with a passion for intaglio and relief printmaking.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Linocuts progress
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Not sure if this will bear any fruit but ...
... I thought it's worth giving it a try.
I'm asking anyone who can help, if you have any old magazines - and by old I mean 50's, 60s & 70s magazines - or old sheet music, interesting retro paper, old embroidery patterns or dress patterns, packaging labels, that would fit into an A4 or A3 envelope, just a few scraps, not a library of the stuff, that you would be willing to send me I'd be most appreciative. It needs to be lightweight paper, magazine weight not heavy thick stuff. If you send me something which in turn inspires some work and which I can use I will promise to send you one print from the subsequent work in return for your contribution. Just email me and I will send you my studio address if you don't already know it. Thanks
I'm asking anyone who can help, if you have any old magazines - and by old I mean 50's, 60s & 70s magazines - or old sheet music, interesting retro paper, old embroidery patterns or dress patterns, packaging labels, that would fit into an A4 or A3 envelope, just a few scraps, not a library of the stuff, that you would be willing to send me I'd be most appreciative. It needs to be lightweight paper, magazine weight not heavy thick stuff. If you send me something which in turn inspires some work and which I can use I will promise to send you one print from the subsequent work in return for your contribution. Just email me and I will send you my studio address if you don't already know it. Thanks
Mandy's evening class
I had one of those Eureka moments in Mandy's evening class last night! After Mandy's quick recap demo of what I missed last week (in particular Chin Colle) she let me dip into her treasure trove Chin Colle bag of papers - accummulated over many years of collecting scraps of paper from everywhere. I began experimenting with a page from Elle Decoration of patterned table mat designs, a piece of Trompe D'Oiel wall paper, and a picture of a salad from one of the Sunday supplement magazines. I took small scraps and incorporated them into a linocut I started at the beginning of the week. I'd printed stage one of a reductive print and this was stage two having cut some more detail out of the plate. The patterned table mat designs, and the Trompe D'Oiel worked but not the salad.
As I was nearing the end of the class I decided to just test out one of the other plates which did need more cutting but the basic shape/form was there and it would do just to test an idea I had using a page from a 1960s Women's Weekly magazine on embroidery stitches. There was some spare gold ink that someone else was using so rather than try and mix something and make more mess to clear up I rolled the plate up with the gold ink, cut out a piece of the magazine of flower stitches and printed the plate over this scrap and onto the base hahnemuhle and it all came together beautifully. I was so excited. THIS is what I wanted to get my head around. It's all about chosing the right piece of scrap paper to match the subject and take it somewhere one did not necessarily envisage at the outset but which takes ones idea to a competely different level of lateral thinking.
As I was nearing the end of the class I decided to just test out one of the other plates which did need more cutting but the basic shape/form was there and it would do just to test an idea I had using a page from a 1960s Women's Weekly magazine on embroidery stitches. There was some spare gold ink that someone else was using so rather than try and mix something and make more mess to clear up I rolled the plate up with the gold ink, cut out a piece of the magazine of flower stitches and printed the plate over this scrap and onto the base hahnemuhle and it all came together beautifully. I was so excited. THIS is what I wanted to get my head around. It's all about chosing the right piece of scrap paper to match the subject and take it somewhere one did not necessarily envisage at the outset but which takes ones idea to a competely different level of lateral thinking.
Saturday, 17 October 2009
New plate
I also began a new plate which I am hoping to get some decent prints off before my prints have to go to the framers. There is still a little bit of work to do on it so I'm not sure yet if I'll get what I want from it in time. It is another landscape fancifully based on a view of The Cheviots but I'm breaking up to surface with lines to make it more abstract. Not sure where it will go at the moment.
No Photos yet
YES I Know I haven't yet uploaded the promised new images ... I WILL do it soon. I went into the studio for three short hours on Friday ... meant to get there earlier but best laid plans and all that ...
