mixed media printmaking Archives

Stamp some marks

Why I like to work with tiny foam stamps:

They are fast and easy to make. You just need sticky back foam sheets and something to stick it to. I like to use recycled styrofoam produce trays. But you can use sturdy thin cardboard too.

The stamped image can be simple but still impactful. Sometimes geometric shapes and patterns are enough. I like to keep the stamps small so they are easy to ink and print.

It can be addictive to make piles and piles of stamps. And yet they take up very little space and are quite easy to store.

I like to keep a sample book with a record of stamps that I have already made especially the word stamps.

They are easy to ink and print. I like to use broad nibbed markers. This avoids the need to buy a bunch of stamp pads that just dry out too fast. I can even use more than one color at a time.

It is easy to make impressions of different values rather quickly. This can add depth to the print.

And they dry quickly and support the flow of working in my sketchbook.

I invite you to explore tiny stamp making with me. Read all the details of the new Stamp Making and Mixed Media Workshop.

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Just Make Marks

inspiration, mark making, masking stencils, mixed media printmaking, sketchbook ideas, stencils, techniques / Linda Germain / September 17, 2024

I am learning that it is enough to just make marks. Joyful marks are even better.

Sometimes I can get caught up in needing to know why. Then I usually get stalled by the thinking in my head.

The thing is when I just make marks and then more marks and then even more the result is a piece that is uniquely mine.

There is plenty of time in the domain of not knowing. There is some time when the marks seem precious.

When I can accept these states:

not knowing
dissatisfaction
preciousness
exploration

then I often get to a place of discovery or satisfaction.

My new favorite mark is spraying pigment through found “stencils.” I diluted watercolor and put the mixture into a small spray bottle.

If you try this method be sure to protect your table from the over spray. I love how fast it dries and how transparent the layers are.

All my classes are about mark making of some sort. See if there is one class that interests you.

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Consider not knowing – OK

artist book, mixed media printmaking / Linda Germain / January 11, 2024

Often I like to know how things are going to play out.

How the impression will print
How the marks will work together
How the colors will combine

But this wanting to know ahead of time can stifle creative exploration. So I try to remind myself to:

“Let go and see what happens. It is only a piece of paper.”

When I can suspend the need to know and embrace the attitude of play, then new ideas often show up. It can take some time and warm up exercises to move beyond the need to know. That is one reason that I love the gelatin printmaking process. It is easy to grab:

a couple of stencils
stamping tools and
a stack of paper and start printing.

The feedback I get is immediate and I can quickly adjust my approach to change the results. I say if I get 2 out of 10 prints that I like then that is a success.

What about you? Do you allow yourself the space and time to venture into the unknown? Try it out next printing session and see what happens.

Check out the self study workshops that are available now. And jump into creating and not knowing.

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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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Get closer

inspiration, mixed media printmaking / Linda Germain / March 28, 2023

On my daily walks, I often take a few steps off the path to get closer to a tree, some moss, or a branch.

I think, if I pause and really notice nature it will give me ideas for my art making.

I often have my phone available to take pictures. I want to remember the colors, texture and mood that I am feeling. Sometimes I can capture the moment, but often the photo is lacking.

So I decided to savor the time in the woods and not to worry about bringing it back to the studio. The daily walk can inform my mark making rather than be a photographic reference.

Getting super close to textures and patterns turns the everyday into abstraction. This can spark creative ideas. These ideas don’t have to be literal or linear.

That is where I got the idea to create the mixed media class, Torn Trees. After being surrounded be trees on my walks, decided to play with printing some. My first inspiration was the tall pine trees with nubby branches that stand on the hill by the lake.

These abstract tree prints are about using shape, line and texture to create a feel of the forest. I suggest that you get closer to nature in your day and see what it does for your creativity.

If you would like to play with printing, collaging and drawing to make abstract forests, then check out the details on the Torn Trees Workshop page.

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