monotype print

Daily walk in the woods feeds my mind with ideas. I am transported to a peaceful place.

I often notice:

• smell of the forest
• dust and prints on the path
• delicate weeds and grasses

Sometimes, I get annoyed if I have to share the trail with lots of other people. Sometimes, I get in my head with worries. But mostly I am grateful to have the woodsy trail along the lake so close to home.

The awareness and appreciation that I bring into the woods creates opportunities back in the art studio.

The most literal would be the grasses and weeds that I collect for gelatin printmaking. Different grasses are available to me a different times of year. I have to keep my eyes peeled.

Often times I will be inspired by flowers or buds and try to capture the energy and essence in a photo. Then I can do some sketches and use the image in a project.

Shadows always capture my attention. I love using shadow pictures to create stencils. I love how simple shapes can be powerful and expressive.

What about you?

• Do you have a daily walk that could create artistic opportunity?
• Can you notice simple shadows and weeds with a new awareness?

I hope you do have the chance to notice the simple beauty available to you and to use that in your studio practice.

Recently, I have had a few questions about the print paper for my new class 100 Print Project, an online gelatin printmaking workshop.

That got me thinking about paper choices for gelatin printmaking. I usually print on smooth and absorbent 90 lb. drawing paper. It picks up ink details nicely and is inexpensive, so I can print freely without concern for cost of paper.

Another paper that I have used is 67 lb. cover stock from Staples. This paper absorbs the ink nicely, but is a little too smooth for my liking.

I like printing on white washed book pages too. This involves some extra steps, but I love the way that slightly obscured text can draw the viewer into the piece.

So if you are thinking about joining the online printmaking class, the 100 Print Project, then consider what you would like to say with your choice of printing paper. Can you think of another paper that you could use?

The 100 Print Project class is about printing small and consistently to develop your own person style or message with a large series of prints. When you take the time to make and display 100 prints, you will see new meaning and messages in your work.

• What do you think you are saying with your prints?
• What do you want to say?
• Does it matter?

For me, it is all about the process of collecting materials, experimenting with those papers, tools and stencil to make a print that is pleasing to me.

• What materials inspire you?
• What is an important part of your process?
• Do you display and admire your work?

Happy Printing!

I am always thinking about how the viewer would interact with my prints. I often want to draw her in for a closer look and to reveal subtle layers and marks.

First, I have to catch her attention. That is where the big design elements come in, like value and division of space.

I sometimes talk to myself and say things like,

• put the focus off center,
• save some light whites
• add a dark dark

I think that my focus for this year will be on simplifying my prints and embracing some of the the basic elements of design:

• Value
• Shape
• line
• texture and
• space

If you are new to gelatin printmaking and would like to make a gelatin and glycerin plate for making monotypes without a press, then get the FREE recipe here.

Today, I cleaned up my work space a little and then gathered a few tools and pulled some gelatin prints. I was thinking about a couple of design concepts.

1. Keep it simple
2. Layer light over dark
3. let a focus evolve

I hope you can find time to play with printmaking. Give yourself some limits of boundaries and see if the challenge creates new discoveries.

For this mountain scape I used torn paper stencils and the delicate grasses as a stencil for the foreground focus.

I hope I have inspired you to:

• Gather a few stencils
• Make a pile of prints and
• Keep it simple

Magic will happen!

Need the Free recipe to make the long lasting Gelatin and glycerin plate? Get it here.