It's been challenging to get going in the studio again, motivation and stamina being compromised as they are. I have however, finished all my 2016 business bookkeeping and organized it for my accountant. (Note that I have specified business bookkeeping. Personal accounts are not even started yet.)
But I'm slowly getting my studio act together and once again there are prints on the drying rack. It's a another very small piece, since I'm still not quite ready to tackle that big one.
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| "Bitsy" linocut - Step 1 |
The first ink of the new year was a transparent ochre-ish color, and if you try I think you might be able to discern the subject already.
For the next step I wanted a sort of dull beige. But anyone who has ever tried to darken or dull a yellow with black knows why just slapping a transparent black across it wasn't going to work. Risk of weird greenish tone = high.
Instead I mixed up this lovely color:
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| Step 2 ink: transparent lavender |
Yes. That's a transparent purple. (Let's call it lavender.) Which, amusingly enough, gave me this:
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| Bitsy linocut, Step 2 |
The subject is completely clear now, because for some odd reason my Sharpie pen drawing decided to transfer to several prints on this second color pass when it didn't on the first. I haven't ever had that happen before, so it's quite the mystery.
The third color pass was absolutely a straight transparent gray, just to change the value but not the relative warmth of the color so far. In this particular print the Sharpie transfer was really strong. Again, I don't know why it happened, and it sure takes the surprise out of the image development, but it kind of looks cool.
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| Bitsy reduction linocut, Step 3 |
The next step will be some spot inking and masking for eyes and collar and maybe the tip of her nose, and then? Lots of little furry cuts, I think.
Kitty! its looking good :)
ReplyDeleteSorry the start of the year has been kinda crap :/
Thanks, Jen. I'm having a bit of angst about the color because I'm trying to make "daylight" color from an "indoors at night" reference image. I don't think it's going to come out looking much like its model. Maybe if I give her a different name her owner won't notice. ;-)
DeleteYou're not alone in a tough start to 2017. I've been feeling a certain degree of angst myself. I've finally just finished a piece from the end of 2016 & looking forward to moving on. Hey, the days are getting longer so things are looking up. Hope things are looking up for you as well.
ReplyDeleteThe days are definitely getting longer! I have a lamp that's on a timer, and today it came on before dark! Definitely an improvement. Not much else to do except keep stumbling forward... or press on, as we say. ;-)
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