More Printing

I really love printing and it's been great so far in this project to really be able to experiment with some new techniques and ideas. In my last post I talked about feeling inspired by space themes, so I've done some more printing on a space theme.

I used a roller to create this Martian landscape, blending 3 inks - yellow, red and cerise

Using the same inks I rollered onto textured paper.

I used the blended plate as a basis for adirect trace. It wasn't great so I rollered over it with black and then added some direct trace labels.

After exploring the Martian colours I decided to explore the earth from space idea and did the following pieces.

Using a blue-green blend I made a mask and created a circle of ink using the roller. I then added white acrylic clouds and a label using direct trace. "Like a blue-green marble floating in space. And life continues on that blue-green marble though I am out here."

I used the mask from the print above to create this print. It was inspired by the story that if there are male and female astronauts on the space station they argue about the heating levels! The direct trace writing says "Strange to think that above our heads an arguement may be raging about the heating."

 These prints were produced at home but we've also been in the print room some more. I had my first attempt at drypoint etching, which I loved. Unfortunately the ink didn't really agree with me and I had an almighty sinus headache the next day! A shame because I think the results are great!

Drypoint etching - a silver teapot. I am so thrilled with this!

Chine colle - applying tissue paper to the etching plate before printing.

After attempting these we moved onto linocuts. Again I loved using this technique and have been pretty thrilled with the results. I love the folky feel to them.

First try - a small coffee cup. I was trying out different lines here.

Tea in the garden. I am thrilled with this too, even though the teapot doesn't have a lid! Oops!

The same linocut on gingham paper. It works well.

With a collage base, which I tried to match to the elements of the linocut, with some success.

 I really do love printing. I like the techniques, the waiting to see what the result is. There is a kind of magic to printing, an element of surprise that is so much fun. This is definitely something I want to come back to!

New Year and a Fresh Start

I didn't do too well at posting during the last project, mostly because I wasn't really enjoying the media element! It was a bit hard going, and although I found things to enjoy, as a whole the project turned out a little disappointing. So, New Year and Fresh Start! This term we are working on 2d and 3d fine art. I was really looking forward to making collages and painting but we are supposed to be working in abstract and I HATE it! I am not an abstract artist! I have tried hard. We had to make 10 collages, with no theme or anything representational. So here are some of mine.

My first collage - silver, white and transparent

My second collage - spots and ribbon

My third collage - trying to work small but failing!

 These are the first three I did, and I just feel they're a bit nothing-y. I could just have easily used a box of what I used to call 'licky-sticky' shapes. I felt like I was doing what I was told when in fact I could have produced something of a much higher quality if I'd worked representationally. I have realised that I already know enough about myself as an artist to know that I like my art work to tell a story, and although I don't need photorealism for that, I do like things to look a little more like something rather than just a collection of stuff stuck on some paper!
OK - rant over! We are also working on printing this term - hooray! Although we were encouraged by the tutor to work in abstract, she also said that she never does so not to worry if we'd rather be representational! So we started with monoprints - direct trace etc, which I LOVE! So here are some of my first prints. I chose a space theme as a couple of my collages looked a little like planets.

Direct Trace - Space theme

Using a pencil and my thumb to create a ghost like image

Direct trace using several colours - I think this has worked well.

In the style of Rauschenberg's Stoned Moon series

Combining colours, pencil and fingers to add pressure and lift the ink.

Wiped away with a cotton bud

A mask for a print

Mars Rover - using the above mask

Martian landscape using wipe away technique

The Rover was too pale so I used the mask!

I am happier with these because they have a theme. I love the immediacy of printing, and it's magic - you never know quite what you will get! After working on these I tried some space themed collages, which were a little abstract but I am still not happy with them. I think I am trying too hard with the abstract that, and it's getting in the way of my style.
Space as a theme is also maybe not quite right. I love space travel, espcially anything to do with the Apollo missions, but I feel like I am wasting some of that enthusiasm on something that is not really working. I want to make the most of the space theme. So I have just been researching teapots!

First Life Drawing Class

Here are my first attempts at life drawing.

The head is too small but otherwise I'm quite pleased with this.

Different view but I think the proportions are mostly ok.

I'm especially pleased with the hands and feet of this one.

I need to learn how to do better hair, but I'm pleased with the proportions.

 All of these were down with pencil or graphite stick. Then I had a go with charcoal, which I think was much more successful.

This looks much freer and the shading is better.

The same image but in reverse on the photocopier.

Detail from my charcoal, photocopied and then worked over with oil pastel, and ink.

Details from the charcoal photocopied and worked over in pencil and oil pastel.

