Mixed Media Printmaking Blog

Enjoy the hunt

altered books, collage, tools / Linda Germain / June 9, 2023

I recently realized that, I enjoy the hunt when making mixed media pieces. It is the process of sorting through papers and materials to find a pleasing combination that is most fun.

I like to use old books as art materials. And going to a library book sale is a treat. I like the last day when I can fill a bag with books for a few dollars. If you want to find a book sale near you check out this website. These are books that are headed to the recycle bin, so no reason to feel guilty.

I love gently taking the spine apart and revealing the materials that make up the spine of the book. These treasures make unique collage materials.

Every book is different and has something special to offer. Some books are good for black out poems.

It is fun to hunt for words that when combined give new meaning to the page. Recently, I realized that it matters to me what the book is about. Even though I am not reading the books and using them for their intended purpose the words matter. I want words to peek through and to draw the view in.

Another hunting expedition that I enjoy is finding mark making tools. I love to find a tool that I can dip into ink or paint and make patterned paper or delicate inked marks. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

Making a collage is a lot of hunting and deciding what to keep and what to let go.

Ask yourself:

Do you hunt for materials and ideas in your art process?
Do you enjoy the hunt?

Consider joining me in Books as ART Materials, a mixed media online class. Read all the details on the workshop page.

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Try something new or different

collage, drawings, inspiration, mark making, mixed media printmaking / Linda Germain / May 31, 2023

I have been making painted pages and collages lately. It is a bit new and different for me.

Experimenting with a new technique or material can breathe new life into your art making practice. It might be a great way to stimulate ideas for your next series or project.

Or you could find a way to integrate new skills into your traditional practice.

Are you inspired by images that you see online? Ask yourself what is the quality that you admire and then see if there is a way to bring that quality into your work.

It could be:

the subject matter
the shape, color or simplicity or
the medium or format

I encourage you today play with something new or different and then notice if it stimulates something in your practice.

An art class is one way to try something new, check out the current workshops and see if any are a good fit for you.

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Find things that feel good

inspiration, mark making / Linda Germain / May 23, 2023

Lately, I have been noticing and choosing habits and tools that feel good. For example, I have experimented with different book forms for my sketchbook. And the one that suits my approach to sketch booking is a soft cover coptic stitch 4.5″ x 6″.

This book is:

small enough to carry on my daily walks
flexible and can be folded to lie flat on any page
expands a bit to accommodate some collage

I have been looking for soft drawing tools that make strong marks with not too much pressure required.

I found:

a black gel pen at the dollar tree store that flows smoothly and is water resistant
black sharpie gives a bolder line with little effort
Crayola watercolor pencil is easy to make marks with
China markers require a little more effort but I like the water resistant quality

I am trying on the daily practice of drawing enso, Zen circles, the meditative circle drawing in a single exhale. I like the idea of connecting with my breath. Now, I have a lot of black circles, so I have been playing with adding color for fun. I experimented with different brushes, to find one that felt good in my hand and created an expressive line.

Even trying out new habits is a way of finding ways to feel good. I often start a method, and then tweak it to my liking. That is why I am playing with adding color to my Ensos.

I encourage you to look at your mark making tools and habits and ask:

Does this feel good? Can I do this with ease? And find little things that work for you.

Sometimes an art class can stimulate new habits, if that interests you then check out the current online art classes.

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Ways to use trace monotypes

trace monoprint / Linda Germain / May 10, 2023

You can use the fuzzy line quality to create interest in your mixed media work.

In the image above, I made the circles and dashed lines on a tea bag, using the trace monoprinting technique. Then I used that tiny print to create calm and repetition in this collage.

Tea bags and sewing patterns are great to use with the trace monotype process, because they are lightweight and durable. If printed with waterproof ink, then they make fantastic transparent collage elements.

In this collage, I cut the little vase and flower from a bigger print to add a line element focus.

When these gelatin plate prints were nearly done, I decided to add the fuzzy trace monotype line to create movement and interest. This line quality is unique to trace monotype printing.

So ask yourself, Is there a time when this fuzzy line could add something to your mixed media printmaking?

This quick flower print was built on the ghost of a screen print. So gather some “failed” prints and see if they would be a good base for a trace monotype print.

In this mixed media print above, the trace monotype print is the base and I sewed papers and prints on top of the trace monotype.

If you want to learn more about trace monotype printing, join us in the Draw into Print, online workshop. Read all the details on the workshop page. Class starts soon.

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Capture the energy with Gesture drawings

trace monoprint / Linda Germain / May 4, 2023

Gesture drawings are fast, loose and scribbly. They take about a minute to do and they capture the essence of the subject.

Often in a live figure drawing class, we will start with 20 one minute gesture drawings. It is fun to layer several on top of each other. You can capture the energy of objects and animals too.

I like to use gesture style drawings when making trace monotype prints. The speedy nature of the drawing compliments the trace monotype process. Though I don’t “trace” when doing these gesture drawing trace monotypes. I think I lose some other fluid energy when tracing. I used a copyright free image from Pixabay for this dog series.

When you want to loosen up your drawing:

Get a stack of copy paper
Find a tool or 2 from your studio
Look at it – Do an air tracing with your finger
Feel the energy
Set a timer and
Do 10 or 20 one minute gesture drawings

I bet you will have one or 2 drawings that you like.

If you would like to explore trace monotype printmaking with some of your drawings, then join us in the upcoming class, Draw into Print. Read all the details on the workshop page.

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