However, I did get two prints done from a previously made plate - Towards Lindesfarne - spent the morning experimenting with inking up the plate again. I do this a lot , each time hoping to improve on before. This plate is made up primarily of carborundum which I have knocked back with numerous coats of PVA applied randomly to create different levels of tone across the textures I've created.
I've sold several versions of the print - people seem to like the bright almost primary colours I used of turquoise, hot pinks, cadmium yellow deep and purple but this time I wanted something a little more subtle. Mixing cyan with lots of transparent ink I covered the whole plate with the one colour, wiped it back then began applying other colours with brushes sometimes working the colour into the underlying blue, at other times just skimming the raised surfaces of the plate and using a rag or tissue paper to blend the colours. It's somewhat akin to painting I think although I haven't done a huge amount of that.
Sometimes the colours get too blended and I have to go back to the base colour, add a bit more and tehn try again but there is a limit to how effective this can be as the more colours that have already been brushed over the surface and blended in the less the base colour is true. Still print number 1 was acceptable and print number 2 I was more happy with. They are now under the boards to dry.
However, I did get two prints done from a previously made plate - Towards Lindesfarne - spent the morning experimenting with inking up the plate again. I do this a lot , each time hoping to improve on before. This plate is made up primarily of carborundum which I have knocked back with numerous coats of PVA applied randomly to create different levels of tone across the textures I've created.
I've sold several versions of the print - people seem to like the bright almost primary colours I used of turquoise, hot pinks, cadmium yellow deep and purple but this time I wanted something a little more subtle. Mixing cyan with lots of transparent ink I covered the whole plate with the one colour, wiped it back then began applying other colours with brushes sometimes working the colour into the underlying blue, at other times just skimming the raised surfaces of the plate and using a rag or tissue paper to blend the colours. It's somewhat akin to painting I think although I haven't done a huge amount of that.
Sometimes the colours get too blended and I have to go back to the base colour, add a bit more and tehn try again but there is a limit to how effective this can be as the more colours that have already been brushed over the surface and blended in the less the base colour is true. Still print number 1 was acceptable and print number 2 I was more happy with. They are now under the boards to dry.
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Ex Libris
Today I spent the day in the studio catching up on my missed evening class. I am make a set of book plates based on things I see on my morning walk in Hexham, mainly architectural details. I'm doing them as reductive linocuts. So far the jury is out as to whether they will be any good. It's difficult working so small - 8 x 11 cm - I'm not used to it. However I see them almost as a means of trying out ideas before I go large. Better to make a crap 8x 11 plate than ruin a 30 x 30 cm plate don't you think?
Working this size though forces me to think about pearing down the image to just the essentials, shape, form, colour, etc. I will post images of the first pulls in the morning.
Working this size though forces me to think about pearing down the image to just the essentials, shape, form, colour, etc. I will post images of the first pulls in the morning.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Work progresses
I'm sorry there hasn't been much in the way of visuals to chart my progress recently. I have had a household full of sick husband, and children so my energies have been somewhaat sapped and when I do get to the studio I feel I have to make the most of the time and print rather than stop to record what I am doing.
I am responably pleased with the last set of plates I was printing and I am reaching the end of what I need to have ready for the framers by November 6th.
I have also been attending Mandy's 'Ex Libris' course and spent some of my time last week cutting the plates - 3 so far based on details I see on my daily walks round the Sele Park in Hexham and Hexham Abbey. Unfortunately, I missed last nights class because my daughter had been violently ill during the night and we ended up at Hexham general until 5 in the morning so I was somewhat wasted by last night.
However, daughter is on themend now and I will gt to the studio tomorrow and carry on printing the editions.
I am responably pleased with the last set of plates I was printing and I am reaching the end of what I need to have ready for the framers by November 6th.
