Black Locust Basket Illusion Series #1

[trc65]

This is the first in what I hope will be a series of Basket Illusion pieces made from once turned wet black locust. My hope is to get just enough warping on these to add to the illusion. The shape of this basket is called a degikup ("day-gee-coop"). Generally, the basket starts with a narrow base, increases in size as it moves out and up to a maximum diameter, and then decreases in size ending up with a mouth that is similar in size to the base. This style of basket was developed by Dat-So-La-Lee, a master basket weaver from the Washo (Washoe) tribe in the late 19th century. She is widely regarded as one of, if not the best weavers in history.

All of this series will be decorated using design elements from her work. Not direct copies, but adaptations using her shapes and colors modified to fit these forms. None of the form shapes that I'm making are meant to duplicate her baskets. Rather I'm making forms that are pleasing to my eye while keeping the shapes similar to Native American baskets that I've seen.

Ok, enough of the background and history. Here is the first one. About 5.5" in diameter. "India red" and "Dark Sepia" are the colors.

 

[trc65]

Just for your info, here are a couple pictures of baskets that were inspiration for my piece.

Originally, I was going to stick fairly close to the design below with a large diamond shape bookended by the slightly smaller paired diamonds. After finishing the column of single diamonds however, adding the bookend pairs would have been too much.



I thought it still needed something between the columns, so I used the idea of very small color squares/rectangle to accent the diamonds like the basket below.

 

[daniscool]

Beautiful.

 

[Phil.H]

As always, Beautiful work!!

 

[stephen45710]

Incredible piece!

 

[JD1137]

Beautiful Tim!

*side note, was reading the AAW forum and someone had a question about automating the line burning on basket illusions.
Your name was mentioned by one of the members as being “one of the best” and doing it all “by hand”.

I’ve never tried it, but would wholeheartedly agreed

 

[Steve in VA]

The rim treatment really tops it off Tim - literally and figuratively!

I’m looking forward to seeing the process on all of these, but especially to the full collection once you’re done with the series!

 

[trc65]

The rim treatment really tops it off Tim - literally and figuratively!

I’m looking forward to seeing the process on all of these, but especially to the full collection once you’re done with the series!

There's a little story about the rim. While I was working on the body, kept thinking about what to do with it. Decided just to do just the fine vertical lines. When that was done, it was just a little to light for my tastes, so picked up the Dark Sepia pen and decided the brown/black would frame it well. Finished coloring it, took the magnifiers off and holey cow was it dark! Too dark. Let it sit for a couple days and still didn't like it, so decided to lighten it. Took small cotton squares soaked in methanol and just kept wiping it. Worked better than I thought it might. Pulled color out without bleeding it all over the place. It's not something I'd want to do on a regular basis, but got me thinking it might be a technique I'd use in the future to "age" a piece.

 

[Steve in VA]

There's a little story about the rim. While I was working on the body, kept thinking about what to do with it. Decided just to do just the fine vertical lines. When that was done, it was just a little to light for my tastes, so picked up the Dark Sepia pen and decided the brown/black would frame it well. Finished coloring it, took the magnifiers off and holey cow was it dark! Too dark. Let it sit for a couple days and still didn't like it, so decided to lighten it. Took small cotton squares soaked in methanol and just kept wiping it. Worked better than I thought it might. Pulled color out without bleeding it all over the place. It's not something I'd want to do on a regular basis, but got me thinking it might be a technique I'd use in the future to "age" a piece.

I wonder if rubbing it with something like coffee or moist tea would work well? Or maybe very light coats of iron acetate? I’m just trying to think of techniques that would darken it and give it the aged patina without looking like ink or stain.

The end result on yours, while probably more cumbersome than you’d like, certainly worked well!

 

[trc65]

I wonder if rubbing it with something like coffee or moist tea would work well? Or maybe very light coats of iron acetate? I’m just trying to think of techniques that would darken it and give it the aged patina without looking like ink or stain.

The end result on yours, while probably more cumbersome than you’d like, certainly worked well!

Got me thinking... I'd probably start with tea, and then coffee. Iron acetate would work, but would take some testing to make sure tannins weren't too high.

Another idea, walnut husk dye.

One guy I know of used to rub down the whole basket with steel wool after completion. Rubbed away some of the ink to give it a weathered look and also frayed some fibers to give it "texture".

 

[duncsuss]

Another idea, walnut husk dye.

Horse Chestnut is another option. In my long-ago childhood I collected conkers, and my hands were always stained brown by the time I got home. I think the husk and the nut have different colours.