow the strokes to glide through the paint smoothly. 

However, If you wish to use the brush to wipe back to the porcelain (strong highlight areas), solvent clean the brush (recommend Marci’s orange brush cleaner…be sure to gently press any excess cleaner onto a cloth…and use brush without conditioning with oil.  This will cut through the paint to create a clean highlight.  Afterwards, to blend the highlight area with the remainder of the hair….lightly oil the brush to blend a gentle transition between the highlight and the darker hair.

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Marci Blattenberger's

Orange Brush Cleaner

(Copied from Marci's Product Label)

marci@ppio.com

http://www.marciblattenberger.com

All-purpose solvent distilled from citrus peels...softens and cleans even the hardest, dirtiest brush.  (After final cleaning, reshape the brush with your fingers.  The orange cleaner will stiffen the brush so it can maintain its shape.  Then, simply dip the brush in the cleaner again to soften it before dipping in your medium...or, if you prefer, dip the brush in mineral oil after final cleaning to stay soft.)

Can be used in place of turp to thin paints.

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Academic Dividers

"Calipers"

(Please use with due care to prevent injury….the points are sharp!)

Calipers (also known as Academic Dividers) are a tool for confirming measurements when comparing accuracy of features between your portrait and your study photo.  Always have a study copy printed to the exact same size as your painting.  Using an eye as an example, lets do some comparisons. 

Let’s begin with measuring the overall width of the eye on the study photo.  Spread the legs of your calipers and place one needle point on the exact outer corner of the eye and the second needle point leg on the exact edge of the tear duct.  Lift the calipers off your study photo, being careful not to move the legs.  Now place the calipers atop the same eye of your painting.  Do the needle points line up on your painting exactly as they did on the study photo?  If so, excellent!  If not, take note of the degree of difference….is your painting too wide?  Too narrow?  While the paint is still wet (prior to firing) you have the perfect opportunity to correct your painting to replicate the measurements on the original study photo.

After the overall width is compared, next compare the width and height of the iris, whites of the eyes, space between the eyelid and the bottom of the eyebrow, etc.  Comparing measurements is easy when using calipers and the needle points can be safely set atop the wet paint (if you are very careful) and measured without disturbing your wet paint.

The legs should remain rather stiff to allow you to retain the measurement.

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Pink Glaze

Product is mixed with mineral oil (same as regular china paints) and is used as an undercoat ("tooth" coat) over glazed porcelain.

Becky's Personal Experience:

Benefits:

1.  Excellent "tooth" coat which aids in transfer of line drawing and I prefer the "feel" versus the slick unpainted porcelain.

2.  I typically paiint only the shadow shapes on my portrait first fire painting.  It is easier to blend my shadows smoothly and seamlessly on the precoated surface and easier to "see" those areas without the "glare" of uncoated porcelain.

3.  Pink glaze gives the painting a beautiful shine right from the beginning fires.

4.  I always reserve a few brightest highlight areas which are wiped right back to the bare porcelain (unless doing a dark skin tone).  The pink glaze prevents the "glare" of uncoated porcelain in these areas and provides the perfect light color for these areas of highlight.

5.  It is my personal experience and opinion that the glaze actually helps my portrait colors retain true color and fade less during firings.  (I can make no guarantees (too many variables with different brands of paints, firing temps, etc....just my personal opinion based on my personal experience.)

Becky's Personal Method of Application and Firing Temps:

(Please note that my method differs a bit from Cherryl's recommendations.  I include this information only as my personal experience when used as an undercoat for PORTRAITS and it is NOT meant to contradict or override Cherryl's instructions.)

I mix the glaze with my regular mixing medium (basically mineral oil) and apply to the porcelain VERY VERY thinly and very very smoothly  (a small amount spreads out a long way) When thinly applied, it will appear VERY light pink when wet.  After firing, much of the pink cast disappears and the porcelain appears white (perhaps a pale pink tinge or bit greyed, depending on the color of the porcelain). 

I attempt to apply smoothly without residual brush strokes or streaks.  However, if I am unable to smooth my application sufficiently, then I will pounce the wet surface very lightly with a silk covered ball of soft batting.  (Pouncing will result in less sheen when firing, but the smooth application without brush marks is critically important with portraits.)

I typically fire the undercoat application to 015.  When painting the actual portrait, I use Jane Marcks portrait paints, which all fire beautifully at 016.  Usually my first and second fires are at 016 and subsequent fires are cooler (017 and finally 018).

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