Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Monoprints, Monotypes and a Bad Studio Day






Everyone has bad days at work..
but this year I decided to share them with you..
gentle reader,

in speaking to other artists,
I have found that there is a common perception 
that people share concerning art and artists..
that our work isn't really work..
that we have fun all day..
and that making things is pure joy..

occasionally, it is..
but mostly is is a career like any other..
there are good days and bad days..






I was musing about this the other day when began a series of Monotypes
in the studio last week...
Monoprints and Monotypes are similar in one aspect, 
they are pulled off a glass or some other kind of plate and pressure is applied by
hand or brayers to assist in the transfer of the image
applied to the plate.

But Monotypes are created by working off a smooth surface with no markings or indentations..


a small difference,
but 
notable 
and to be clear, the words have been used interchangeably forever..








often as I pull prints in the studio
I happen across a happy accident 
but 
on this day, it seemed that the more I worked,
 the worse the images..












So I gave it a rest and worked on my portrait of Ella..
and my flower journal..











The next day I went back to it and used blue acrylic paint to freshen
and change it all up..












But still the images did not meet with my approval..
and clearly 
I was not having fun...









so I pulled all the prints together and noticed I had used up an entire ream of paper, 
ok...
pad of paper
but it felt like a ream..


Now..

 I will find a use for them..
even if I cut them and use them for collage
and I will revisit monotypes..


but not any time soon..

Last year, I would have shoved them in a drawer.. 
this year, I am sharing them with you
new year,
new insights,
new directions..


Ciao, ciao!