Monday 12 January 2009

I've done some, too!!

[look at me! look at me! look at me! she shouts excitedly, jumping up and down]

... Linoprints that is, seeing that they seem terribly de rigeur this January, as both Jeanette and Vivien demonstrate.

Last week I finally got started with assignment 2 of the OCA course: simple lino cuts. I had been a bit uninspired as to that assignment (did I mention that before?); too much like school work, and the very first one consisted of a tedious block full of different marks and textures. Very useful but the thought alone did send me back to sleep.

But, thanks to my easily excited sunny predisposition (on such a dreich mid-January, back to work plod), the block was quickly marked and I could proceed to task 2 and 3.

I've been collecting all these impressions and images in my mind - the night skies, the water reflections and some trees against light skies impressions and they've been waiting for a medium - the pastels and the ink sketches are not graphic enough. But, of course: the stark imagery of traditional relief prints may just get there. With that realisation I quickly developed a couple of the photos of the bull's hollow into simplified sketches*.

PrintProject2_1
Water so still so dark
Linocut on blotting paper
20x15cm

This is the first one: a simple single colour print with different marks - do you recognise the image?


PrintProject2_1 WIP

Print Project 2_2 WIP
Linocut on cartridge paper
15x15cm

This is not quite finished but part of task 3 in this assignment. Again, an eery place, sky and water reflection mystery. For anything more definite, you'll need to wait til it's finished though.

*I had to laugh at Jeanette's comments 'think 10 times, cut once' - that definitely doesn't apply to me... cut, then think and then improvise... the same goes for the carefully developed sketches... I struggle to produce 2, 3 even just mildly attentive ones.
And you know what? I absolutely enjoy doing without.

8 comments:

Jeanette Jobson said...

Indeed, look at you! Oh yeah, this works! Inspired work Gesa. I like this a lot and will wait impatiently to see the final piece.

It really gives that stark look and eerie feel to the place.

Perhaps one day I will cut first, then think. Lend me some bravery please...

Anonymous said...

Oooh yes, these look exciting. I want to see the finished piece...
I think the black one is wonderfully strong looking.

Anonymous said...

Oooh yes, these look exciting. I want to see the finished piece...
I think the black one is wonderfully strong looking.

Making A Mark said...

Yup - recognised!

I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress with this - plus you've given me an idea for a blog post.

Making A Mark said...

...and here's the blog post!

The Open College of the Arts

vivien said...

Oh I can so agree with that! cut then think then improvise :>D


I cut lino the same way as I paint, do a bit and change another area.

The one I'm currently working on was sketched very quickly onto the lino and I'm now trying to make it work for me - it's changed as I go

Gesa said...

Thanks everyone!
Hm - it's not that I don't think, but I think I think much better while doing other things, ping pong back and forward; it does work, doesn't it; I've got a couple of other ideas (as in dark paper, light ink), and am just proceeding with cutting the third and final block for the multi-colour piece;
My parents have been enrolled too for sourcing some early 20c local artist who did a lot of woodcuts on eery and godforlorn heathland and moors. Hope they'll send it to me quickly :)
The black is thalo blue with black; I like it a lot, such a cold blue black. It's fascinating what some reference to clearly known traditions do, isn't it?

That post is a good one, Katherine - it's so interesting that you were intrigued by the printmaking course too; I've 'met' a few other OCA bloggers online since, am meaning to write up something more detailed about it, and the distance learning bit, but haven't gotten round to it yet;
The link to your post somehow doesn't seem to work, can you fix it? Or maybe this works when published:
http://makingamark.blogspot.com/2009/01/open-college-of-arts.html

Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle, I read your response on WM, Vivien and am not surprised by your comment here. Yes, with the current set of blocks, I've got some ideas of what I may try but want to print a couple of trials first before cutting further... I like the peculiarities of different media a lot; and the process-orientation of prints is just fantastic. I have so many ideas for that, and how to integrate this with other media... your recent experiments are really interesting for that, Vivien.

Anonymous said...

Very useful post, Gesa. I can't wait to make my own prints!