inspiration

Fearless experimentation can lead to extraordinary results.

That is a motto I try to live by. What do you think? Is it a way of thinking that would inspire you to take action around the things that you are passionate about?

They say success is based on lots of failures. So why am I so afraid to fail, make mistakes and look bad?

Hmmmm? There are areas of my life where it is easier for me to “fail”.  Printmaking is one of those areas. I am willing to take risks and make mistakes.

I think this willingness to experiment in my printmaking has lead to some pretty fantastic results.

If you would like some support in becoming a fearless printmaker, then join us in the next session of Make Monotypes – the Focus on Fiber edition. We will be working with ink, fabric and the homemade glycerin and gelatin plate.

Early Bird Registration opens Nov 14th and class starts Jan. 12th.

Join the special interest list below.

I have noticed that I do more printing with grasses in the fall, use Daniel Smith inks in the summer, need to clean my studio in the spring and use photo imagery in winter.

Summer:

• Heat can dry up printing inks and the gelatin plate
• Time – Do I go to the beach or play with the kids or print?
• Fresh air means a great time to work outside and use those “toxic” inks

Fall:

• Back to School – time to take a class and learn from others
• Grasses are delicate but strong at this time of year – good for “stencils”
• Orange, black and brown show up in my prints

Winter:

• Cold temperatures can harden the gelatin plate and stiffen ink
• Snow storms and short days mean it is a great time to connect with others in an online class
• Minimal landscape inspires me to work with black and blue ink only

Spring:

• Hope of all things fresh and new
• Too early for tender grasses
• But just the right time to purge the studio

Once I realized there was a flow to my printmaking, I could accept the limitations and embrace the opportunities that each season presents.  What about you? Share your seasonal wisdom in the comments below.

 

The beauty of shadows is that they are simplified, powerful shapes.  All of the distracting details are gone. Three quick uses for shadow shapes.

1. As you can see from the images above, a photo of a shadow can be simple art all on it’s own.
2. The shadow could be traced and cut into a masking stencil for creating Monotype prints.
3. Or you could use shadows as a source of inspiration for drawings and for compositional ideas.  Seeing shadows can pull you into the present moment and your surroundings.  That awareness is a great tool to have at your disposal.

If you would like to explore adding shadow shapes and masking stencils to monotype printmaking on the glycerin and gelatin plate, then join me in the an online class.

 

 

I wanted to share with you some inspiration, that I have just come across.  Play is key to creation, problem solving and an alternative to fear. 

Kids do it.  Animals do it. Successful people do it.  Is play part of your day?  I read that play is:

• apparently purposeless and
• creates a freedom from time and
• diminished consciousness of self

Are you ready to play?  Consider one of these 5 printmaking techniques or something that is comfortable and easy for you. Really let go of expectations and constraints.  Maybe get some inspiration from kids or animals. Embrace the ideas above and see what happens.

If you would like some support around playing with printmaking, then join me for the fall session of Make Monotypes, the online printmaking course, with ink on paper. Get on the special list today.