intalyo

New Printmakers

2011-09-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

The images below are the first three-color separation monotypes by all the new printmakers. A pretty exciting bunch of prints. We've had discussions about each one and suggested the things they might try to make their messages stronger. With the knowledge they gained by this first effort, and from watching others execute their processes, their second effort will be even more exciting. Everyone is developing a theme through their work this semester, so how each one grows in concept and process will be fun to see.

Brittany Loop is investigating the visual dynamic of Koi.

Todd Brewer is exploring isolation, but not necessarily in a 'dark' way.

Tiffany Walker is exploring the seasons.

Patrick Berry is interpreting A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Miri Fetko is responding to Spanish poetry.

Maggie Poe is examining work related symbols and iconography.

Kirsten Goodman is utilizing cultural symbols representing the elements.

Kaitie Skinner is examining architectural possibilities.

Ellen Everwine is seeing through different points-of-view.

Brittany Norris is responding to social media and its effects on identity.

Allison Jones is exploring narrative fantasy.

Some of the images went through some funky color shifts in the translation from ink to pixel, but I hope you can see how the various approaches have expanded the process into some unique discoveries.

We've Started Printing

2011-09-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

On Teusday, the first day of class, besides detailing the usual first-day-of-class kind of stuff, we also created a Trace or Touch Print. As folks arrived in the studio they were sent over to a black rectangle that had been gridded off and instructed to do a quick self portrait within each of the frames and to include their names at the bottom of each section. The result is the first image above, a fun composite of those who were there on the first day.

Today we discussed themes and concepts that would drive the explorations into Intaglio, Relief, Monotype, and Collagraph, and then we created a collaborative three color separation monotype (second image above). Three groups worked on three inked sheets of mylar, one yellow, one cyan, and one magenta. By creating this collaborative print, everyone became familiar with the inks, the paper, and the press. One of the advantages also of pulling this impression was to realize that the process colors do not yield the same secondary colors as the primary colors do. Instead of green, orange, and violet, the process colors result in red, green, and blue.

Each of the three groups explored different approaches to reducing the field of color with marks using stamps, textured materials, solvents, plastics, etc. The result was pretty cool for a 15 person 90 minute collaboration.

First Full day of class, 09/01/11

2011-08-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to discussing ideas and themes with the new printmakers tomorrow. we're also going to do a collaborative monotype so that everyone will be prepared to execute their own image. The monotype above is from last spring's class. Anna Loos created this print based on her theme of home. She carried that theme throughout the semester creating some interesting images in intaglio and relief.

See you in the morning.

Fall Semester 2011

2011-08-29T07:37:00.001-07:00

Welcome back to the printshop. There has been a lot of activity in the shop getting it transformed from a paper-making studio back into a printmaking studio. Wende, in particular, has done a Herculean job with that transformation. There were some really beautiful things created this summer with the paper makers, and I know that energy will continue as we explore intaglio and relief during this fall semester. I have not posted a syllabus yet because it's still under construction, although there aren't that many changes, I've simply been dragging my feet a little through the final remnants of summer. So we'll all have a fresh look at what's in store during our first gathering tomorrow. See you in the shop bright and early with the coffee pot perking!

Spring Printmaking: we're done.

2011-05-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

Below is the colophon for the Self-Portraits exchange portfolio created by the afternoon printmaking class. I don't have many of the individual images documented, but if you click on the colophon, you'll see it on a larger and more detailed scale.

Other highlights of the semester included some inspiring color intaglios by Wende Cudmore:

Pako Martin, one of our graduating seniors crated some interesting work with the prints below. The first has a waxed print (thanks Rob) sewn over a color intaglio. The other is a piece of linoleum with holes cut into it and then coins dropped into the holes, intaglio inked and printed.

Miranda Becht explored some multi-plate intaglio prints using both etched zinc and solar plates.

Daniel Marshall also did some engaging images with solar plates, and check out the one he has on the colophon. Pretty nice.

Dani Maudlin, our newest BFA printmaking major, tried many different approaches with her work. This piece is an intaglio chine colle mounted on hand made paper.

2011-04-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

Our shop had some very good energy in it the past few days and we were all a little sad and a lot tired when Nicole headed back to Murray. It was one of the most intense and productive printing sessions in a long while. Starting on Sunday afternoon and finishing the printathon on Monday evening, resulting in an edition of 35, with a small hand full of printers proofs for Wende, Dani, Daniel, Pako, Brian, and Donna. Rolling Knob press is especially please to have one of Nicole's prints in its collection.

Declining Constraint is a four plate, six color intaglio print, filled with personal symbols, rich textures, and subtle references to Nicole's life, her losses, and obviously her passions. She discussed the developments in her work to many students and many different classes, including drawing, foundations, and ceramics.

Nicole presented two very impressive portfolios, one of her prints and another of her current and former students. Our students and the printmaking faculty were especially impressed to see the work that students were doing at Murray State. They were ambitious, large, and beautifully drawn and printed.

Here Nicole places one of the four plates on the press bed, the RED! plate. Wende was the master of that plate for most of the printing sessions. Nicole leaves the paper engaged so that the multiple plates register, and her template is a thin tympan with a plate-sized hole cut out to fit each subsequent plate into. There were only three registration issues, all caused by me (rats!)

Daniel had a session with the RED! plate as well when Wende and Dani got promoted to other plates. All had very rewarding experiences with the entire process. We're going to try to bring Nicole back next year for a special book making workshop, and Donna's paper making class this summer will be geared up for creating some very special papers for that experience.

See some of the past few posts for additional images from the past few days.

Thanks, Nicole.

Nicole Hand Printathon

2011-04-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a full day in the shop with a support group that inked and printed almost 40 impressions, four plates and six colors - that's 160 pulls through the press. This group was the last combination of printers on the last impression: Donna Stallard, Nicole Hand, Wende Cudmore, and Danielle (Dani) Maudlin.

Nicole gave an impromptu presentation to about 60 students during the day. Talking about her works, its processes and content.

At the beginning of the day, donna was the 'yellow' plate.

Arts and Letters Academic Advisor, Greg Roberts, stopped by the shop to meet Nicole and see the progress of print.

Nicole and Wende examine one of the first impressions of the day.

Check by later, there'll be a wrap-up of images and commentary.

Nicole is in the shop!

2011-04-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

Nicole arrived today, and within a very short period of time pulled a beautiful proof. A four-plate color intaglio. The above image is one of Nicole's prints she created for the Vitamin I Portfolio from 2008. She will be in the shop through Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, from 1:30 - 3:00 and from 6:15 - 7:45, Nicole will show and discuss her portfolio of prints and the current project for Rolling Knob Press. If you can't make either of those presentations, please stop by anytime to see the progress.

NICOLE HAND VISITING ARTIST

2011-04-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

This year's Rolling Knob Press artist, Nicole Hand, will be in the shop from Sunday, April 10 through Wednesday morning, April 13. She will be printing an edition for Rolling Knob of a multi plate color intaglio.

