2010

Link Love on Fridays

2010, Uncategorized / /

This project gets me out looking for inspiration. My first inspiration is a realism painter with a twist Debbie Shirley.  She does neon signs, old car and fruits and veggies.  I think she can bring just about anything to life.

http://debbieshirley.blogspot.com
http://debbieshirley.blogspot.com

Number 2 for this week  is Randal Plowman’s blog – a collage a day.  He has been my inspiration for daily doings for a long time.

http://acollageaday.blogspot.com
http://acollageaday.blogspot.com by Randal Plowman

Number 3 fabulous blog Terri Stegmiller Art Quilts, surface design, quilting, thermo fax, stencils and cats!  She surprised me with a gift a few months back.  Check out her whimsical style.  I am sure you will smile.

http://stegart.blogspot.com
http://stegart.blogspot.com

Number 4, Alyson Stanfield is always giving away helpful information for artists in business.  She is a business role model and has lots to offer artists and other creatives.

http://www.artbizblog.com
http://www.artbizblog.com

 

Number 5 blog for this week is Amy Hood Arts, she has selection of tutorials, a lot of info about working with kids and homeschooling

http://amyhoodarts.com
http://amyhoodarts.com

So click on the header images above and be inspired.

Stay Cool!

Link Love on Fridays Read More »

Books, Heat and Time to Plan

2010, mixed media printmaking / /

good books to read suggested by linda germainAnother HOT day in New England.  I think my laptop was over heating, so I headed to the Haverhill Public Library, where the AC is a free as the books.  What a great place to be.  I read through FISH a philosophy about catch the energy and release the potential.  I first experienced this motivational training when I was working as a ski pro at Sugarloaf  in Maine.

Books that Caught my eye:

  1. Social Media 101 by Chris Brogan
  2. World Wide Rave byDavid Meerman Scott
  3. Tribes by Seth Godin
  4. Crafty Superstar by Alice Dobush
  5. Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin
  6. How to Make Money using Etsy Timothy Adam
  7. The Zen of Social Media Marketing – Shama Hyder Kabani
  8. Small is the New Big – Seth Godin
  9. Quick-Fix Vegetarian – Robin Robertson
  10. Collage Couture by Julie Nutting

Mixed media Gelatin plate print by linda germain

Do you see a theme?  I have the time to work on my business plan.  Creative Haverhill has monthly meetings for artists and we have chosen to focus on the business of art.  Tuesday the topic is social media and the speaker is Sarah Coletti of King Consulting.  If you are a local reader you can sign up and come to the meeting on Tuesday here.

My ICAD Gelatin Print is mixed with sharpie doodles and white chalk scribbles.  Something a little different. This one:

  • Was a mistake
  • the layers did not work out as I had hoped
  • So changed it up
  • Doddles with a sharpie
  • but is did not blend so
  • added white chalk to the background

I kinda like it.

Stay Cool!

Books, Heat and Time to Plan Read More »

Why? – gelatin print by linda germain

2010 / /

a gelatin plate print by linda germainWhy?  Sometimes I get so into the printmaking that I have to step away and ask why?  I get so into the process that I am lost for a while.  Then I ask

Why?

  • use the gelatin plate
  • is there another way
  • am I getting the kind of marks that I want
  • is this the best ink or paper for the job

I can get a new perspective by stopping and asking why.  Another time to ask why is when the prints are not working out  as hoped.

Is it….?

  • the paper
  • the ink
  • the stencil
  • the tool
  • the weather
  • the combination of any of the above
  • the kind of plate that I am using

I had a discovery yesterday and it came about from a “why” question.

Why are my photos dull?

I have been using Lightroom to organize and edit my photos and I have been disappointed with the color and brightness.  I am sure there is a way to get them right with Lightroom, but I don’t have that training.  So I went back to Photoshop and did a color adjustment comparison.

I love the “levels” adjustment in photoshop.  And I am happy.  I am going to jump between lightroom for alignment/cropping/resizing/name/organization and photoshop for color correction.

Maybe ….. ask Why today …..

Why? – gelatin print by linda germain Read More »

Power People Prints

2010 / /

power people gelatin print by linda germainI decided that Power People would be my printmaking theme for this year.  This one is from a photo of my nephew.  You can find the tutorial on how I made the stencil for gelatin printmaking at this blog post.

People Prints and Silhouettes

I am amazed that a little detail in a silhouette can make such a big difference.  The human eye can detect so much!  This gelatin print:

  • Is printed on an index card
  • Has a scrappy clean up background
  • I used a tile sample to make the square marks
  • I lifted off and stamped on those square marks
  • I used the Pre-ink the stencil method to get a strong impression of the figure.

What is a scrappy clean up background?

Ahhhh.  Well I use a lot of newsprint pickups in my work to clean the gelatin plate of unwanted ink.  See the full post here.  Sometimes  I do these pick ups with print paper.  Often this clean up, piece of paper has fabulous marks and becomes a print of its own, as was the case here.

Cut up your Gelatin, Play and Freeze

When I am finished with a workshop or have an extra gelatin plate that I won’t be using for a week or more I freeze it!  That way is does not mold and I can reuse it.

Here is a pile of gelatin ready to be frozen.

Cut up gelatin plate ready to Freeze by Linda Germain

Happy Printing!

 

Power People Prints Read More »

Affordable Art is a relative term

2010 / /

profile figure monotype print by linda germainI am planning to share and post for sale some affordable  art in the very near future.  I have been playing with the gelatin printmaking process for so long now that I have quite a collection of prints.  It takes a lot more than just producing a pleasing print to get it to a new home.

The Challenge of Affordable Art

These are the hidden steps in getting art/gelatin prints to a new home

  • Mat/Frame or otherwise finish
  • Photograph as accurately a possible
  • Describe the process and material
  • Exhibit, show or post on line
  • Pay fees to do the above
  • Connect with a gallery, group or online seller

Then how do I an original maker/creator compete with reproductions and other wall art that is reasonably priced?  Hmm so much to do and think about.

Happy Day!

 

 

Affordable Art is a relative term Read More »