Lovely layers of linocut printing
Back to art class today. This time, in the Introduction to Printmaking course I'm taking, we learned about linocut printing. Loved it. Loved the idea of printing in different colours; layer on layer. Loved the format of the class too ... all about experimentation and mark making. Not searching for perfection just being creative and learning about the technique.
And what if I ... ?
It's hot. Really hot. Make you want to want to "up and move to a colder climate" type hot. I'm hoping my vegetable garden can hold up to the heatwave. Come on little lettuces you can do it!
In answer to the heat I decided that it was a blue ink kind of afternoon. In my mind somehow the blue ink would counter-balance the red hot heat ... maybe?
Anyway I took some inspiration from Pinterest and some of the fantastic artwork found there and decided to do some painting. I then played with uploading my inking to photoshop and going from there. Hybrid work appeals to me. Digital on its own doesn't have enough tactile elements but hybrid? Well yes, I can very much see the appeal. The possibilities are intriguing ... I'm beginning to turn over the possibilities in my imagination ...
Let's learn monoprinting
How exciting! Yesterday I attended my first lesson in a Semester long "Introduction to Printmaking" class run by the Brisbane Institute of Art. It has been a while since I have made time to attend an art class ... and now I am wondering why it has taken me so much time to do so. It was absolutely fantastic to be able to spend uninterrupted time creating and making.
The first lesson looked at mono printing. I will admit I approached it like a painter ... thinking about layers and colours like I was working in my art journal. And that is the magic of stretching skills; it was fascinating to think about picture making in a different way. I drew on my latest art journal page to form a basis for the mono print. It didn't translate to print as I imagined but that's OK. I'm here to learn.
Minor (or should that be "micro") success
In keeping with my January plans of learning to grow vegetables ... and figuring I should start out with a simple plan ... I planted some cress seeds and grew micro cress. I used the Mr Fothergill's Microgreens growing tray; followed the instructions and voila, micro cress for our salad. Well, OK, I only grew enough for ONE salad ... one very small salad. Still, I'm doing the "I grew something edible happy-dance"!
It is still WAY to hot to go outside and work on my actual raised vegetable garden bed. I think if I did plant anything at the moment it would just wilt in the heat (I know that is how I feel about this weather). Still I'm continuing my research and learning. Watch this space ... I know just enough now about growing vegetables to be dangerous :-)
Hello, newly sprouted micro cress!
January ... or Hello Vegetables!
I love New Year's resolutions. I set them every January. Grand plans. Of course, in early January I'm in holiday mode; the boys are too. There is no school, no work and no real commitments. There are long days of summer weather. We drink cocktails and iced tea. We struggle with hot weather and take things slowly. So resolutions are easy to set and the sky is the limit!
One of my resolutions this year is to spend some time learning to grow vegetables. We always have some herbs growing in the garden. Our lime tree does very well and it looks like we might get some lemons as well this year. But I've never given vegetables a go. I'm not sure how much success I'll have but with all resolutions, everything seems possible in January!
Simply wonderful
Just simply wonderful. That is my summary of Sunday.
I was given the opportunity to go to a baking day with Gillian Bell (such a great birthday present!). Along with three other classmates, I enjoyed a chance to learn from Gillian. We learned to bake pastry, biscuits and sponge cakes but we also shared in the infectious joy that comes from being with someone who thoroughly loves their craft. Gillian shared her knowledge and her appreciation for local farmers and their produce.
If you are ever given the opportunity I would definitely recommend spending the day with Gillian.
I am rather proud of my sponge cake ...
And how does the gradient tool work again?
At the start of 2016 I set myself some goals. Some I have achieved, some I am working away on and am on target for the year ... and some of the goals have been sitting lost and forlorn in my "to-do" pile. :-(
One of those lost and forlorn goals was to improve my Photoshop and Illustrator skills. I am reasonably ok with Photoshop but Illustrator and I have along way to go. Given we are mid-November and I have about 6 weeks before I will reflect on my 2016 goals and set some new ones for 2017, I thought I should take action!
I found a great site: designcuts.com and I have been steadily working through some of their tutorials and I am pleased to say I'm getting there. OK, I am convinced the gradient tool in Photoshop and the pen tool in Illustrator were deigned simply to give me grief ... but that is just my opinion.
Anyway, I've updated my Facebook banner (ala Photoshop) and have created some basic designs in Illustrator. Let the learning continue!
Mouse meet brush
The time has come. I love drawing digitally. I love painting with water colours and acrylics. My worlds are about to collide. I know, it would make sense to create on paper, scan my work and enhance it digitally ... and that is one option. But no, I think there is another way.
Mouse meet brush.
Let's turn the process around. Say hello to Beth.
This is my first foray into this hybrid world. Beth was drawn on my iPad, printed and then I played with water colours. This is a first attempt - but opens exciting possibilities. Let the fun and merriment begin!
Random circle alien girl
I love a challenge, particularly one that requires a stretch of creativity. This challenge was no different.
A few weeks ago we had to move out of our house for two weeks while some building work was being finished (that's a story for another day). We were in a serviced apartment. I had some art supplies with me but only those I could fit into my "I'm not leaving home without them" art supply box. My son decided to give me a challenge. He drew a random circle on my art journal and one on his page and challenged me to a duel ... "create something from the circle".
And so, say hello to "random circle alien girl". I think she has spunk and, really, who wouldn't like blue skin paired with stare-into-your-soul green eyes?
Traditions and tags
Did anyone else feel like we hurtled through October at the speed of light? Warp factor 9?
Miraculously I managed to finish my Halloween tags just in time. 31 individual tags, 6 recipients, 31 days = crazy! It is a tradition I started a few years ago and one that has evolved each year. This year my challenge to me was to work only with tags; no weird and wonderful shapes or options allowed. It sounded like a reasonable self-imposed restriction in August when I started ...
Still I am pleased with how they turned out. Here are two of my favourites:
I will post a few more over the next few weeks. Interestingly I had a definite leaning towards owls and skeletons this year; not as many pumpkins or purple creatures as in prior years. Hmmm, going to have to find a use for the fluffy purple wool in some other project!