Species #330: Work in Progress 2

How did this mess happen?

I am not a clean printmaker.  I left my blank papers in a stack on the table where I was also printing (MISTAKE).  My spatula fell onto a piece of paper, making a huge indelible brown splotch.  I decided to go with it, made lots of brown splotches and smears, and then printed over it.  It was impossible to see the print over the splotches since the ink was exactly the same, so I painted into the print to make it stand out from the mess.

I think it looks pretty neat.  I am kind of stuck at this point, however.

Species #330: Work in Progress 1

This is Species #330.  I have sewn onto it and then painted it so far.  The close up shows the detail of the negative brush strokes I'm making in this one, as well as the thread that I've sewn on and glued down.

I really like the way paper looks when it's been sewn.  Something about it is so raw and awesome.

Species #1039: Work in Progress 2

I started sewing onto my images.  This was not the first one I sewed onto, but I discovered in this image that gel medium can reactivate watercolor (it seems only if there is a thick coating of water color, because I have tried this out in other species and it hasn't worked).  You can see this in the lips.

I don't know where to go from here.

"I Hate This."

My teacher took one look at Species #1039 with the purple and green swirls and said, "I hate this."  He then went on to elaborate, how he hates crafty things, how the tissue paper reminds him of 5th grade crafts and things his mom might make.  He pointed at the print in the middle and said, This is Fine Art, but then pointed at the tissue paper and said, This is not Fine Art.

Yikes!

Afterwards, in my attempt to console myself, I pretended to be his art therapist instead of his student and asked, "Why does the association with your mother make it not Fine Art?"

I mean, of course I didn't say that.  But it made me feel better to think about saying it.

He gave me suggestions on how to use my crafty influences in a way that is Fine Art.  He did this while we were standing back-to-back in the screen washing room and he happened to look at my screen.  It turns out he likes the species, just not what I've done to them.  I was glad he gave me suggestions because when he just flat out said he hated it, without any suggestions on fixing it, I was pretty much flabbergasted.

Also, I tried to explain that #1039 with the purple and green swirls was like an experimenting ground for other works on #1039, for example, the one with the brown spots.  He liked the one with the brown spots.  

Also, also, what IS Fine Art?  Why is something made with expensive materials Fine Art, but something made out of magazines not?  And who says I want to make that, anyway?

I don't know.

I'm all about the art as a human behavior movement in art therapy.  And having to think about materials to use with potential clients influences my choices in materials for class.  And having the experience of leaving art school, realizing almost 100% of what I've learned is irrelevant to real life due to lack of funding (ie: no fun huge printing presses or things like that) and having to adapt my art making to what is available, I am not so excited about spending too much time and effort learning how to do things that I won't do outside the scope of the class.  I want to use the class to enhance my own art making skills in a realistic way.

Anyway ... I am trying to integrate his suggestions into my own ways of working.  Let's see how it goes.  Hopefully I will pass the class.

Oh yeah, and I'm going to slap some tissue paper on some of them, too!

Species #1039: Work in progress 1

Today I went to the studio to print another species.  I printed four copies of Species #1039.  While I was waiting for the screen to dry, I started painting on it.  The hot pink is nail polish!  How fun!  I think I am going to buy more neon nail polish because it's way cheaper than buying neon paint or ink, the only problem is the fumes.  The colors are brighter in person, it was hard to adjust the image in iPhoto to show the real colors and I took a bad picture.  Maybe a better picture to come later.

Species #845: Work in progress 4

Yet another work on a print of Species #845.  I don't know what to do, so I started by collaging magazine pieces.  Maybe I will do some painting on it later.  The species was printed over a monotype ghost print I made.

Species #845: Work in progress 3

Here is another print/painting of Species #845.  I am using the negative brushstroke thing I discovered.  The paper was pre-printed on with the corn cob that I used for one of my 10-day projects, and then I printed the species over it, and then painted with water color and gel medium.  I don't know if I'm finished.

Species #845: Work in progress 2

Here is another print of Species #845 that I am working on.  This isn't the same as the other one (as you can guess).  There are four of these that are currently "in progress."

I discovered a cool way to make what I call negative brushstrokes.  I know someone else has discovered this before me, but it was an accident when I saw it, SO I was quite excited.

It's funny how creepy this image is in black and white, but once I add color it seems to be kind of happy!

Species #845: Work in progress

My studio class has a critique coming up where we're supposed to each bring in three works, each work containing elements of printmaking, painting and collage.  I've mentioned before that I am doing a series of woodland creatures.  Today, I printed Species #845 four times and I'm currently working back into the pieces individually.  This is the work I have done today, but it's not finished (I have to stop because it's time for final prep before Rosh Hashana).

So today was my first time printing on a screen, other than the monotype I printed earlier (which I'll post eventually, as I'm working into that one, too).  It was really exciting, and probably the easiest printmaking process I've ever encountered.  Just a voop-voop of the squeegee across the screen and then, magically, there's a print on the paper! I mean, I know how it works, but it's SO EASY - so much easier than even relief printing - that it's hard to believe it works.

Species #1039

Species #845

Species #843

Species #330

Species #140

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For my screenprinting class, I will be making a collection of woodland creatures (and other creatures, I suppose).  Right now I am in the beginning phase, which is digitally collaging images that have been scanned in, either from books or from collages I've made recently.

This is Species #140.