mark making Archives - Page 4 of 5

Tear, sew, burn and bind

book arts, collage, combined techniques, mark making, mixed media printmaking / Linda Germain / May 31, 2022

Do you have a pile of paper or prints that you are willing to transform with:

tearing into collage shapes
sew with or without thread
burn or smoke stain and
bind or fold into books?

If so, then you might enjoy the Mixed Media Retreat, and online class starting soon.

The class is designed to introduce ideas and techniques into your practice that will transform your papers and prints into books and mixed media prints.

Each lesson includes:

A simple mark making prompt
A textural layering technique
A book form for reshaping prints and papers
An artist talk to stimulate the mind.

You can get more details and register on the workshop page.

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Things I tell myself

combined techniques, mark making / Linda Germain / February 5, 2022

Art making is often a solitary process. But there is still a lot of conversation during the process.

My self talk is always in the background:

What I am doing this for?
What if I fail?
What if I ruin it?
How do I know if it is right?
Is it good enough?

I try to get beyond those judgments and fears by thinking more about the process than the product. So I say things like:

I can trust in the process
I don’t need to know
The magic happens when I can let go of control
It is a one of a kind process
Keep what I like
Notice what I enjoy
Let go of the struggle
Less is more
Leave some empty space
Admire the print

I encourage my students to adopt some of these thoughts. In the class, Make Marks and Books we break the steps down into seemingly unrelated elements.

We work in a loose book form to give the process a final product.
We slowly build up layers of marks to create an intuitive book
It is about learning to make space and build connections
It is about layering simple marks to create a rich visual story

If you would like to embrace this mark making process, then join us in Make Marks and Books. Read all the details on the workshop page. Class starts soon.

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Mark Making as a process

artist book, mark making / Linda Germain / January 31, 2022

Mark making can be simple or complex. For me it is a process of layering shapes, lines, textures and colors.

It is some what intuitive and always evolving. The next mark is informed by all those that came before.

For that reason I like to:

leave plenty of white space
use transparent layers
be willing to not know what is next

Making with a variety of marks like:

drawing
scribbling
stamping or
rubbing

leads to prints with a complex texture and visual story. This kind of story is often powerful enough to convey a story with multiple meanings.

Knowing when to leave space and how to connect marks is unique to the maker and is developed through the process.

In the online class, Making Marks and Books we will explore this process of evolving marks to complete a book. Come to class with the skills you already enjoy and explore:

gelatin printing thing textures layers
tool making with foam and cardboard
release feeling and emotion with scribbles

Check out all the details and join us – class starts soon.

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Mark making tools

mark making, mark making tools, mixed media printmaking / Linda Germain / January 24, 2022

Do you have favorite mark making tools?

I do. I love black gel pens that flow smooth and easy. Of course I love to use cut glass to make marks with the gelatin plate. Below you will find more of my favorites.

Black gel pen for contour drawings and fine line doodles.
Kids water based markers for “inking” small relief blocks and drawings.
Soft kids crayons for rubbings and rough line drawings.
Homemade relief stamps for pattern making.
Small set of alphabet stamps for printing words.
Cut glass for making impressions with ink and the gelatin plate.
Small brayer for linear and blocky bold marks.
Red acrylic ink and an eye dropper for bold colorful lines and blobs.
Round and oval caps of all sizes for stamping.
Plastic doily for delicate impressions.
Corrugated cardboard for making designs with the gelatin plate.

Often a combination of marks with different qualities creates an interesting image.

The quality of marks can be:

thick or thin
bold or delicate
aggressive or timid
smooth or ragged
flat or dimensional
and so on

The characteristic of the mark convey a feeling or mood. It is fun to use a unique combination of marks and tools to tell your own story.

We explore several mark making approaches in the online printmaking classes. Check out what classes are currently being offered.

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Keep your hands and eyes moving

drawings, inspiration, mark making / Linda Germain / December 21, 2021

As I prepare for the upcoming class, Creating Habits I am beginning to realized that much of my art making is about getting my hands and eye to work together to create an image.

We often take these two functions for granted. That is until we start to lose the abilities of either one.

I am learning to appreciate what I can do and to realize it is a daily process to keep and build my seeing and drawing skills. I have to keep it fun.

3 ways to build my seeing skills

Look at things from a different perspective – like upside down
Pause and notice what is above or below
Take a lot of pictures of things I like from different angles

3 ways to build my hand coordination

Look closely and “draw” a new font
Do hand yoga – gently appreciate the movements
Play with loosely holding pens and brushes at a distance

I encourage you to notice and appreciate your hands and eyes and to celebrate your abilities.

If you are interested in exploring hand/eye skills more deeply, then check out the current workshops.

Enjoy!

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