Dare to draw

handmade books / /

I think it takes great bravery to draw “badly”. Sometimes I feel brave and sometimes I don’t. The only way that I become better at drawing is to draw more.

trace monoprint by linda germain
Line drawing trace monoprint

I doodle in notebooks. Sometimes, I do little quick sketches on index cards. And I am often surprised at how these little stolen moments of drawing pay off.

trace monoprint of sewing machine

As a mixed media printmaker drawing helps me to create expressive and personal tools and images. I have learned to love my wobbly lines and perfectly imperfect images.

female figure trace monoprint

Once in a while I will go to a drop in figure drawing session. And I usually end up with a couple of line drawings that I can use in my printmaking or book making project. The images above are trace monoprints, one on rusted paper and the other with added pastels.

I love how I can take a sketch and:

  • create a matrix for a trace monoprint
  • burn an eZscreen for screen printing
  • make a stencil for gelatin printmaking

This ability to use a drawing as a tool for printmaking helps me to like drawing a little bit more.

hand colored trace monoprints

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Go with the Flow – gelatin printmaking

Gelatin plate print / /

Sometimes, I go to the workbench with a goal or expectation. And even after all these years of gelatin printing, sometimes I just have to let go of intended outcomes.

gelatin printmaking workspace

Gelatin Printmaking is a monotype printmaking process, meaning that every print is one of a kind. I can pull prints that are similar or use the same stencils, but they will never be exactly the same.

quick landscapes with the gelatin plate

That is what I love about gelatin printmaking. It is this process of working with the same stencils and tools over and over again that supports the “happy accidents”.

make lots of gelatin prints to get one you like

The “accidents” actually are possible, because the printmaker is willing to learn, to risk and to discover along the way. If you have not tried gelatin printmaking yet, then consider my FREE mini-course.

Happy Printing!

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Use what you have

mark making tools / /

As mixed media artists we collect things.

artist book with brown paper bag

We see the potential in the unwanted and cast off.

found stamping tools to use with gelatin printmaking

I need to remind myself to “use what I have” every once in a while. Have you ever surprised yourself by making a delicious soup, when there was “no food” in the kitchen.

When I glance around my studio I see:

  • I have plenty of time
  • I have many tables and plenty of space
  • Stencils, paper, prints and stamping tools
  • Printers, computers
  • Window to the street
  • Dad for company

Surely there is no need to shop for more stuff.

studio mess

One challenge that I love to give myself is to use what I already have. So I think I will take some time and sort through my space and stuff to find a focus for my next project.

black out poem in book page

What do you think? Could you find your next art project by examining what you already have?

Try it!

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Walk to support your creativity

inspiration / /

I am so grateful for the short walks that break up my day at the studio.Walk to feed your creativity

Sometimes I just go around the block trying to get a little fresh air and sunshine. Often that is just enough to clear my mind.

linda germain gelatin printmaking in the greenhouse in winter

Sometimes, I find a rusty treasure. That I use to stain paper and fabric.found rust by linda germain

Other times, I see shadows and shapes that inspire stencils for printmaking.

Cast shadows inspire printmaking tools Linda Germain

I will pick up weeds and twigs to use to make printing plate.

relief print with masking stencils

So I highly recommend taking a walk to inspire your printmaking practice.

  • Just walk out your studio door and see what happens
  • Go to the woods or beach before you even head to the studio
  • Go at a comfortable pace without expectation

Enjoy!

 

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Dad asks – What are you going to do with all this stuff?

Gelatin plate print / /

I have been working on creating the 100 Print Project class for a while and I have made lots of prints. My studio is in my dad’s machine shop.

installation of gelatin plate monotype prints

With hundreds of prints spread over several walls and tables, Dad asked, “What are you doing with all this stuff?”

Great question!

I am not sure. I really love the process of creating prints and classes.

gelatin prints in process linda germain

I am encouraged by seeing the hundred or so prints on my studio wall.

Working this way gives me a feeling of cohesion in my work. It is also very easy to frame, display all these 5″ x 7″ prints.

I was encouraged by the early collage installation of Rex Ray to hang all my prints on the studio walls as an installation.

mat and frame gelatin prints

Ideas for what to do with these 100+ prints:

  • Look for a gallery to have an exhibit
  • Frame a few in easy standard size frames
  • Mat them to 8″ x 10″
  • Sort them into sets
  • Just enjoy them for a while
  • Store them in a small box
  • Put them in handmade portfolios

I am hopeful for this project. In my early days of gelatin printing, I played and printed a lot. I am still playing and printing, but now I feel like I have a cohesive body of work that I would like to do something with.

gel prints by linda germain

If you would like to create 100+ gelatin plate monotype prints with a little support, then check out the details of the 100 Print Project Class, an online printmaking workshop.

Happy Printing!

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