Search Results for: rust

Trust yourself – Make Marks

artist book, drawings, inspiration / /

Sometimes, I just have to begin and trust that the path will evolve.

japanese stab binding

I do this “just begin” thing a lot, and I am still surprised when magic happens, things work out and I make something that I like or learn from.

walk to fill the well

I keep it simple to begin:

  • take a photo
  • go for a walk
  • clean my work bench for 20 minutes
  • make some doodles

So I say try it, and see what happens. I think it helps to let go of any demands that it work out and just explore the present moment.

soft cover coptic stitch

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Spring time – Good for rusting paper

artist book, mixed media printmaking, rust prints / /

You may call me crazy. But I like to collect rusted bits of debris found on the side of the road.

Rusted papers in art journal

Spring in New England, is a good time to find bits of rusted metal on the side of the road. And things are even pre-flatted. 🙂

collect rusted metal from city streets

I have a rusted cookie sheet and a collection of flat rusted things. Once or twice a year I like to rust up some paper or fabric.

rust paper

It is easy to do, but yields unpredictable results.

  1. Get your rusty things wet
  2. Wet your paper
  3. Stack the rusty stuff on your paper
  4. Get the most contact possible. I like to put some weight on top
  5. You can spritz with vinegar/water mix
  6. Don’t cover. You need air to oxidize the metal.
  7. Wait over night (that is the hard part)

rust printing paper

Then you have some paper wit wonderfully aged patina. I have used it for:

Give it a try!

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Making books and rusting paper

artist book / /

I dug through some of my prints from this year and started making a mixed media book.

artist books by linda germain

I like to work in a kind of layered spiral.

  • I lay down a based coat
  • Add some textured color
  • Then some hand drawn marks
  • A bit of collage
  • More paint and around and around until it feels done

This book used two kids books as a the base for the pages.

use board books to make artist books

And then I used a multi needle coptic stitch to put them together.

multi needle coptic stitch binding

It took me a while to remember that stitch pattern. I am not sure it is truly correct, but it is working nicely to hold the boards together.

write on tea bags and use them for collage

I love to add upside down text to the book. So I write on tea bags and glue them in upside down. I get to put my emotion into the piece and still keep it a secret.

rusting paper

Over the last few days I pulled out my box of rusty things, spritzed with with vinegar and water and set them on some paper. I am getting mixed results. It is a surprise each day when I uncover the stack.

rusted paper

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Screen printing on rusted fabric

rust prints, screen printing / /

Screen printed cotton fabric that has been rusted with vinegar, water and metal bits by linda germainI collect bits of rust on my daily walks.

Lay them on fabric that is dampened with vinegar and water and let the magic happen. This takes a little planning and patience.

Today, I ironed the fabric and played with screen printing over the whole piece of cloth.

This is a thermofax screen that I made with a photocopy of actual grass. I also played with attaching the thermofax screen to a bigger screen to stabilize it for printing.

It worked!

I used Createx Acrylic Color for Screen printing. It comes in a squeezable plastic bottle. I love it because I can just squirt out small amounts.

I am so messy when I get screen printing. This eliminates the need for a palette knife, spoon or cardboard scoop.

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Trust yourself to make the next mark

monotype print / /
Multi layered monotype print by linda germain
Multi layered monotype print by linda germain

Sometimes it is scary to just make the next mark on a print that you really care about. I try not to get attached to a piece. But it is hard to be willing to ruin it or give it that one little mark that is going to make it pop.

Here are some tips to confident mark making with gelatin printing.  I do this minimize the risk and be willing to make the next mark:

  • I have several prints going at once so I am more willing to take chances
  • I wait a day or two to see if I gain any clarity and
  • In the end, it is just a piece of paper. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

What do you do to support yourself in taking risks?

 

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Trim up old crusty Gelatin Plate and Print

2010, gelatin plate care, gelatin print tips / /
©2012 linda germain – Cut the Edge off old Gelatin and Print a series

As you may know I keep my gelatin plateas long as I can, because I love the unpredictable marks that is can create.  Sometimes it gets a hard edge, so a simple fix is to cut off the hard edge with a sharp razor blade.  I use a big square when I want to have a straight edge.

I spent the last few days putting together a 4 page pamphlet.  Wow it was a lot of learning.  I am having them printed with Magcloud.  Encaustic artist, Linda Cordner published a catalog of some of her art and she was please with the product so I thought I would give it a try.
Happy Printing!

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Rust Print with drawing fluid screen print

2010, drawing fluid screen print, rust prints / /
©2011 linda germain
Thinking
7″ x 7″
Rusted paper with Screen Print
One of my new favorite printing methods is the drawing fluid method of screen printing.  I like it for loose  style line drawings.  I have made several screens out of old shear curtains and I just leave the image on the screen for future printing.  There are some good instructions at Dharma Trading.   Dick Blick has some good info too.  To make the rusted paper I spritz the paper, put it in a flat pan, layer it with my rusty things, and put it under pressure for as long as it takes.  Rusting it very experimental and requires patience to let things rust.  Sometimes I add salt or vinegar to encourage rusting.  Enjoy!

Post by Linda Germain

 

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Simple relief prints, rust prints and more

2010, relief prints, rust prints / /
Untitled 2011
screen print on rusted paper
© linda germain 2011

I have been playing with foam relief prints in preparation for some kids classes and experimenting with rusting fabric just because I love it.  Today I was playing with a blocking fluid screen print.  With so many experiments it is hard, no impossible to see the top of any of my work tables.

what I have been up to board
24″ x 36″
© linda germain 2011
I really like to play with out having to end up with a product.  Is that strange?  Sometimes I think so and then get into a rut about having to have great finished work.
Post by Linda Germain

 

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Rusted Fabric Gelatin Print

2010, fabric prints, rust prints / /
©linda germain 2011
untitled gelatin plate print on rusted fabric aprox 7″ x 7″

Well I was trying to salvage some gelatin that I made around December 10th.  I had about 5,  8″ by 10″ pieces and was blotting off the excess water and slime to see if I could still print with them  I was amazing how each piece aged differently.  Some were mostly slime and others were still mostly solid.  I had a few minutes and decided to try making a few prints.  I loved the one above.

 

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Rust Prints with trace monotype print

2010, trace monoprint / /
Post by Linda Germain

This is a portion of one of the rust prints that I experiemented with this past weekend.  I rusted over a trace monoprint that was done with black ink.  I am going to try another one today.  I am using a rusty cookie sheet.  One that got ruined by the gelatin plates.  Enjoy!
I came across acouple of calls for entry last night that I am excited about. http://www.ipcny.org/exhib/exhib_np/edit_np_w10/call_for_entries_w10.html and http://www.torpedofactory.org/galleries/targetcallforentry.htm  Good stuff!

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