Nicole Hand is currently a Professor of Art at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky where she teaches printmaking, bookbinding and drawing. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in over 200 solo, invitational, and juried exhibitions. Recent exhibitions include Varied Voices, Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado, Delta National Print Exhibition, North America Print Biennial,Color Print USA, and Parkside National Small Print Exhibition. She has given lectures and workshops in over twenty venues including Atlanta Printmakers Studio, Arkansas State University, The University of Arizona, University of Texas at Arlington, Ohio University, University of South Dakota, Arkansas State University and The University of Kentucky, Lexington. The Cumberland Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee and The Heike Pickett Gallery, Lexington, Kentucky represents Nicole's work. She received her MFA in printmaking from the University of Miami, and a BFA from the University of South Dakota. Nicole lives in Almo, Kentucky with her husband Jim Bryant and daughter Ella.

We're excited to have Nicole with us this next week!

New Intaglio prints

2011-03-10T07:32:00.001-08:00

The beginning printmaking class has been working on their first intaglio prints. Here are examples from our midterm critique.

Anna is exploring the theme of "home" in her work this semester. In this print she incorporated soft ground, aquatint, and chine colle.

Nick is visiting all the things he likes to do; it's a Nick world. In this print, he pushed his aquatints with lots of scraping and burnishing, and after inking the intaglio he did a surface roll over the plate.

Daniel and/or Frank is expanding the beauty of sound and movement in his work. Here he interpreted the scratchy sounds of DJing, even allowing the edges of his plate to become scratchy (intentionally).

David is looking at robotics and technology and it's impact on human beings. A cyborg skeleton with aquatint, roulette, and a surface roll yields an interesting interpretation.

Dani is looking within to explore self-portraiture. In this intaglio print she has chine colled the figure onto a thin decorative paper later mounted onto a piece of handmade paper.

All five of these print are well executed through a variety of processes, and represent strong first attempts at the intaglio process. Later in the semester we will all be creating another edition of prints for a theme-based exchange portfolio (Self-Portraits). Each participant will print an edition of 11, for 17 portfolios. Each portfolio will contain 10 random prints from the class. Extra credit will be awarded for the uniqueness and the craftsmanship of the portfolio containers.

I'll be back soon to show what the advanced group is up to.

Wild and Wooley Video

2011-02-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

Brian Harper has posted a video of Rob's visit on his blog and shared it with me to post here. Enjoy.

Rob Wooley Day in the Printshop

2011-02-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

Rob Wooley was our visiting artist in the print shop yesterday and he stayed busy from early morning until late in the evening. He discussed the directions of his recent work, and the explorations with a variety of materials, including exotic papers that he chine colles onto one-of-a-kind prints. His two demonstrations were very informative. It was great having him back in the shop.

We all gathered around to look at the portfolio of prints that Rob brought with him. The layering of paper that he's utilizing with his work creates some really beautiful images, subtle veils of color and texture like the print at the top adds an almost spiritualness to the images. There are no longer hands or figures or portraits in his images, or at least not that are immediately readable. But instead dense textures, passages of light, and movement of amorphic shapes. Pretty amazing things happening in his work in what seems like a relatively short time.

Here Rob demonstrates the application of a tusche wash on a zinc plate, pushing it around while it's fluidity allows. After it dried, he etched it in nitric acid. The particles of the tusche produced a rich and velvety aquatint.

We had some refreshments before Rob began his presentations. Miranda was all about it!

Visiting Artist Rob Wooley

2011-02-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

Rob Wooley, BFA alumnus 2010, will return for a day of printshop demonstrations on Tuesday, February 15. Rob is currently pursuing his MFA in printmaking from the Herron School of Art. Rob will be demonstrating a process that replicates tusche washes on etching plates and possibly another that involves waxing prints. It'll be a print party so bring some goodies so we can keep him fed.

Last year's Rolling Knob Press artist, David Morrison, created a multi-colored, multi-plate lithograph. Rob served as the chief assistant in the printing of that edition.

The installation of Rob's thesis exhibition in the Barr Gallery that included lithographs, silk screen prints, digital prints, offset prints, and a variety of mixed media.

It'll be good to have Rob back in 'his' printshop.

More Solar Collaboration

2011-02-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

The lamp went out on the exposure unit today in mid-exposure. Beth had already expose the aquatint screen and was in the continued process with her positive, but there was no light to reflect. So we took advantage of the sunny but cold day and did the second exposure in the sun. Given that it's winter in the midwest, we tried a four minute exposure that seemed to be just the right amount of time. Beth's puppies as an intaglio proof is the result. The plate, positive, glass and blotter were clamped to a board for the makeshift exposure unit.

We tried a second time later in the afternoon with one of Wend's pressed plants, but we forgot to use the aquatint screen in the middle of the exposure, so we ran back into the studio after about two minutes and exchanged the plant for the screen, ran back out into the sun for three minutes, ran back into the studio and switched the screen for the plant, and then back out into the sun for three more minutes. The resulting image is like an early Motherwell painting, black organic shapes against a white field. Wende is going to experiment with some off-set, overlapping color impressions of the plate to see what the potentials might be.

Collaboration

2011-02-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

Wende and I worked in the shop today experimenting with the printing of a solar plate that she created by using dried and pressed seaweed as her positive for exposure. After a few tries with various ink viscosities, an impression was finally pulled that seems to take advantage of the image and the printing process. An intaglio color was applied as a blend and wiped tightly with tarlatan and phonebook paper, and then a surface roll blending from a transparent blue up to a pale yellow was applied. It seemed to do the trick. We had printed a few previous, but problems with the blemished roller, color intensity, and the lack of compatibility of the surface blend colors presented some problems that eventually were resolved. It became very clear, however, that the shop needs new rollers. In spite of that issue, I think Wende has a strong direction that should be lots of fun expanding and exploring.

Monotypes - the next batch

2011-02-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

The rest of the monotypes came in yesterday, after that 'final' layer of color was printed. There are some that could use, yet, another layer of color or black. This approach to monotype printing, layering process colors reductively one on top of the other, can be laborious depending on the image one is trying to achieve, or on the image one thinks they are trying to achieve. Sometimes the process and the image take an entirely different direction depending on the aesthetic position one prints themselves into. However, there are many interesting things that happen when wet inks get pushed and pulled into shapes, textures, and value transitions.

Wende was inspired by air pockets trapped under ice. Her direction created a strong image of organic symmetry that almost takes on a Judy Chicago sensibility.

Sam's exploration is rooted in nature, and in this print he explored a road winding through a landscape that takes on a theatrical set feel. It's dark and dense, but then there is a glimmer of hope over the horizon. It may be good to back out of the landscape some and enjoy the light.

