etching :)

On my last day at the studio, Kyle suggested I try etching, which ended up being rather fun! I made this cute little drawing of travelling seeds and beans and things.

my prints drying on the rack

the etched copper plate

The printed result!


title: La Traversée
the print is 6"x6 1/4" on 10"x14" paper

I ended up with an edition of five.

The doll ended up a teal colour... I'm not quite done with it yet, but not much is missing. it's 20"x20", acrylic, watercolour and colour pencil on stretched watercolour paper.

my paintings and stuff gathering against the wall...

the doll now has wings

printing day

Today I printed my edition of linocuts! I think I will have 12 or 13 prints in the edition so I'm very happy with the result. It had been a while since I had printed anything, it was a good feeling :)

These are two of my bad prints, and my studio-mate suggested I use some of his wax on them. I plan on carving out certain areas and adding paint and such. Looks like it'll be fun!

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I consider this particular print to be one of the best.

Here they are in all their glory!!

doll

today's new project...
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That's right, I finally got some paper stretched properly!

:)

done... at last!!

Today I worked on this painting I had started before getting here and finally got it done! It only needs a coat of varnish and all the colours and darker areas will pop. yay!

36"x36", acrylic on canvas

untitled so far...

Saturday at the studio

On Saturday I created my first linocut! I did some research on different printmaking techniques and I was very drawn to the look of woodcuts and linocuts. Linocut is easier than woodcut and less time-consuming, which explains my final choice...

I still have to fix certain parts, but overall, I am very pleased with the result!

I would like to add some colour to it, on the doll and on the floating flowers around her, and I really want to try a gradient effect.

this is the actual piece of linoleum that I carved

The printed result!

oh and this guy... the latest addition to the pinecone family is really not doing so well, I'm not a fan.

floral madness

So this is the beginning of a new painting... seriously, I have no idea where it will go! The idea is to make it really busy and full so it's almost a pattern. Once again, to be continued...

Small details are missing, but this one is pretty much done... Better pic to come!

tree embryos

Before leaving for this residency, I recycled these wood panels from work. They are actually the back of some ugly beige plastic backings... I have about 20 of them, all approx. 12"x12". I wanted to save them for printing but I got carried away painting these baby pinecones this afternoon. I am using graphite, acrylic and colour pencil. They're totally good times.

foin!

sketches

Little sketches of ideas I had for new paintings. Then I had the idea of maybe printing them and making them round... to be continued...

life drawing

Yesterday night the studio organized a life drawing session where the model posed in some retro flashy gear! I hadn't been to a life drawing session since university... I was really drawn to her face, but when she turned the other way for the last pose, I had no choice but to go crazy on the outfit!! The time passed by so fast, I'll most definitely be there next week. The top drawing is my favourite.

wednesday

wednesday so far...

Today was most definitely an ORB day... I spent pretty much all my studio time working on this one, and it's coming along! It even has brussel sprouts and pickles in it, SWEET!

The poppies have progressed as well...

Two works in progress I haven't even touched yet since my arrival...

The one in front is a lady on a wood panel, 24"x24". I am using graphite, acrylic and colour pencils on it, everything is light so the grain shows through and I am planning on leaving it pretty bare. The one behind is a 36"x36" acrylic painting.

Oh, and at lunch today I had a coconut-curry-chicken soup at the Regent Café next door, and I just have to tell the world (well, the five people reading my blog) that it was amazing. I want a barrel of it.

;)

tuesday

the poppies so far...

poppies

work in progress: crazy poppies. the canvas is 30"x36" but the end result will be smaller.

I was thinking of adding some fabric/fuzzy elements after, like floating pollen. I put the orb aside for the afternoon, but will get back to it soon.

the orb

The orb is progressing!

I was a good girl and got to the studio at 8:30 this morning... I surprise even myself sometimes. So far I'm working this painting looser than I'm used to and I like it.

I have decided to abandon the idea of working on stretched paper... my latest attempts didn't work out so well either and after doing some research, I think my mistake was to soak the paper for too long. I will work on the paper anyway and cut it off the frame when I'm done.

Well, it's still early so got lots of time to work... cheers!

sunday progress

So here's my latest attempt at stretching my paper... I went to Home Hardware and had some boards cut and wrapped the paper around it. I'm also working a bit smaller 24"x30"... too bad but I'm sure they'll be great anyway, as long as may paper stays nice and flat!!

I know this looks a bit weird! it's a preliminary sketch of the kind of thing I want to do on these boards. They're buds of all sorts forming a giant bouquet... yeah, that's what I got so far. ha ha!


work in progress: 36"x36" painting of a GIANT VEGETATION ORB! Good times.

here it is with colour.

Yeah so that's all folks. More to come :)

sparkbox residency, day one

bad paper-stretching no.1
bad paper stretching no.2!!

The residency studio where I'll be working


So this is it, I arrived yesterday afternoon in Picton Ontario for my residency at Spark Box Studio! I'll try and post my progress and the stuff I'm working on often. So far my first project has failed miserably!!!! boohoo! hopefully I can restart and get it right this time...


project: to stretch watercolour paper on canvas stretchers. seems easy, and I've done it before, but not on such a large scale. I was trying for 30"x36" and the strectching of the paper warped my stretcher and the corners look pretty crappy... I'll have to do them again. I think maybe I'll stretch the paper over masonite so it's not stapled in place but just folded. I CAN DO IT! (that one's for Charlene)

Spark Box Studio

::: Awesome news :::

I was accepted for a residency at Spark Box Studio

Rejoice!

I imagine it to be a bit the 'spa/resort' vacation for artists... he he! Actually, I am planning on tackling some larger paintings, as well as some printmaking... it's been so long.

I will be there February 2010. sweet.