We are makers! We have the desire to make stuff and often the making is more important than the end product. I have made and then tossed plenty of prints, collages, drawings and books.
I make tools so that:
- don’t have to buy anything
- my marks will be unique
- for the fun of experimental creation
I make my own gelatin plate because I like how it allows me to print delicate detailed impressions. You can get the recipe here.
Recently, I have been making my own foam stamps because they permit fast easy printing in my sketchbook. I get to choose the subject matter such as birds, trees, and geometric shapes. If you would like to make a pile of your own stamps – check out the details of the online class, Stamp Making + Mixed Media Book Workshop.
In Make Marks and Books we find and make several kinds of mark making tools:
- find texture making “tools” to use with the gelatin plate
- craft cardboard relief plates
- make wooden block stamps
- find “stencil” tools for supported line drawing
- collect raised objects, like cut glass for rubbings
Test and print with all these tools to make a cohesive artist’s book. Save $25 on the Make Marks + Books class for February – now $60. was $85.
Do you like to make your own tools? Are you willing to use what you have to experiment with new marks?
I hope so! Play with making some new marks today.