Robin is exploring text and image, challenging us to understand the content and function of those combined visual elements. Expanding the inspiration by researching those artists who combine words into their images might be a worth while goal. It makes me wonder about the potentials of creating an image out of just text.

Nick is exploring the things in his life that he enjoys, and guess what one of those enjoyable things is? Some very subtle line work around the basketball started to suggest a sense of movement, maybe even animation. It would be equally enjoyable to push that quality more.

Lori is continuing the nature theme that she began exploring during the summer. Like Robin, she also combined image and text in this print. Again, researching artists who approach their imagery with that combination would be a way to strengthen that concept. Does readability matter? When and in what context?

One of the Daniels in the group, who I will from now on refer to as Frank, is interested in movement and sound, and in this print he explores the little thingys or buttons on a sound equalizer. Playing off their positions with light and color. Frank responds to the "beauty of movement."

One of the Davids is interested in robotics, technology, and machinery incorporated into living forms. His cyborg hand has potential that just needs a bit more technology.

The other David, like Nick, also shares a passion for basketball. He explored the game through a series of drawings last summer and is continuing that this semester. He may be pushing it into overtime, but this is a fresher point of view that may be the result of where he's positioned with the process.

The other Daniel, who, like Frank, is very interested in sound, particualry music, and has explored that passion in some of his work, also has a passion for cars and all the parts that coalesce into cars. He intends a lot more layering with his caddy.

New Monotypes

2011-01-31T06:21:00.001-08:00

Below are some of the finished (maybe) examples of three color separation monotypes from my printmaking class. There are many strong impressions, but I selected these as examples of the process being pushed, experimented with, a good grasp of the color theory involved and the interaction of the colors. I also think that the ideas work well with the process, strengthening the content of the final image. Click on any of the images for a closer look at detail.

Pako utilized patterning from his Mexican culture and his aesthetic as a graphic designer to create this whimsical and optical exploration of color, design, and craftsmanship. Each layer was meticulously reduced with such attention to detail that there are no areas where the ink piled up against the contours. It's very clean and precise.

Miranda created this impression based of kitschy animal figurines that results in an almost Disneyesque gathering of characters. She pushed the process well beyond the expectations and pulled the image through the press maybe ten times, layering more colors and values that is the usual or expected. She also carefully crafted and rendered each form.

Louise returned to a previous image that she was not as pleased with, and the second go-around resulted in an image rich with color and form. She was able to reduce the colors to a more muted palette, although there is still some intensity to her colors. Nevertheless, she took advantage of the range of color intensities and values.

Dani is exploring self-portraiture with her print work this semester and pushed this version through the press five times, I think, to create an aggressive yet contemplative expression. Each color was carefully reduced and rendered.

Beth also revisited an idea she explored previously in painting, but with the layered approach, she created a new version of her 'tree' that is full of textures, intense colors, and abstract shapes.

Anna is exploring the concept of 'home' with her work this semester, and her first interpretation was this very textural nest with egg-like shapes centrally located within the layers of color and texture. This is one of those prints that took advantage of an undefined edge to the image, thus creating a softer termination to the traditional rectangle.

Spring 2011 Printmaking

2011-01-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

Today was supposed to be when we met for our first class of the spring semester. Instead, I'm sitting in my office in a building that emptied at noon because of the accumulating snowfall. I recall this same thing happening last year, also on the first day of class. What's that about?

This class cancellation will cause some minor changes in the schedule and we'll have to double up on some things when we meet on Thursday to stay on track. There will be lots to look at, talk about, and act on; it'll be fun. I think a collaborative monotype will be on the agenda.

So, that being said, there's not much else to report for now, especially since no one is reading this yet. See you on Thursday.

Off To Wonderland

2010-05-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

Another semester is over, portfolios are scattered around the studio, Wonderland exchange portfolios have been distributed, and the shop is clean and ready for a new crew. The above image is the colophon page for the exchange portfolio. Since the portfolios do no not contain every print by every one involved, but rather ten random prints, all of the impressions are reproduced on the colophon so that everyone at least has a 'history' of the images created. Based on past exchanges, I didn't think the Wonderland theme was our strongest.

The discussion of the portfolio started by generating ideas within the entire group. In the course of throwing out possible themes, someone suggested "Alice in Wonderland." During the brainstorming session that was distilled down to just Wonderland, which has all kinds of potential. But there were some who embraced Alice's journey nevertheless, so there are a number of prints in that land and some that ventured into new territory.

Each participant printed an edition of eleven, and many of those editions were very well printed, with only slight variations. A few were questionable and could have used a few more impressions from which to cull a solid edition of eleven, but all in all, it was a good project and a rewarding portfolio. I hope all who participanted are happy with the collection of prints they received.

Enjoy the spring and summer wonderland.

Fine Arts Open House

2010-04-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

The Dirt Bags Art Club is hosting the 2nd annual IUS Fine Arts Department open house on Friday evening from 6:00-8:00. Please bring in some of your prints if they're not already in the shop so we can put some out in the hallway and in the pritnshop. Bring your friends and family. It was a blast last year going from studio to studio seeing what everyone was creating. Good music and food, and creative fellowship. Hope you can make it. Click on the image above to see the particulars of the event.

Post-Morrison

2010-04-19T08:51:00.001-07:00

It's a new week in the printshop, the last push toward the end of a busy semester. David packed up on Saturday and headed back north to Indy/Herron. The printshop feels a little different this morning, although there are remnants of the energy from last week. After the last color was printed on Friday afternoon, we gave a big push to get things cleaned and packed so David could get an early start.

The prints were collected off the tables and loaded onto the drawing rack.

Even managed to catch Donna off guard for one the rare photos of her, couldn't pass up sharing it with you.

Rob was very focused on getting the ink slab cleaned and the roller. He was especially helpful during the week and soon after he and David started printing earlier in the week, they had developed a very efficient process. I figure the press saw around 800 runs, from stretching paper to the final color.

This is the final run next to the final print.

Another of Donna loading prints onto the drying rack.

This is the group of drawings on frosted Mylar that David executed during the week and that were exposed to the photo positive plates to develop the image. They are sitting on a light table.

It was a very rewarding experience for all of the printmaking students to see David working and fully explaining what he was doing and why he was doing it. I think the experience will inspire more lithography in the coming semesters. The drawing students, from beginning to advanced, also benefitted from the numerous presentations by David, showing his work from his undergraduate days and how his process and content grew over the years to his present concerns.

Thank you, David, for everything!

David Morrison's visit/day 5

2010-04-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

This has been a super week in the printshop with David working on the print below. The final color (maybe) is being printed today, a deep charcoal grey. It makes the image come to life with light and movement.

David also added more transitional passages of value to the final color that makes the space both more real and more surreal.

David studying the final proof before printing the last run of color. Of the two versions here, the left is the one he's going after. It was not as heavy since he changed the exposure of the plate and pulled back away from the darker color. It's a beautiful print.