This was easier than I thought and I was quite disappointed to have to miss the following session due to a rather pointless hospital appointment!

New Project

The bookwork project is now handed in - and of course I forgot to take photos of the final bookwork! Oh well, on to the next thing! Our new project is entitled 'Sight, Sound, Movement and the Body', so just a small area to work on then! I've already started thinking about it and have filled the first two pages of my new A3 sketchbook with mind maps and notes, and I've just been printing off some of my favourite portraits etc to go in the book. At first I was very tempted to just shoot off down one line of enquiry, thinking about train journeys, but after thinking about it some more I've decided to keep this one as open as I possibly can. I'm going to try and relate it as much as I can to personal experiences, because I think that will help to keep it large!
We're starting with some life drawing on Monday, which I am really looking forward to. Then we have a visit to the V and A on Tuesday, and next Tuesday we start some workshops with the media tutpr on film, and photography and other technical stuff.
I've already had a bit of a go with my camera which is a little Nikon cool pix, and with the Canon digital SLR which belongs to the household, but I don't consider as mine, because to be honest it scares me a bit. I haven't really got a clue how it works so I tend to use the Nikon if I can. I've done a bus journey - taking photos at each bus stops - from the bus not getting off, as I was on my way to the hairdressers! I've taken some time lapse pics of me preparing dinner - very exciting, and today took some pictures at the football.
So lots of ideas and trying to keep things as open as possible - with the last project things got very decided upon quite early on. I'm determined to keep this one as open as I can for as long as I can!
I was about to post an image but blogger is not co-operating - as it is I'm typing this in Times New Roman despite having selected Arial - we'll see what it posts it in! So no picture this time but I'll post on Monday!

Nearly there!

No college this week due to the college equivalent of an INSET day - it's nice to be getting the day off instead of having to go! So I've done some work at home. The bookwork project is nearly complete now. I've made the final version of the gift bag, and decorated it with pencil drawings of flowers - very loose and sketchy. I didn't use the bright pink embossed word purity, that I'd been saving as it just didn't seem to fit. That'll go in the sketch book though because I still think it's beautiful! I've finished the wardrobe to go in the bag - I added some fashion guidelines on the back. I still have some work to do on my eyeshadow pop up. It needs more people and it needs something written on the front but what I'm not quite sure!
I've also been doing some research for our Cultural and Supporting Studies lessons. I picked Aubrey Beardsley, who I'd never heard of, and I have to say his drawings are amazing, but not for the faint hearted or easily shocked. Having taught small boys for a large number of years there is a real element of the naughty little boy running around shouting 'belly button' about some of his work - look how shocking I can be! But his technical ability is amazing and you can see it's influences up into the 1970's, including the Rod Stewart song You're in my Heart!
No photos this week, but I will post some of the completed bookwork when it's done. As a first project it's been an interesting one. I think I want to do more drawing because I do love it so much, but I also rediscovered  my love of printing, especially direct trace, and perhaps I can exploit that technique a bit more. I hadn't realised how mych I love working with image and text together. I felt my work really come together when we were allowed to use text too. I think I've learnt as much, if not more about myself on this project, as I have about visual communication!

The final hurdles.

This week at college was all about finishing off and how to mount our work. I was dreading this because we had an A1 board and needed to window mount pieces of work on it. This involved use of a craft knife - always a scary thought! I know that neatness is not my best asset, I find it really hard to get things precise, and trying to cut carefully was something I was not looking forward too!
But before I did any cutting I tried out lots of layouts - spot the difference!

I decided I liked the portrait layouts better, so my final layout choice was this.

All the images are surface mounted except the wardrobe (top left) and the embossing (bottom right).  I think the board reflects the theme of the project and the range of techniques that I have used.

As well as finishing the board, I have also finished my mini-magazine for my gift bag. Here are the pages, and front and back covers.

Front cover with white lettering

Introduction typed on the PC

I used Publisher to make the magazine. I did consider using InDesign but as I've never used it before I decided that I would stick with what I know, until I've got time to work out how to use a new program. All that's needed now is the final version of the gift bag and then a last sticking in session with the sketchbook. I'm just desperate now to know what the next project is going to be.

Paper making results

On a previous post I talked about paper making, and we were able to collect the results this week. I made 4 pieces of paper - it seemed like more at the time! I'm pleased with the results but I'm not quite sure how they will fit in to my current project. I think they would have worked well with the Amish stuff but not so good with the more modern approach that I've taken. Still, here are my four pieces of paper.

The paper on the left is pink on the other side and has threads embedded into it.

Again I used threads and added buttons which I took off when the paper was dry.