Resin

To finish her Oil paintings, Shivani has imrovised from the classic varnish by introducing a top layer of resin on some works. The resin makes colours vivid and introduces the desire in the viewer to touch the paintings. The texture of the oil paint comes through the resin.

Silver leaf technique

Small balls of gold or silver are placed between sheets of tissue paper laid in a leather pouch. This is beaten repeatedly but carefully with a heavy wooden hammer flattening the balls into paper thin sheets.

These silver leaf sheets are very lustrous and extremely fragile and often break up during use.Also known a "vark" these nano millimeter sheets are used in Indian cusine as a garnish. Shivani buys these directly from the craftsmen in Lucknow, India. They are amused when they learn what she does with them. Shivani embeds the "vark' in oil paints to add a brilliance to the paintings.

Painting on Distressed wood

The Mona Lisa is painted on Poplar wood. Wood as a base for painting has been popular with the Renaissance artists.
Wood, especially distressed wood is absorbent. Shivani does not prime the wood choosing to keep it untreated. Instead of priming, to paint effectively on distressed wood, she pours a thick coat of colour on the entire panel. Absorbtion is high. Thie thickness of paint allows the colour to stay strong and it also delays drying allowing the artist time to complete the painting.
When semi dry, colours are blended in using either a pallet knife, or any sharp object such as twigs, and nails. the paint is then left to dry further. The surface is scratched or smoothened further as appropriate.