David Morrison's visit/day 4

2010-04-15T07:21:00.001-07:00

We're at day 4 in the printshop with David, and he and Rob have run two more colors since yesterday's post. Shawn was in there as well yesterday helping to get a warm grey printed, and then a white was added this morning, early this morning. David responded that it was the first time he had printed white, opaque white, over previous colors that may have been still slightly damp. What it did to the previous colors is pretty amazing, all kids of subtleties, light, and space are beginning to move. We both saw a slight visual connection the the landscape of Avatar.

David is working on yet another drawing for a later run of color. He consistently refines the image through the drawing process, considering each move in relation to what has happened to the image so far.

The row of state proofs lines the wall, showing each individual run and its effect on the previous stage of the image.

All of the prints are now sitting out on most of the surfaces to expedite the drying time. The plan is to begin printing again around 2:00 this afternoon after the prints have had some time to 'rest' and dry.

The current printing has moved from the Brand Litho press to the Takach press since it's more accommodating for stone.

This isn't a great shot of where we are now, but it's not bad. The image is beginning to have an internal glow.

Since last evening's print session ended earlier to allow for some drying time, David was taken to the local brew house, the New Albanian, where he discovered that they had one of his favorite beers on tap, Delirium, that he had been introduced to in Belgium, and amazingly it was on tap in New Albany, IN. Cheers!

David Morrison's visit/day 3

2010-04-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

Another image and run of color was printed last evening after yesterday's post, so there are now three colors/layers to the image. David is considering several possibilities for subsequent printings. So far the above stages have been printed off of plates, but he is thinking about a run off of stone today. Click on any of the images to see more detail.

Here are some of the drawing paraphernalia essential to developing each of the images that are being layered. The box of doughnuts are especially vital to the process.

This is the stone on which David created the key image, but it may be printed as an earlier run rather than the later. The proof to the right shows the 'musicality' of the image, and the subtle transitions of value moving through the complexity of the line work.

David's hand at work, drawing on frosted Mylar on the light table. It will be used as a positive to expose on the photo plate for subsequent printing.

It's been an amazing few days so far in the printshop. David and Rob are printing machines, pulling around 60 impressions for each layer, and running each of those layers in one session. It's been especially inspiring also for this 'intaglio-guy', who is now considering the possibilities of a litho. What? Yes, I may have to get on the litho press soon. There is a much more profound reconsideration of the process when you can witness the workings and the critical thinking process of an artist who is a master lithographer. Too much fun!

Besides all of the drawing and printing that's going on, David is also doing presentation after presentation to various groups of students who stop by the shop to witness the activity. Yesterday afternoon he presented a PowerPoint to Susan's drawing class, taking us back to some of his undergraduate work, through graduate school, various residencies, and up to his current work. A fascinating journey.

David Morrison's visit/day 2

2010-04-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

Rob Woolley sponging the plate.

Rob attaching a first run proof to the registration system while David supervises.

Two impressions, the left a first run and on the right a combination of the first and second.

David Morrison rolling up the plate.

The ink slab, roller, and colors used.

David arrived yesterday and spent the day getting unpacked, acclimated to the shop, presenting work and his plans for the week to the print class, stretching paper (60 sheets with each running through the press three times), preparing the registration on each sheet, and then printing the first run of color, a flat. It was a pretty busy day. Today, he and Rob are well into the second run, and already it is a beautiful image. It's pretty exciting to have this kind of energy in the shop and to see one of David's images developing from the initial idea/drawing.

Yesterday he explained that on a recent residency to the Banff Centre he had an initial plan going in, but after experiencing the awe-inspiring vistas of the Rocky Mountains and the lush landscape, he refocused into a new direction, completing a series of drawings. This new work is the inspiration for his new prints, based on nature, obstructions, music, and gesture, they are gestural and lyrical.

I will try to keep abreast with the work-in-progress and post the information and images over the next three days.

Rob's Thesis

2010-04-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

The images below are installation shots of Rob Woolley's thesis exhibition.

Rob Woolley and Sara Jones opened their thesis exhibitions last night. There was a big crowd in the course of the two hour reception, good food, and lots of interesting discussion. Rob, as many of your know, is graduating with a BFA in printmaking. He's the third BFA printmaker from our program since it started in 2003. Brett Ernst and Diana Hatchett are the other two. Rob has been accepted into graduate programs at the University of Florida, The University of Cincinnati, and the Herron School of Art at IUPUI in Indianapolis. He has accepted Herron's offer. Coincidentally, David Morrison, our Rolling Knob Press Visiting Artist coming in next week, oversees the Herron MFA program in printmaking. It's going to be an exciting week.

New Relief Prints

2010-04-08T11:09:00.001-07:00

Some new relief prints hot off the presses. Some are for an edition of four and some are for an edition of 11 for our Wonderland exchange portfolio.

Danny Palafox

Mel Smith

Will Goolsby

Tatum Park

Pako Martin

Miranda Becht

Jerry Abshear

Greg Truesdel

Daphne Dohoney

Daniel Marshal

Connie Goodwin

Aberlyn May

Lithography Press Woes

2010-04-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

Our Charles Brand Lithography press had been inoperable for the past three weeks after the warp plate that sits under neath the press bed finally warped. We've had the press around 30 years and never had any problems. Then one day, as the bed was passing over the center roller, a shotgun blast sound came from under the press. Apparently the warp plate, a 1/8 inch sheet of steel, had finally stretched enough that is had no place to stretch to, so it would recoil with a considerable percussion.

This is the "new" litho press, repaired just in time for David Morrison's visit to our shop and Rolling Knob press. We don't have time to sand and paint, but at least it'll be functional for intensive printing next week.

Rob and Shawn are positioning the 30" x 50" steel press bed at the end of the litho press for reinstallation. The press bed is about an inch thick and weighs several hundred pounds. It sits on top of the warp plate.

This is the way the press looked for about a week after we removed the bed in order to extract the warp plate. Diversified Sheet Metal, Inc. made the new warp plate in a very expeditious time so we could meet the Morrison deadline. They were great to work with.

Thanks to all who helped, risking limbs and digits, to get our press up and running again: Rob Woolley, Shawn McPheron, Danny Palafox, Will Goolsby, Greg Truesdel, Pako Martin, and Jeffrey Purlee, Daniel Marshall, and Troy Haggard.

IMMERSED

2010-04-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

Rob Woolley and Sara Jones will be opening their BFA Thesis exhibitions on Thursday in the Barr Gallery. The reception is from 5:00 - 7:00. It's going to be a beautiful show, come check it out. If you can't make the opening, the exhibit continues until May 26.

