Table of Contents
Reflection
This section defeated me until I started working with the idea of transparency and trying to find a surface that would support that. I’ve created some works, documented below, but I’m generally unhappy with all but the named series. There is something about printmaking that doesn’t really gel with the way my mind and creativity works.
In an individual sense, I found myself fighting with how much paint to apply, how to thin it, and how to control the way it would print onto my paper. In the end, I found a way of working via laying down films of paint via a brayer and then manipulating that layer. Understanding that I needed to work in discrete layers & stages was also a very useful realization, so didn’t try to paint a whole portrait on my glass and print that.
Looking forward, I do like how this process enables serial narrative in a way that my “normal” oil painting would struggle with. There are some techniques that I may take forward such as the transfer techniques tried below — it balances really well on an imprecise border, and I can see myself using that in the future overtop something more traditional.
I can also see Preparing for the Work Day being done on a larger scale, as if this is a prototype. The pages of washi are approximately 50x60cm and using the full size for each image would make this piece much stronger and more interesting to interact with, particularly when installed in space. I wonder if these sheets can be made even larger? Unfortunately, I just do not have the space to create prints at this size.
Transparency keeps coming back up in my recent works, and I need to think on this. Is this happenstance, or is there something here for me to pursue?
Inspirations
Claudia Stapel
Stapel is an artist that came up in my Insta feed some time back, and whose process of transferring imagery from intermediary supports onto her canvas caught my attention. The link below will take you to her Instagram feed, and a video showing an exerpt of her process.
This directly led to the first untitled piece in this assignment. Further, her use of the tissue paper is what got me thinking about washi paper, for Preparing for the Work Day
Emerson Mayes
Another artist that came to me from my instagram feed. Primarily nature subject matter, but it was the brush ‘scratching’ into the paint layer that caught my attention.
#2 Untitled grew out of ideas looking at Emerson’s prints. He paints complete works onto a plate, then prints them onto paper.
Camille Pissarro
Pisarro’s monotypes were largely, I think, where I started. I drew process ideas from looking here, for scratching in grass (or my beard) or smudging in areas of tone (or my skin) with something soft.
Final Pieces
I have not presented the works together, as they feel entirely separate from each other. I also didn’t end up with 3 prints as two of the attempts became series or pairs, with themselves.
The assignment brief asks me to consider how they would be arranged. I have done so for each individually, as each group is separate from the others. However, if I were to break the groups, I’d end up with the following arrangement:
#1 (Untitled)
This image arose from two sources: My hair standing on end after I got out of the shower, and also not feeling particularly great on the day I was painting. I think that malaise comes through in this from the colour, and the almost blank stare of the eyes.
My method of printing down onto the paper required the paper to be taped in place. The tape tore up the surface of the paper, as a result.
- Leveraging layering, each pigment was its own printing step.
- Each layer was painted on a duralar sheet placed atop the existing print. At each stage, the duralar was flipped over and the new paint transferred to the underlying print. (See Claudia Stapel)
- This lead to interesting smudging, and mistakes, as the left/right flipping occurred.
- Isopropyl alcohol was used on the green layer to create spattering blotchy effects.
- Final dark lines were painted directly on the print.
#2 (Untitled)
In this one, I was contemplating my upcoming return to work after as short vacation. I took a reference photo of myself in a shirt and tie, but didn’t cleave too close to it. I wanted to convey that although my body was returning to work, my mind was distinctly somewhere else. The green stripe is my allusion to that, as I’ve been spending time thinking about Matisse this week.
- Painted onto glass, and then printed onto HP paper.
- One print, I came back in with additional paint and touched up the print.
- The second leveraged the remnants of the first on the glass, added more paint, and carved into that paint to create lines.
#3 Preparing for the Work Day
I think this piece should be done again but at larger size and with many more steps. My space, however, doesn’t allow for such.
If done at its proper size, each piece of washi would be hung like a banner in series. People would be able to walk around, and between each print allowing them to see each print from all angles. The transparency of the washi would allow for the series to be approached in either direction, either “Preparing for the Work Day” or “Leaving the work day behind”.
The title comes from conceptual steps, in the morning, of going from barely awake and then building up my mental “armor” to face the day at the office. Each a step an intentional preparation to deal with the work day.
I could also see this series redone as putting on/removing makeup and that would also creating interesting effects on the print.
- Each print implements one additional step compared to the prior, therefore each print represents one step forward in the progression of preparation. Stages:
- Rough grey shadow shapes applied by using cotton balls to wipe away a grey paint film
- Manipulating the starting grey paint film with Q-tips to create texture and denote hair and eyes
- Red layer, in the light part of the face, as life starts to return to the body.
- Pink paint layer, adding more form, and local colour.
- Yellow layer, showing I’ve left the house and and standing outside in the sun.
Failed Attempt
I’m noting this one here for the sheets of washi, not the rest. This was where the material caught my attention, and ultimately resulted in my creating Preparing for the Work Day. The rest of this collection is unremarkable I think. Though the blue “eyeshade” (an eyebrow migrated) is an interesting effect.