Print day in May

Gelatin plate print / /

Tomorrow is Print Day in May!

This is a global day of printmaking. Join us and print and post on social media. Use the hashtags:

I will be gelatin printing and thinking of the international group of printmakers celebrating our craft.

gelatin prints in process

I hope you join us. I look forward to seeing your prints on instagram or Facebook.

Two easy ways to gelatin print tomorrow

  1. If you already have a gelatin plate, then gather your inks, paper and stencils and print!
  2. If you don’t have a gelatin plate, then make the simple gelatin and water plate today and then you will be ready to print tomorrow. Get the gelatin and water recipe and a free starter class below.

Get the FREE mini Gelatin Printmaking Course Now!
start making gelatin prints today

Use what you already have, one box of gelatin and start to play today. You can do it!

You will also get weekly emails about printmaking, tips, tools and classes.

 

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Find what motivates you – draw + print

trace monoprint / /

I noticed this note on my wall today.

what motivates you to make prints

It is a note about my process and how I think about printmaking. It really helps to have a stimulating and personal subject matter. Even a “special” found tool or mark making instrument can keep me printing for hours.

Secondly, I am reminded that my experimental approach to making prints without a press is not a straight line to success, but more like an ever widening spiral, with plenty of ups and downs and “failures.”

The third note:

  • simple
  • raw
  • authentic

is to remind me to embrace the idea that less is more. Sometimes that means fewer marks and and clearer focus.

trace monoprint scissors

I am thinking about using “studio stuff” as a subject matter for my next series of Trace Monoprints for the See, Draw, Print – online printmaking class.

Then I could work the prints into a small book. This will take a bit of planning so I have pages that can easily be bound. Last year I used the drum leaf binding to make a series of trace monoprints.

book of trace monoprints

Today, I explored using a perfect binding with single sheet 5 ” x 7″ prints. I really wanted that form of binding to work, but I don’t think it is very durable.

artist book of trace monoprints with perfect binding

Generally, I find fresh ideas and motivation when I am walking. I put a reminder note on my phone and test out my ideas when I get back to the studio.

Today’s ideas:

  • New way to use masking stencil – did not work as imagined
  • Use perfect binding to bind 5 x 7 prints – ok but I am not in love.
  • Find tools to make trace monoprint landscape – in progress

I share this with the hope to inspire you to act on your creative impulses and to be aware of what motivates you.

If you are interested in learning to use your line drawings to make trace monoprints, then join us in the online printmaking class, SEE, draw, Print – class start soon. Read all the details on the workshop page.

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Tools to build your drawing skills

drawings / /

Drawing is a skill that:

  • can be learned
  • can be practiced
  • can have an expanded definition of what is possible and pleasing

books about drawing

I think some folks love to draw and others see it as a chore or challenge. I have a couple of tricks that I use to make it less of a chore.

#1 Expand your idea of what a good drawing is

line drawing of ear buds

If your skills are not where you want them to be just yet, then try to be gentle with yourself as you train your eye, hand and brain to all work together.

  • Look at line drawings by Matisse, Picasso, Ellsworth Kelly or other famous master. Hopefully you will notice a raw, authentic beauty in the characteristics of their line drawing. Check out my pinterest board of Master sketches.

#2 Use tracing as a tool

drawing with Matisse

With some hesitation, I suggest doing some tracing studies. Please use them as a tool and not a constant crutch. If it becomes a crutch that you use all the time, then your skills may stagnate. But if you can use it with restraint it may help you to see.

#3 Draw a bit each day and keep it fun

make your drawings work for you

Fun, quick and easy is important. And your daily practice will pay off. Sometimes, I have done quick little line drawings in a notebook and found it months later and been pleasantly surprised by the memories the drawing evokes.

  • Give yourself a reason to draw. My reason is so that I have imagery for making printing plates, templates and stencils for other printmaking processes.

block printing gives your drawings life

If you are interested in using your drawing more and learning how to make trace monoprints, then check out the details of the online class,  DRAW into Print.

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Our Hands – as Focus

drawings / /

I am guessing that you have become more aware of your hands and what they touch in the last few weeks.


Image by Manuel Darío Fuentes Hernández from Pixabay

Hands are always with us, so often they can be the subject of drawing assignments in school.

drawing of hands linda germain

This is a hand drawing that I did in art class.

Hands can be intimidating too. They are complex and ever moving. Plus you need at least one hand to draw with and the other to pose.

I offer you this drawing challenge to you:

  1. Get a pen and paper
  2. Move and model your hand into different positions
  3. Do a loose line drawing of your hand
  4. ahhh, pause, breath
  5. Were you focused on the lines, wrinkles, and shapes of your hand?
  6. Repeat – Enjoy

counter drawing of hand

The goal of the drawing is not perfection or even realism.

If you are new to drawing your hand, then the goal is to slow down and start to see the 3 dimensional hand. And to begin to train your eyes and drawing hand to work together to flatten the 3-D to 2-D on paper.

open hand sketch

I actually like my wobbly, imperfect drawings. Somehow they feel “real” to me.

I hope you give it a try.

If you would like to explore more about line drawing and then using those drawings to make trace monoprints, then check out the upcoming online class, SEE, draw, Print. It starts April 17th, 2020.

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Out the window

drawings / /

As artists we choose what to include and exclude the the work that we create. It is our own selective vision. Our perspective is our gift.

Out the window drawings

I offer a challenge to you.

Use your window as a framing device. You could start the challenge by just drawing the window frame. This type of focused drawing will pull you into the present moment and you may even become peacefully lost in noticing the details of the window.

  • Keep it easy and fun
  • Embrace your style of line drawing
  • Look at the window frame constantly as you sketch

Then you might notice what is outside the window. It could be simple or more chaotic.

Out my window

It could be:

  • other buildings
  • landscape, sea or lake
  • trees, birds or people

Notice what you tend to focus on.

Do you take it all in? Or do you look at one element? For example in the rather boring and chaotic view from my window, I chose to take a few minutes and draw the tree in the lower right hand corner.

tree drawing linda germain

I enlarged the drawing and used it as a template to cut out a tree for a collage project.

collage tree

Have fun with this “Out the Window” idea.

  • Pause and see
  • Frame and capture
  • Complete and share

Enjoy!

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