DAVID MORRISON VISITING ARTIST

2010-03-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Indiana University Southeast Printmaking Department and Rolling Knob Press are excited to be hosting a four day visit by David Morrison to our shop, April 12 - 16. David will be creating an edition for Rolling Knob Press, a multi-plate/stone lithograph, and meeting with drawing and printmaking students to discuss their work. Below are two of David's prints that were exhibited in the Passion and Process: Impressions from America's Master Printmakers at Louisville's Water Tower in 2006.

Iconic Bracelet No. 1

Iconic Bracelet No. 2

David is currently Professor of Art at the Herron School of Art, Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis. His work has shown in numerous international, national, and solo exhibitions in which he has received over seventy awards. His work is included in numerous public and private collections and he has been a visiting lecturer and guest artist at a number of universities. David graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985 with Master of Fine Arts and from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1981.

GROUP PORTFOLIO PROJECT

2010-03-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

This semester's group portfolio project is based on the theme of Wonderland. The paper size will be 8.5" x 11", and the image size will be any scale that successfully addresses that idea through the selected process, including bleed. The edition size will be 11 so that everyone will receive a complete portfolio with ten randomly selected prints with one complete set going to the print shop collection.

Wonderland offers the potential for many different interpretations as long as the obvious isn't settled on as the best alternative to the problem. Try to generate as many solutions as possible before you decide on the direction of your print. Also give consideration to the medium/media you select as it will have a big effect on your edition. The final trial proof will come in on April 5, with final editions due on April 28. We need to also think about the actual portfolio container and the design and medium of the colophon page.

Reworked Intaglio

2010-03-04T08:10:00.001-08:00

The S240 group began the semester by picking out an abandoned plate from a previous semester, pulling a proof of the plate, and then selecting a 4" x 6" section of the image to transform into another image but also utilizing part of the original image. After they found the area to work with, they cut the plate, cropping down to the 4 by 6 section. Learning how to utilize their scraper and burnishing tools, they removed the part of the metal plate they wanted to transform, and then added additional imagery by etching in line work, aquatint, soft ground. By pulling working proofs of their plates in progress, they also learned how to ink and wipe intaglio plates, and print on the etching presses. The below selections were particularly successful in transforming the original zinc plates into new matrixes that yielded some pretty interesting impressions. You can click on the images for greater detail.

This is Troy's reworked intaglio plate, with the original impression on the right and the new version on the left. He did a lot of scraping, sugar lift, aquatint, and line etch, transforming the image from the crouched figure to an "A-Bomb." If you look closely at the background, you'll see the mountain range he included in his image.

Tatum pulled some existing shapes out of the heavily etched plate, the original impression is on the bottom, she did some scraping and burnishing and then some open-bite to create an abstract pattern of positives and negatives.

Pako found in his original impression, the bottom image, a car buried in lots of dark texture. He pulled that out with scraping, burnishing, and sanding, and then added some text and additional imagery.

Daphne selected a deeply etched plate of shapes suggesting fingers, the bottom impression. There was a lot of open-bite, so she continued with that approach by adding imagery of a "polaroid" shape and some vine, and added a subtle aquatint into the image area of the polaroid.

Danny found a skull buried in this deeply etched plate, bottom impression, and used his scraper and burnisher to bring out that feature. Then he got rid of all the other information by scraping, burnishing, and sanding. After getting the plate back to a nearly clean surface, he added another scull and other shapes set off by a lightly etched aquatint.

Connie found a plate that reminded her of her camping experiences, the right impression. She pulled out features that suggested to her a camp-fire by sanding, scraping, burnishing, and etching. She then added some hand coloring with water colors.

ROB IN THE SPACELAB

2010-02-26T08:44:00.000-08:00

Rob standing in the Spacelab after his opening. The beard and the wall compliment each other.

A drawing created directly on the wall of the Spacelab.

One of Rob's newest pieces that combines mixed media and silkscreen.

Another example of new work combining both a painter's and printmaker's sensibility.

The Fuel Injectors from a previous installation Rob had in the hallway have now incorparated the space into the work.

Rob opened in the Spacelab yesterday with a group of works that transformed the 'lab' into a gallery. He did everything (sans cookies) from creating a lighting system to heating the space (a welcomed comfort). It's an interesting group of works that he's testing in preparation for his thesis exhibition that will be opening in the Barr gallery on Thursday, April 8. Well done, Rob.

Exchange Portfolio: Reconciliation

2010-02-22T07:42:00.000-08:00

This is the colophon page of the exchange portfolio created during the fall semester 2009. What will the spring 2010 colophon look like?

As in almost every previous semester, we will be undertaking a group portfolio exchange project this semester. Discussion of the project will be March 1 to decide on the theme, media, paper and image size, and edition number. Last semester there were 17 participants, each creating an edition of 11 impressions based on the theme “Reconciliation”, each print was on 9” x 12” paper with an image size of 5” x 7”. At the end of the semester, each participant received a portfolio of 10 randomly selected prints, while the shop received one complete portfolio of 17 impressions. The decision to not create editions of 18 was primarily cost related. 17 people printing editions of 18 impressions would require a lot of paper and a lot of ink.

The theme for the project is very open, but unlike the current 200 level intaglio project, this portfolio theme will be pursued by everyone rather than having several themes going at once. This allows for a collaborative strengthening of ideational fluency, taking an idea and interpreting it through each of the 17 unique sets of experiences, perceptions, and mediums. The media is also open and will ultimately be decided by each participant. At the moment, we have a few working in lithography, a few in silk screen, a lot of intaglio, and soon many more in relief. An exchange portfolio that explores all of these processes creates a more intriguing collection of prints than a portfolio that explores only one process.

So be thinking about a theme, and take a look at some of the past portfolio projects for inspiration.

Exhibit Opportunity

2010-02-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

Anyone have some work they want to enter in a show in Jeffersonville? Go to:

www.springintoart.org

I'll be serving as the awards judge, don't know how it'll be juried, but it would be fun to see some work from IUS.

Monotypes, Phase I

2010-02-02T10:20:00.000-08:00

Shawn created this image that is not particularly characteristic of the usual resulting palette of bold intense colors. I think he's still going to run another layer or two over this to push the atmospheric perspective even more.

Pako's confident drawing style that embraces illustrative rendering blended well with the separation process that resulted in a wide range of colors and values and a sense of animation.

Miranda explored an idea of image stereotypes that pushed the palette into interesting and expressive directions with bold colors and composition.

Mel looked at the abstraction of text, shape, and color to create the complexity of camouflaging pattern .

Greg looked at various travel images for inspiration and created this brightly colored sea/land scape.

Danny shows one of his influences in this pseudo-diabolical portrait that has an interesting contrast of colors carrying the content to other unexpected places.

Aberlyn's self-portrait has a strong sense of the dramatic created through her drawing/design skills and the resulting palette, belying the contemplative expression on the face.

These and many more prints represent a big batch of monotypes in my office that are fresh off the press. So fresh, in fact, the fragrance is filling the room with the sweet aroma of the printshop. Several of you have been down this path before, but there are about twelve who explored this method for the first time. I think the veterans showed obvious signs of growth from their last efforts with the three color separation process, and those exploring for the first time did some pretty competent things as well.

