Mixing up art making skills

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Do you have art habits or rituals that keep you going?  Are they related to the art that you make?  

I do morning pages as described by Julia Cameron in the Artists Way.  I try to do them everyday. I generally don’t look at them again and often just toss them away after a few years.  

Today I did my 3 hand written pages on top of some monotype prints.  I think that I will layer over them, we will see.

Happy Printing.

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Let it Snow

Easy 6 point Snowflake from Linda Germain on Vimeo.

Snow and I have an every changing relationship.  For years, I was a ski pro and was out on the slopes every day from November to April.

Now that I am in the city, it is hard crusty stuff that takes up my parking space.  However, as I type this teeny, tiny flakes are falling outside my window, and I kinda like them.

What do you think snowflakes as stencils or decoration—–hmmm?  Well a friend of mine, Sandra Golbert, taught me how to cut the 6 pointed snowflake, and I made a quick video of the process.  I did not know that real snowflakes have 6 points and not 8.  Some true flake-lovers get quite annoyed by the 8 point “flake.”

It is easy to cut the 8 point flake because it is easy to fold the paper into quarters.  The magic trick to the 6 point snowflake is accurately folding the paper into thirds.

Grab some copy paper and scissors, watch the video and Make it snow!

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Start with what you already know

I am a teacher at heart.  I was given the opportunity to observe a teaching situation with my young nephew just a few days ago.  screen print and gelatin print by linda germain

The 7 year old wanted to draw a complex six armed surfing buddha.  He was used to having a tracing template at school.  And he wanted it to be “perfect” the first time.

Hmm how to help him?  I gathered the right tools, pencil and a soft eraser and lots of practice paper.  Then we broke the drawing down into shapes that he already knows, circles, smiley faces, triangles, sloping lines and more triangles.

I was able to see his drawing technique transform right before my eyes in just minutes!  At first he tried to draw the whole image from memory. Then as we drew the circles and smiley faces and triangles, he started to look at the picture for reference.

I told him we would transform the circles into “wave hands later.”  He was willing to wait and trust that he could do a rough drawing and transform it as he went along.

When you learn a new skill do you:

  • gather the right tools
  • lots of practice materials
  • start with what you already know
  • listen to a gentle teacher
  • willing to be imperfect

I suggest you give yourself these gifts the next time you set out to learn a new skill.

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Three quick steps to Thermo Fax Printed Cards

thermofax_cardThree easy steps to screen printing your own holiday cards with the thermofax machine.

  1. First do a drawing, a doodle or find a high contrast black and white image.  I like to do loose line drawings with a ultra-fine point sharpie.  Often I am inspired by the drawings of my 7 year old nephews.  They are so honest, pure, and uncensored.  Line drawings are great images to transform into thermo fax screens for easy printing. Then make a carbon based photocopy of your drawing.  Carbon based is made with a copy machine with toner rather than ink, usually a laser printer will work too.
  2. Burn the screen in a thermofax machine.  There are many artists online who will do this for you if you do not have a thermofax machine.  Just google thermofax services you will find a number of artists.
  3. Set up your workspace and registration system and pull the ink through the screen on to your card stock.  I hand colored the letters after the ink dried.

I got my thermo fax machine in September and look forward to playing with it.  If you think you would like to be part of an online class to explore the thermofax print, then get on this special list below and I will let you know as the course develops.

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5 Fast Printmaking Techniques

Are you an impromptu printmaker?  What types of printmaking processes lend itself to spontaneous printmaking?

With traditional printmaking there is planning the image, reversing the images, creating the plate or matrix, preparing the paper, working up the inks, set the press, organizing the blankets, setting up the drying racks and  you have not even started to print yet.

Left to right, gelatin monotype print, Trace mono print over collage, monotype print and relief printing tools.
Left to right, gelatin monotype print, Trace mono print over collage, monotype print and relief printing tools.

I would describe myself as an impromptu printmaker.  All that planning and preparation is just not my style.  As I was walking around the lake today, I was listing the printmaking processes that are a little more spontaneous:

  1. Relief stamping can be quick
  2. Stencil with found object is fast
  3. Monotype printing without a press
  4. Some types screen printing (thermofax) can be quick
  5. Trace monoprint is probably the fastest

How about you?  Do you like careful planning or do like to make marks quickly, spontaneously or as inspired?

Check out the current printmaking workshops that I am offering.

Happy Printing

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