Mixed Media Printmaking Blog

Inspiration and action

inspiration / Linda Germain / April 3, 2023

I think creating takes both inspiration and action.

It is important to give yourself time for each. This might take a little patience.

I sometimes have an internal conflict when I am in inspiration mode and really want to be in action mode. Or the other way around. This is when I try to pause and remind myself to give me time and space.

On the inspiration end, I

Take walks in the woods
Browse Pinterest and
Go to Museums or galleries

To get into action mode, I

Set up my studio space ahead of time
Use a 20 minute timer
Do daily mark making

In between inspiration and action, I think there is an incubation period. This is the magical time when ideas develop into expression. You may not know how the evolution happens, but at some point marks, images and ideas seem to fall into place.

I encourage you to notice your cycle of making. This noticing helps me go with the flow in those quiet times of incubation.

Coming soon, the Torn Trees Workshop. It is an online mixed media class. We will use gelatin printmaking, collage and mark making to build abstract forests. Get all the details on the workshop page.

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Get closer

inspiration, mixed media printmaking / Linda Germain / March 28, 2023

On my daily walks, I often take a few steps off the path to get closer to a tree, some moss, or a branch.

I think, if I pause and really notice nature it will give me ideas for my art making.

I often have my phone available to take pictures. I want to remember the colors, texture and mood that I am feeling. Sometimes I can capture the moment, but often the photo is lacking.

So I decided to savor the time in the woods and not to worry about bringing it back to the studio. The daily walk can inform my mark making rather than be a photographic reference.

Getting super close to textures and patterns turns the everyday into abstraction. This can spark creative ideas. These ideas don’t have to be literal or linear.

That is where I got the idea to create the mixed media class, Torn Trees. After being surrounded be trees on my walks, decided to play with printing some. My first inspiration was the tall pine trees with nubby branches that stand on the hill by the lake.

These abstract tree prints are about using shape, line and texture to create a feel of the forest. I suggest that you get closer to nature in your day and see what it does for your creativity.

If you would like to play with printing, collaging and drawing to make abstract forests, then check out the details on the Torn Trees Workshop page.

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Sorting Art Stuff

mixed media printmaking / Linda Germain / March 22, 2023

Does your art space feel like a safe haven of creativity?

Do you love the tools and art work that fills the space? Or are there supplies that feel burdensome, but you are keeping them “just in case”?

I have mixed emotions about the state of my studio. There are corners and tables that feel good and then there are boxes, bins and materials that I want to let go of. But for some reason I keep putting if off.

I want the process to be one of self compassion and self care. I would like to find “homes” for some tools and supplies, but maybe it is just junk.

The whole studio seems like a big task, so I thought I could tackle one box or bench or shelf. But that has not happened yet. Spring is a good time to sort and make way for new life.

In addition, to studio shape up, I have been working on a new class, Torn Trees – a mixed media printmaking workshop. Check out the details.

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Simplify and Play – gelatin printmaking

monotype print / Linda Germain / February 22, 2023

It is so easy to be inspired by images, tools and surroundings. I often have to step back and simplify my approach.

Monochromatic Mountains, the online class is all about simplifying to make more powerful prints.

Some ways that I simplify:

Limited color palette makes layering easier
Organic torn paper stencils is quick and easy
Leave open space for eye to rest

This does not mean that all my mountain scapes are super simple. I often start in this limited way, go too far on a few prints and circle back to a pleasing composition.

Gelatin printmaking is like a rolling hill for me. My print process has ups and downs, and I try to keep that in mind when things are just not working for me.

Do you have little tricks that you use to move through the ups and downs of your creative process? Simplify might be one way to keep the process moving.

Check out the details – Monochromatic Mountain Scapes, online gelatin printmaking class.

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Abstract Landscapes – quick and easy learning

monotype print / Linda Germain / February 16, 2023

I find that making abstract landscapes builds design skills in a fun and responsive way.

Composition can be a daunting skill to “learn.” But I think it is a skill that is honed over time. It is part instruction and rules and part instinct and ideas.

This combination leads to unique style and expression.

I think testing out concepts like:

value change
division of space
rule of thirds

leads to an understanding of what you like and don’t like in your artwork. This can lead to more confident self expression.

This kind of experimentation with design concepts is one of the reasons I like gelatin printmaking so much. Gel printing is fast and I can pull several prints that are very similar quite quickly.

And yet often my gut says I like one a lot more than the others. My design skills and preferences are guiding my gut. I can see how:

a slightly different division of space is more pleasing, or
how a strong dark mark makes a print pop, or
how just the right amount of white space gives the viewer space to rest.

This type of comparison and slight variations is possible because I work on lots of prints at the same time. If I get a couple of really pleasing prints in one session of printing, then I call that a success.

Often the keepers are a combination of:

skill and knowledge,
evolution of prior prints and
happy circumstance

If you would like to explore this type of approach to gelatin printmaking and skill building, then join us in Monochromatic Mountain Scapes, online workshop. This focused approach will take your gelatin printing to a new level.

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