Learning a new process, or expanding on a process that clearly still possesses an element of surprise is always fun and challenging. Sometimes, though, the challenges can present themselves as barriers depending on how much or how little we tap into that side that is the creative part of who we are. Try not to let the those challenges of process become a barrier to your creative development, rather, embrace the challenge so you can express your visions, and be open to allowing the vision to take a different direction depending on the challenge. Printmaking, as you all know, and as we've discussed, is about deferred gratification. The thought process can be very convoluted at times, but the discoveries can be vastly rewarding.

I posted the images above because of their finished, resolved quality, and how they utilized the color separation process. Also how they resolved visual issues through that process without resorting to solutions outside of the process. Many of the pieces can be resolved by becoming mixed media, maybe even becoming stronger as such, but confronting creative problems that still have the potential for strong resolutions can be very satisfying, and edifying.

Our First Group Discussion

2010-01-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

Monotypes were due yesterday at 3:15, providing about an hour at the end of class for discussion in regard to where the prints were and what needed to be done still. I'll have some examples to post sometime on Friday. There were several that were very well executed and crafted and that took advantage of the full concept of color separation, and there were some that were short of the last one or two runs of colors or neutrals to resolve the image. I'm hopeful they'll be in a better place by the extended deadline of Friday at 10:00 a.m.

Resolving the impressions may involve techniques and methods that don't require the press. Some of the images may be better resolved with some hand work, drawing and/or painting. Afterall, it is a monotype, a one-of-a-kind impression. Often called the "painterly" print medium. Troy's resolution to his "kind of a cross" image was to go additive rather than sustaining the reductive process, allowing him to expand his imagination. This process merges printmaking, drawing, and painting, and can often do so with rich and exciting works. After printing, the image can be reworked to some extent using various types of media. However, it's a good idea to think about what that media is, or will be, since you're working on a oil based surface. Don't lose the integrity of the print by using it as simply a base for drawing or painting, but rather exercise your creativity to effectively blend those approaches.

This project stretched over twelve days, more than adequate time to print three colors, four if needed. That length of time actually could have yielded a small series of impressions, like Daniel is starting to explore. However, I can fully understand the intimidation factor that comes with a first semester printmaking student who comes in to work and isn't quite sure if they know how to mix the inks, or pull an impression on the press. That's why technical journals are so important. Of course, if you have a technical journal with no technical notes, it's a tough road working in the shop during non-class hours. So let's see if we can get our journals up-to-date on what we've covered so that the shop starts to experience more frequent activity than just Monday and Wednesday afternoons.

See you in the shop.

Another Holiday! No Classes!!

2010-01-13T14:04:00.000-08:00

Monday, January 18, is the holiday to celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday, although he was actually born on January 15, which is Friday. Federal law (5 U.S.C.6103) established that MLK's birthday be celebrated this year (2010) as a National Holiday on the 18th, and every year on the third Monday of January. However, it's interesting that the law was established for federal employees. Most federal employees work on a Monday through Friday schedule. For those employees, when a holiday falls on a non-work day, Saturday or Sunday, the holiday usually is observed on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday).

It's weird, if it falls on Friday it seems to me that that is a work day, not a non-work day, so why is MLK's birthday celebrated on the third Monday of January instead of this Friday, a work day, then we could at least have printmaking class on Monday. Last year, 2009, MLK's birthday was on Thursday the 15th, but celebrated on Monday the 21st, since, again, it was the third Monday of the month....go figure. If you'd like to celebrate MLK's birthday in the printshop, let me know and I'll bring the cake.

Beginning a New Semester

2010-01-09T12:27:00.000-08:00

Spring classes start on Monday. I like the optimism of the "spring" semester, although it's freezing today, somewhere around 50 below zero. We have a mixed bag in the studio this semester, 11 beginning students, three in 300 level, one in 400 level, and one BFA. We'll also have both etching presses and, I hope, both litho presses running this semester, so there will be lots of printing fun!!! Those of you in the S240 group, if you get the chance to get any of your supplies by Monday, bring your scraper and burnisher with you. If not, we'll get into that on Wednesday. See you Monday at 1:15.

End of the Semester

2009-12-04T08:19:00.000-08:00

It's Friday morning, close to noon; probably will be noon by the time I post this. The printshop is empty this morning, no printing happening. Maybe there will be some activity later, maybe tomorrow, even Sunday. I hope so.

There are a few shots of the printshop in its current state. Of course it won't look like this on Wednesday morning. It'll be clean, inks and other materials will be returned to their assigned locations, tables, counter tops, the big island and the small island will be scrubbed clean. Brayers will be in their drawer with the roller-side up. Tools will be back in their drawer. The hot plate will look new. Glass inking slabs will be shiny and the duct tape trim around them will be cleaned of all the ink. The acid room sink will, again, look like a stainless steel sink. We'll say goodbye to any unclaimed pinwheels. The light table will be a clean expanse of light table. A chunk of final grades is based on "Printshop Rules and Maintenance", so beyond each of the assigned printshop duties each of you had for the semester, the general maintenance (including some of those duties) have been a bit lax. Make sure everyone pitches in between now and Wednesday to get the shop back to where it was on the first day of the semester, so everyone can reap the rewards.

Exchange Portfolio: Reconciliation

2009-11-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

Shawn McPheron's solar plate image was created with a photographic image manipulated in photoshop and then printed onto a transparency and exposed to the plate. He printed it with a modified graphite ink on tan BFK.

Rosi Benjamin's also created a solar plate print by drawing directly onto a transparency with India Ink and Sharpies and and then exposing it to the plate. Her printing involved a black intaglio with a transparent roll of a cool cyan and printed on a warm paper.

Kim Salaices' print is a linoleum cut printed over a digital image of pattern and chine colled onto a thin black paper, which she then sewed button eyes onto the rag doll and further stitched into the heart and body of the doll image.

Fran Detiel's print is a digital drawing printed onto a transparency and exposed to the plate, which she hand colored with transparent washes of acrylic, she burnt the edges of the print and also burnt the edges of the paper that the print was eventually mounted on.

Chris Little's print was an linoleum cut exploring cellular and tectonic issues, it was printed onto a map and then further mounted onto rag paper.

Almost all of the "artist's proofs" for the Reconciliation editions have been submitted. Actually they aren't Artist's Proofs since most of the editions haven't been printed yet, so each is actually referred to as a bon a tirer, which mean good to pull. Years ago print collectors use to consider an Artist's Proof as a prized acquisition because in the French tradition of printmaking an artist worked closely with a Master Printer. As the artist inspected the proofs that had been pulled by the Master Printer, the one the artist signed and labeled "B.A.T." (bon a tirer) was the one the artist wanted as a guide for the edition. This print took over as the coveted one for collectors because it was the first to meet the artist's standards and approval. However, because many artists now print their own editions and give equal attention to the first print as well as the last, the attention given to Artist's Proofs has become less important. Each print in the edition is of equal importance.

