drawings Archives - Linda Germain

Make Marks Supplies List

book arts, drawings, handmade books, mark making, mark making tools / Linda Germain / November 27, 2023

You can make interesting marks with simple tools. Enjoy this quick video.

In this online class we will layer marks to reveal a visual story. Read all the details on the workshop page.

The suggested supplies:

Gelatin plate – FREE recipe here
Speedball water based ink
brayer
paper of your choice – I like
- 90 lb drawing paper 12″ x 18″
- Rice paper on a roll or 12″ x 18″
- Tracing paper on a roll or 12″ x 18″
- I like these sizes and papers because I am making a long landscape shaped book, but you could do the techniques at any size. So use what you have
- One large sheet of sturdy printmaking paper, watercolor paper or mixed media paper for the cover. I use Arnhem. But you can use what you have.
Cardboard
thin easy to cut craft foam sheets
set of small children’s blocks (dollar store)
water based markers
Variety of found mark making tools (see photo below)
glue
exacto knife
soft crayons

Hope to see you in class.

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Go back to your sketchbooks – reference

book arts, drawings, mark making / Linda Germain / November 9, 2023

Generally, I need a reference for drawing. I don’t do so well just drawing from memory or imagination.

Some of my favorite drawings are the ones of twigs and organic items found in the woods. They feel authentic, real, most like me.

Recently I have been looking back through my sketchbooks to find flowers, leaves and doodles to add to a new book.

In the image above, I used the sketchbook drawing of the black vines as a reference for the lower drawing in a new book in progress. The bigger book is one I am creating with the lessons from the Make Marks + Books online class. The book is layered with marks, prints and doodles. And in this one I am finishing it with leaf, vine and flower drawings.

This loose layering approach:

fosters just beginning and going with the flow
allows you experiment with different kinds of mark making
delete, cover or edit undesirable marks
discover meaning, focus or story as you go
identify your strengths and preferences

If this sound interesting to you, then read the details on the Make Marks + Books workshop page. Class starts soon.

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Seeing things differently

drawings, inspiration, mark making / Linda Germain / October 5, 2023

Our perception is our reality. And we can learn to perceive things differently. Okay that was a little deep. Let’s lighten up.

In my recent days, I have been doing a lot of line drawings of faces. I have done self portraits, zoom participants, and other images as references. I have to admit most of the drawings are not very strong likenesses of the subject.

This does not bother me. I am using the drawing process to change my perception and to build my seeing/drawing skills. I like the quick contour line drawing format. It is easy to squeeze in a few drawings every day.

I can practice noticing the different shapes of peoples facial features even when I am not drawing. This will help improve my actual drawings.

So much can be expressed in a simple line. Take emojis for example. Emotion is conveyed with just a few lines. I would love to develop the skills to capture unique expression with limited line.

One way that I try to learn to perceive differently is to do a drawing based on a photo and then trace the contour lines of the photo. Then compare the traced lines to the ones that I thought I saw in the first drawing (without tracing).

It is very helpful to me. For example this last drawing was based on a tracing from a photo of myself. I notice that my eyes are not equal and my face is not as long as I usually draw it. I challenge you to question your perception today. Be open to seeing in a new way.

If you want to explore, drawing, tracing and monoprinting to expand your seeing skills, then consider the online class, Draw into Print – a trace monotype workshop. Read all the details on the workshop page.

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Explore Meditative Marks

drawings, mark making / Linda Germain / September 27, 2023

What is your go to doodle? Do scribble while you are in meetings or on the phone? This may be a way to engage a different part of your brain.

Lately, my marks have been dashes and lines with watercolor or acrylic ink. Sometimes I do long lines that become a structure for a list on another day.

I think you could make what ever doodle or mark feels good then explore it. It could be a way to quiet the mind or to get your creative juices flowing. And I bet you will end up with some cool patterned papers that can be used for collage projects.

I suggest:

Use whatever ink, pen or paint that is handy
Play with different media and paper
Trust your gut. Let go of needing to know.

Check out the current online classes that are available now.

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Looking at Faces

artist book, drawings / Linda Germain / August 17, 2023

I have been playing with quick sketches of faces.

I think my seeing is improving. I am starting to see the different shapes that the facial features can take.

I practice my “seeing” the shape of eyes, nose and mouth, as I watch videos and talk to people. I am enjoying this relaxed way of learning.

I have been exploring different drawing materials. My current favorites:

Gray crayola crayon
Prang watercolors
Black gel pen

I like to work in 2 or 3 small notebooks at one time. That way the watercolors have time to dry. I have bound a bunch of Enso’s that I did earlier this year. I was wondering what I was going to do with all those zen circles.

They are painted on 90 lb. drawing paper and the paper is a little warped, but I was still pretty successful in using the double fan glue binding to hold 20 pages together.

If you have a lot of single sheet papers that you would like to bind into a book, then check out the class Bound Prints. I teach you how to use the glue based, double fan binding.

Enjoy!

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