Finished the Dragonfly Gourd to Mixed Reviews

 I finished my dragonfly gourd.  My solution for the wings was a long time in coming to me, but I'm pleased with the results.  They are pieces of gourd that I cut out and cleaned.  I used the inside because of its interesting texture that is almost wing-like.  After sealing the gourd pieces, I painted them with interference paints then added glass bead acrylic medium.  The clear glass beads produce a beautiful effect.

I couldn't resist adding some beading around the branch handle and used some turquoise beads to repeat the stone in the dragonfly itself.  Good turquoise is becoming more and more difficult to come by with so much of it either being reconsituted from chips or powder, immitation in the form of dyed howlite or magnesite, or Chinese or African turquoise which is greener and, to my eye, not as pretty.  These cabochons and beads are American turquoise and are quite nice.

The thing I'm not quite happy with on this gourd is the frog  in that is doesn't really seem to belong on the piece.  But I just couldn't help myself! 

That said, I am happy with the painting job I did on her.  She's done with acrylic - a combination of regular ol' acrylics, Golden gold fluid acrylics, Jacquard "rust" Luminiere, and Liquitex interference green, gold, and violet.  It was quite exciting to work with this combination and see the sparkle on the tiny frog's beautiful skin take shape.  I created most of the iridescence with iridescent and metallic paints, but also created some with just the juxtaposition of colors, specifially yellow green, yellow, and bright pink.  It was an exciting painting project.