A colophon page is being prepared for the portfolio and it will have reproductions of every print created for the exchange since the portfolios will not contain all of the images. There will be 17 randomly collated portfolios of ten prints each, and one portfolio with all 17 prints as part of the printshop collection. Although I know that some of you are disappointed that the portfolios will not be complete, the budget would not allow for the editioning of 306 prints, that's a lot of ink and a lot of paper and lot of glassine and a lot of time. The had to be a reconciliation for everyone to get a good sampling of the entire group of prints, plus reproductions of the ones that are not included in an particular portfolio.

Examples of some of the prints are included with this post. They represent a diverse range of imagery and processing. They also represent a conceptual stretch of the theme that defines the portfolio.

GYOTAKU

2009-11-12T06:53:00.000-08:00

Rob's flounder

Brian's flounder

On November 10th, Mineo Yamamotto, a renowned fish printer from Japan, came to IUS to conduct a seminar and fish printing workshop. The event was hosted by the Department of Fine Arts and the School of Natural Sciences. We had twenty partcipants, twenty fresh flounder, and twenty experimental attitudes. The results were pretty remarkable, and I have posted two of the prints above. Mineo was very helpful and very engaging with his explanations and demonstration of the process. He also had several of his own works that were quite beautiful.

Relief Prints

2009-11-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

Trista Escobedo

Shawn McPheron

Kimberly Fawbush

Khara Cornelius

Fran Dietl

Chris Little

Beth Dougherty

We viewed and discussed final relief prints today, with a selection of those prints reproduced above. Each will have an edition of at least 4, some may have more. Many of the prints explored multiple processes, and given the variety of approaches taken I think that a pretty broad range of educational and creative experiences were shared by many. Chris and Khara both were using maps as a printing base, with Chris printing on actual map sections and Khara on digital maps. Several explored chine colle, and Shawn, Beth, and Kimberly had some pretty successful results. Fran took advantage of translucent paper mounted over another and different color paper for her strong graphic image, while Trista printed her image over a dog foot print decorative paper that created an image of multiple complexities of meaning.

Relief prints, like all of the print processes prior to the digital, has a long history and tradition. However, during the last quarter of the 20th century printmaking went through a lot of changes, perhaps due to large contract print shops working with artists who didn't know how to create prints. Prints began to incorporate other media, they no longer were just flat images created with ink, paper, and pressure. They incorporated photographic processes, sculptural considerations, even elements of installation and video. The work created in those printshops was orchestrated by Master Printers, artists who knew how to create prints based on extensive experience and knowledge of the processes, and who worked with the artists who didn't know how to create a "print". Much of printmaking is about is about critical thinking, having an idea and exploring that idea through a process or processes, resolving creative problems, saying something new and visually engaging about the potentials of both the idea and the process. That takes skill, creativity, knowledge of what came before, and the ability to think critically.

After the relief prints are editioned, wonder what would happen if.......

Rob's Fuel Injectors

2009-10-20T08:33:00.000-07:00

Rob's multi-media piece that's been installed in the downstairs hallway has provided some engaging and provocative discussions regarding content, form, and the conceptual associations of the viewer. As one person commented, "It's a very smart piece." It's great having some smart art around. I'm not sure how much longer he intends to leave it in place, but if you haven't had the chance to look and think about it, please do so. The concept of multiples is especially strong, and the combination of paint and silkscreened text add some pretty interesting layers of meaning.

RELIEF PRINTING

2009-10-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

The above relief print by Andy English is part of the portfolio, Walking on Water, that was organized by the print artist Debra Fisher. Although I am not sure if this is a linoleum or wood engraving, clearly the success of the image is the result of careful planning and superb drawing skills, and utilizing the graphic potential of black and white.

Look back at Thursday, August 28, 2008 for a short video on relief printing. Linoleum and wood are the most common surfaces for relief printing, and for those of you who are considering wood, pine and poplar are perhaps the easiest to work with, although the grain of Pine if very hard to very soft and it's sometimes very easy to see cuts that have run away. Be careful cutting into that surface. Poplar is more medium soft and the grain more even than Pine, and it'll hold detail better. Cherry and Pear are very hard and excellent for detail work with fine lines. One of the advantages of wood over linoleum is its ability to be embossed, such as placing a metal washer on the wood surface and tapping it into the wood to create circular shapes. Because of the flexibility of linoleum, such techniques are not as successful

If your idea for the Reconciliation Portfolio has a strong graphic quality, then a relief print may be your surface of choice. What do I mean by strong graphic quality? The ability to communicate your idea through Black and White and the range of optical grays that are the result of careful cutting.

Solar Plates

2009-10-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

Rob did a thorough presentation of solar plate today, but with five missing in action, this is a recap (of sorts).

What is solar plate?: It's a light sensitized steel backed polymer material, that is exposed with U.V light such as the sun (solar, get it?) and developed with tap water.

How is it done?: You can work directly on the plate with opaque materials in the form of non-water based pigments, or by exposing the plate through transparent film with artwork on it. The film may be created by drawing on acetate, photocopying or scanning and printing on film, or darkroom and/or photoshop techniques. A positive transparency is for printing an intaglio, a negative transparency is for printing a relief.

What etches the plate?: Water dissolves the unexposed portions of the plate. Either in large bold areas or tonal ranges.

The artwork is prepared with a variety of materials, such as opaque liquids, drawing devices such as lithographic pencils and crayons, spray paint, etc. It can be created by hand drawing, computer printout, of photographic methods. Non-water based materials if working directly on the plate. The images are created on transparent acetate or mylar. That transparency is used as a contact positive or negative.

The exposure has been set on the light table or exposure unit in the back of the studio for 20 seconds on the aquatint screen and 35 seconds on the transparency. Even though the plates can be exposed by sunlight, exposure units are preferred my most artists. The repeatable U.V. exposure offers consistency and reliability. The aquatint screen provides an continuous tone to the surface of the plate, while the transparency that contains the art work provides the image. The two together will create an image with full tonal or value range. With solar plate you have to expose the aquatint screen not only for tonal range, but also for additional hardening in the open areas.

The creation of an image on translucent or semi transparent film are considered positive images. If, as Rob suggests, you use a digital positive instead of a hand drawn image, you can skip the screen, but you may end up with some "foul biting" unless you play with the positive some. If you use a digital positive, 'curve' the tones in photoshop so the darkest tone is no greater than 70% black and print it on your transparency as a random dot bitmap.

Rob will print the plate on Wednesday and we'll recap further once someone is ready to expose!

Plate's States and other areas.

