Working on a new piece.
Grandson gave me some pre primed canvas so I will attempt an image using Oil Stick. ( oil paint in stick form )
I have invited him to do some drawings on it as well.
Its an adventure after all.
DAY 2
Spent an hour with colors. I need some drying so I can edit some of the spaces and make the main flower whiter.
Grandson will draw on the dried piece.
DAY 3
The piece is still wet and tacky. I did a few scratch details but cant add more paint without smearing whats there.
NOTE TO SELF. This is NOT your medium. You leave finger prints everywhere ,clean up has to be more thorough.
Stick to Watercolor.
Latest version after 15 mins. work.
DAY 4
Still drying. Its Saturday and GS is supposed to stop by this weekend to add something to the piece. I hope he comes Sunday to give this another day to dry.
I used Turpanoid thinner-brush cleaner and suspect there is too much turp, mixed with the stick. I always go to You-Tube for information and they say over 25% turpanoid mixed with oil paint will make the piece dry more slowly.
DAY 4
Its done,grandson added some color with color marker.
I havnt done this in over 10 years. I needed to read my own documents I made for teaching in order to remember what the first steps in the process are.
I guess a mail from my cousin about a printmaker I admire set me off to quell the belief I couldnt do this anymore due to arthritis.
NO WAYYYYY MAN. It's notmu hands that are the problem. Its my eyes.
Just as an experiment I had a nice drawing of the zinnias so I am using that.
The second stage is cutting a "V" along all lines.
Attach print paper and begin to fill in the shapes with color.
Use a burnishing too ( old silver spoon ) to rub the paint and transfer it to the paper.
I will use Gouasch for the final print.
I also need to buy print paper. This proof is on some flower paper I have thats about the right weight.
It took two hours to do this much. It takes a long time to carve the wood block.
Its a rainey day again so I took another pass at thye woodblock and carved the second zinnia and proofed it.
The proof shows where paint flows over the cuts and they need to be made deeper ,also I dont use as much care when adding color as I do when printing the editions.
Second Zinn cut and ready for paint,2 hours this time.
Paint added and proofed. Note to self, that violet is too transparent to use.
The print paper is taped to the woodblock at the top.
Final proofing for today
August 4th
Added a couple of spritzles and re -drew the third zinnia. Need to add leaves later.
Off to Art Store to buy good handmade printing paper.
New drawn spritzles
Carved third zinnia with spritzles.
Proofed
latest proof for today.
Printing paper is seven dollars a sheet, no wonder prices are high. Materials costs keep going up. The artist works for fifty cents an hour.
Off to the WOODCRAFT store to find a magic tool.
" gouge..I came back with a few more different drill bits and a "V'
Alas none gave me what I wanted. I am continuing towork with the slow method of cutting with a X acto
This is a smaller print
Proof on good paper
Printed image
Worked on this more today, cleaned up some of the lines and added green background with leaf shapes.
Aug 7
Tried to proof with gouache but didnt like the results.
I even think I like the light yellowgreen leaf area better than the latest green.
I am divided as to a background color for behind the bloom
Aug. 8
The print is done. Cant wait to stop looking at it. No more Whiteline Woodblocks for awhile.
Final print
Continuing this project.
I used the back of a painting and placed deadheaded lilies on it, sprayed with water and used a Woodblock print block as a weight.
After 24 hours things were still wet but pretty good results.
I like the pencil sketch under the dye patterns.
Concluded this was fun but not practical for use in large paintings. There are too many buds needed at one time to really create anything interesting. There are other Watercolor techniques that give a broken area result that are more immediate and desirable.
My cousin uses natueral dys to dye wool. She was experimenting with watercolor paper.
I am trying this new tecnique using spent flowers like DayLilies,Phlox and a few petunias.
I will follow up when the flowers are lifted. I would like to try to watercolor paint into this.
The second attempt on wet paper wasnt so fantastic.
I will gather more dark daylilies and try again on dry paper.
Still trying to paint but the damp weather makes for frustrating results. This is todays group