I have also been attending Mandy's 'Ex Libris' course and spent some of my time last week cutting the plates - 3 so far based on details I see on my daily walks round the Sele Park in Hexham and Hexham Abbey. Unfortunately, I missed last nights class because my daughter had been violently ill during the night and we ended up at Hexham general until 5 in the morning so I was somewhat wasted by last night.
However, daughter is on themend now and I will gt to the studio tomorrow and carry on printing the editions.
Friday, 2 October 2009
Modicum of Success
Spent a half day in the studio today with some success. Once again I revisited some old plates and decided to reinterpret them by changing colours and instead of using one of them as I originally printed it - landscape - I turned it to be viewed portrait. That one still needs some work but I think it will work well.
The other plate was originally made as a backdrop for a two plate print but I decided to see what else I could do with it. Having collected a lot of plant material recently for our monotype course I used some fennel seed heads too. The seeds were still not quite dry enough so when the print came out the press the scent of fennel was wonderful and did not adversely affect the print. Got two prints i was pretty happy with.
The thing I was less successful with was using gold leaf. I have been reading Brenda Hartill's book on Collagraphs and tried to follow her instructions for getting the gold leaf to stick to the print but I must be doing something wrong because it sealed itself to the plate which looks great on the plate but that is not where I wanted it. Ideas gratefully received.
The other plate was originally made as a backdrop for a two plate print but I decided to see what else I could do with it. Having collected a lot of plant material recently for our monotype course I used some fennel seed heads too. The seeds were still not quite dry enough so when the print came out the press the scent of fennel was wonderful and did not adversely affect the print. Got two prints i was pretty happy with.
The thing I was less successful with was using gold leaf. I have been reading Brenda Hartill's book on Collagraphs and tried to follow her instructions for getting the gold leaf to stick to the print but I must be doing something wrong because it sealed itself to the plate which looks great on the plate but that is not where I wanted it. Ideas gratefully received.
Relief
Last week - total panic! Horsley Printmakers' calender said ''Work ready for collection by the Framehouse". The Biscuit Factory Christmas Exhibition does not open until November 27th so it seemed really early but I didn't question it. I looked desperately at my prints to see were any of them any good. Yes, but not as many as I would have liked.
Panic now over. The date was aimed at Rebecca and her workfor The Affordable Art Fair in London. I still have 4 more weeks. Yesterday was a better day.
In between I'm busy pulling together the Spring and Summer workshop programmes for HP.The Spring courses are just about wrapped up. I can''t wait to go on Mandy's 2 evening classes - Floral Monotype and The Animal Kingdom in Collagraphs. I'm teaching Pattern and Shape Linocuts in Multi-layer Printing and Collage & Colour Linocuts and an Inking Up a Collagraph masterclass by request from some of our students. We are re-introducing photo-etching after a long absence as we have recently purchased a new exposure unit. And a two Saturday course in Monotype in Layers - sharing Rebecca's own special layering approach to monotype.
It's so exciting! This term got off to a slow start but all except onecourse are going ahead. Two are full with 2 more almost there. We anticipate by the time the remainder run there is every chance they too will be full or almost so. We are so pleased.
Panic now over. The date was aimed at Rebecca and her workfor The Affordable Art Fair in London. I still have 4 more weeks. Yesterday was a better day.
In between I'm busy pulling together the Spring and Summer workshop programmes for HP.The Spring courses are just about wrapped up. I can''t wait to go on Mandy's 2 evening classes - Floral Monotype and The Animal Kingdom in Collagraphs. I'm teaching Pattern and Shape Linocuts in Multi-layer Printing and Collage & Colour Linocuts and an Inking Up a Collagraph masterclass by request from some of our students. We are re-introducing photo-etching after a long absence as we have recently purchased a new exposure unit. And a two Saturday course in Monotype in Layers - sharing Rebecca's own special layering approach to monotype.
It's so exciting! This term got off to a slow start but all except onecourse are going ahead. Two are full with 2 more almost there. We anticipate by the time the remainder run there is every chance they too will be full or almost so. We are so pleased.
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