Mixed Media Printmaking Blog

Learning a lot in Pulling Screen Prints

screen printing / Linda Germain / September 2, 2017

I wanted to share some of the great experiences that students have had in the online printmaking class, Pulling Screen Prints. An let you know there is still time to join this year’s session.

What a wonderful class, opening up the whole world of home screen printing and so many possibilities.

Excellent presentation of materials and so easy to follow ! Thanks.

Lisa Hermanson – US – Pulling Screen Prints

Chris Cooper from Australia says:

This was my first online class and learned a lot, would recommend to friends.

1. Specifically, appreciate the brilliant and very workable registration system that I can easily set up on my work table and use with success and flexibility

2. Organization to print easily, when I want to , so that I don’t waste time or procrastinate because I have to spend time thinking about “how” to get started

3. Being able to make many little screens with the hoops is fantastic because I don’t feel so precious and daunted about the materials. I’m more open to experimenting with images. If it doesn’t work it’s easy to try again. This knowledge is very liberating.

The videos were terrific. Clear short succinct and doable.

I just loved being able to work and experiment at home.

a wonderful experience.

Pulling Screen Prints is a 4 week screen printing class, where we explore several ways to screen print at home without needing a special studio or many fancy tools.

We will learn how to:

stretch screens and use hoops for quick and easy printing
use paper stencils to make images
use the drawing fluid and screen filler methods
try out some experimental resist techniques and
use the 8 piece thermofax kit that is included with the class

Click over to the workshop page, read the details and sign up today. Class starts September 11th.

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How to take an online ART class

monotype print / Linda Germain / August 31, 2017

Being a student in an online art class recently, got me thinking about what can be done to have the best experience from an online art class.

On the positive side, I experienced:

drawing breakthroughs
using watercolors and pens in new ways
making with new drawing skills in my own way/voice
moving beyond fears that stop me

But also I experienced:

getting behind
wanting more help
feeling lost in a big group
thinking my work was not good enough

Hey wait – this was suppose to be a fun art making experience!

I was able to noticed the things that were not working for me in the course and move beyond them and to embrace the lessons and information that did work for me.

I think this was a key decision. I could have quit or given up, because I was frustrated and had unmet expectations.

Then I realized that some of my own students probably experienced some of these same frustrations in my online printmaking courses. So I want to share some tips on getting the most from an online art course:

Tips on taking online ART course

Read the class information and supplies page to determine if the class is right for you.
Look at the supplies list and get what you might need.
Decide what your intention might be, fun, skill building, work, play, discovery….?
Get excited, set up a workspace.
When class begins, introduce yourself and “join” the others in the class.
Ask questions. If you have a question, then most likely someone else has the same question
Even if you have questions about the teaching platform, structure – ask questions.
If you “get behind,” reassess, and do what you can. Remember your excitement and reasons for signing up for the course. Contribute to the classroom community, if you can at this point. Look for something positive that you may have learned. It may not even have much to do with the course content.
Get to know your learning style. Are you…
- Visual – learn with pictures, images and space
- Auditory – like to learn through sound and listening
- Verbal – learn with words, speech and writing
- Physical – learn with hands, body and touch
Try to figure out the instructor’s teaching style and whether it matches your learning style. Do you want…
- a coach – to guide you to develop and apply skills and knowledge
- a professor – to lecture as an expert authority
- a delegator – empower you to discover on your own and collaboratively
What if you think your work is not good enough? – Remember you are the student, you came to learn and you do not have to be “good.” You learn by making and experimenting. So as long as you are making work, it is good enough. If you can share and ask for help with work that is in progress, then you will grow tremendously.
What if you are not sure about your computer skills or the social media part of the course? Ask for help.

I hope this helps get you ready to take an online art class. The wonderful part of online art courses is that you can have a world wide community right from your home. You don’t have to pack up supplies and travel to a workshop, you can set up your workspace and play at anytime of the day!

If you would like to explore a printmaking process with me, then check out the current workshop schedule.

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Shadows can be stencils

screen printing / Linda Germain / August 27, 2017

I was looking for interesting shadows and shapes as I did my bike ride today.

A photo of a great shadow can easily be turned into some kind of matrix for printmaking. For people who do not love to draw this is a great way to make your imagery personal.

Shadows are wonderful because they flatten the 3-d shape into a 2-d image that is easier to draw or trace. It is one way to trick the mind into flattening 3 dimensional shapes.

I encourage you to look for shadows.
Look at different times of the day.
Capture them with your phone or camera.
Be open to the idea of making them into a stencil or stamp or other printmaking matrix.

Sometimes you can create shadows. I placed the jar of tools on the window sill, in bright light and hung a white piece of fabric in front of it.

Shadows simplify the negative spaces. The objects become shapes rather than the things that they are. This creates a new freedom in your mind to draw the shape, rather that the tiny details of the things.

Try it!

Screen printing is a process where you can use shape based drawings to print on fabric and paper.

Get a FREE easy screen print tutorial

You can be screen printing today!

Join today and get notice of future classes.

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

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Where do you collect your inspiration?

screen printing / Linda Germain / August 25, 2017

Are you organized?

Do you have a system to collect images and ideas that inspire you?

Some places where I collect ideas and inspiration:

traditional sketchbooks
composition notebooks
iPod
handmade journals
index cards

I confess. I am not organized and I have inspiration all over the place. It often takes some searching to find a drawing or photo that I need. I spend time looking through real folders and computer folders.

One “system” that I am finding useful is index card doodles and drawings. I generally work small, so index card images can easily be transformed into a matrix for printmaking, whether it be a stencil, a stamp or a reference for a line drawing.

Doodles that I used to make a stencil for screen printing.

Stencil for screen prints

Screen printed hand towel

I think that there are at least 3 steps to making art:

Ideas, inspiration and choosing a subject matter
Learning the basic skills of your medium
Finally, combining ideas and skills to create in your own voice.

It takes time and patience to get the skills and combine them with your own ideas to make the art that is uniquely you!

Give yourself time to build skills.

If you want to explore screen printing in your own home studio, then join us in this session of Pulling Screen Prints.

In this online printmaking course, we will learn several methods of screen printing, paper stencils, drawing fluid, screen filler, experimental resists and thermofax screen printing.

Screen printing is great for projects where you want to print lots of the same image. For example:

Fabric yardage

Cards

Wrapping paper

Editions of a single image

Get this FREE screen printing tutorial.

Get a FREE easy screen print tutorial

You can be screen printing today!

Join today and get notice of future classes.

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

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Why take art classes?

drawings / Linda Germain / August 22, 2017

I signed up for an Urban Sketching class on an impulse. I do not love to sketch, but I know that sketching feeds my printmaking. The more I like my sketches the more options I have for printmaking screens, stencils, stamps and tools.

I had have had the experience of being a student who gets behind in her lessons and feels like her work is not good enough, and even wondering if this was the right class for me.

These are all great experiences for me to have. Now I have a better understanding how some of my own students may feel. It is real easy to “get behind” when the art class is simply an interest and not a priority.

It is quite easy to quit, when it gets hard or it is it not what was expected. I had to make an effort to participate at what ever level my time would permit.

Reasons to take an art class:

To learn a new skill or improve your existing skills
To have some fun
To be inspired by other artists
To get an influx of new ideas or energy
To surprise yourself with you artistic ability

I bet you can think of even more reasons to take an art class. So check out your local art association, community college, art center or one of the many online options and take an art class to support your creative expression.

If you are interested in taking an online printmaking workshop, then check out the current class schedule.

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