2009-10-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

The images below were selected for posting as they have utilized all of the processes we've explored to date. Intaglio is a tremendously versatile medium once the flexibility of its theories are explored and considered. Putting an acid resistant material on the surface of a metal plate and submerging it into acid can create all kinds of challenging effects. What are some acid resistant materials? We know asphaltum works, and soft ground, which is essentially a modified version of asphaltum that has a small dose of Vaseline. Other things that resist acid include crayons, sharpies, china markers, litho pencils, spray paint.... think about the fact that our acid solution is water-based, and then think about the things that don't mix with or dissolve in water. Think of the possibilities.

Shawn's proof has a lot of movement around the central face that explores line, value, and texture, and given the face has such importance in the image, some kind of drastic process might be worthy of consideration, such as sand blasting the plate to a mezzotint surface and pushing a tonal layer on top of the etched layers by careful scraping and burnishing.

Hayley's proof has a strong graphic quality that may do some interesting things when combined with chine colle. Sounds like a demo....

Chris's proof is developing some deep values and subtle imagery obfuscated by those deep values. Maybe some careful burnishing would help while maintaining the spontaneity of the image.

Beth's plate has lots of levels, values, and textures that may print beautifully as a color separation. It may also be an interesting approach to actually cut into the plate edges to bring out some of the geometry.

Adrienne's proof has some subtle soft ground passages and an effective progressive aquatint that she's now scraping and burnishing into, so that the value transitions are not so abrupt (a result of progressive aquatints). This image may also benefit from an application of Chine Colle.

We're moving further into the intaglio process and many of you have been able to get through our current state. The Labor Day Holiday, the water main break a week ago, my absence on Monday have set us back a little, but I think the progress is pretty close to where we want to be. Next week will be pretty full with Rob's Solar Plate demonstration, relief print demo, and some introductory color printing techniques.

Our intaglio plates have presented a wide variety of images, some suited to the process and some not so much so, but this first plate was to get experienced with many of the issues that present themselves in the course of etching and printing a metal plate. Some of the many examples are presented above. Each of these have gone through line etch, aquatint, and soft ground. Beth also explored open bite to some extent, and many have utilized scraping and burnishing. A few of the plates have enough levels within the plate that they'll be good candidates for some color experimentations.

INTAGLIO

2009-09-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

We'll start working on metal tomorrow, creating images that print from below the surface, hence the word intaglio, Italian for engrave, carve, or cut. It covers a lot of different processes which we'll explore on 8" x 10" zinc plates. Your image can be anything you want to explore except goofy cliche-type images. Your image will be etched into metal, so make it matter. If you're desperate for something to explore through the processes, you can never go wrong with a self portrait.

I've put together a PowerPoint of some intaglio prints by a variety of artists who are recognized for their images and their techniques. Just click on INTAGLIO to see the variety of impressions.

See you in the morning.

September 11 Memorial Portfolio Exhibition

2009-09-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

This was a 36 foot mural created by seven Fine Arts students on the front wall of the gallery.

Here some visitors viewing individual prints from the Memorial Portfolio.

Another point of view showing the rows of prints in the installation.

445 prints wrapping around the gallery have a quiet and emotional impact.

The exhibition opened Thursday evening with nearly 225 in attendance throughout the two hour reception. Dr. Carol Pulin gave a very moving gallery talk reflecting on the impact of the events of 9/11/01 and the 445 artists who responded with an outpouring of expressive image.

PrintSpin

2009-09-11T09:51:00.000-07:00

The pinwheels have made it to the front yard of Knobview Hall. The lack of rain and the thickness of some of the driftwood steaks required some drilling into the ground on Friday morning to planting. Thurday's Basic Drawing class did an installation also using hammers and screw drivers to pierce the earth. So we've had two different installations. Above are some images from both days.

PINWHEEL WORKSHOP

2009-09-10T06:52:00.000-07:00

A monoprint created by Dr. Carol Pulin during the Pinwheel workshop she conducted in our printshop.

Susan Moffett brought her drawing class to the shop to participate.

Some of the colorful pinwheels await planting out on campus.

Trista Escobedo and Haley Bayley work on their prints that eventually were cut and folded and mounted on sticks.

Beth Dougherty moves leaves around on one of her prints that had been used as stencils.

Carol Pulin and Beth Dougherty inspect one of the offset prints in her pinwheel series.

Carol Pulin, Director of the American Print Alliance, was our guest in the printshop conducting a Pinwheel Workshop (see August 31 post). It was an energetic, sometimes chaotic day of monoprinting and monotyping, starting at 9:00 a.m. and concluding around 4:30. Many students come into the shop to participate and the result is a collection of Pinwheels that will be installed on campus to promote sustainable energy. Enjoy, and hope to see everyone at the opening this evening of the September 11 Memorial Portfolio. Carol will give a gallery talk beginning at 6:00.

INTAGLIO

2009-09-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Hey, y'all. Venture back to August 2008 to see a pretty sweet little 8 minute video about Intaglio, which we'll be starting a week from tomorrow. Go to BLOG ARCHIVE, click on the little arrow pointing to 2008, then click on the little arrow pointing to August, then click on Intro to Intaglio, then click on the little arrow under the little screen and the video will start.

Monotypes: Round One

2009-09-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Khara Cornelius

Christina Goins

Beth Dougherty

Amanda Straley

Rosi Benjamin

The first batch of three color separation monotypes are complete and the above are examples of images that pushed the process to a relatively wide range of color, values, textures, lines, and shapes. Some of the colors didn't translate well to this digital presentation and there may be some minor cropping to unskew the photographer's wobbly arm, but they're still readable. Each was based on the idea of Insanity introduced during class discussion and elaborated on the 8/24 and 8/28 posts. It'll be interesting to see how the initial experience with this processes expands in subsequent efforts. Refer to your monotype handout and your notes for mixing inks.

See you on Wednesday for the Pinwheel workshop with Carol Pulin.

PINWHEELS/PINSTALLATION

2009-08-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

Dr. Carol Pulin will be conducting a pinwheel workshop with us on Wednesday, September 9, during print class and perhaps for a good part of the day. You can see some examples and read some about it by clicking HERE. Make sure you read the article that is in a pdf by clicking on that when you get to the bottom of the page. You can also re-read the quote by Carol in our class syllabus to refresh on the background and motivation for the workshop. The important thing is to come prepared, so create some drawings between now and then that deal with the idea of sustainable power, wind-power, landscape and all of it parts, text/poetry about our planet and helping it heal, green......

Read the article, and then respond with any questions you might have and we'll get the discussion going in preparation.

MONOTYPATHON

2009-08-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

I spent a good chunk of the weekend in my studio trying some insane printing, thinking about what would be a "wild and crazy" way to make monotypes using the three color process. I started with Kroger bags filled with air, then I decided to go to the store and pick up some balloons. Found those kind you tie into little animals. Then decided to try round balloons. I'll bring in what happened tomorrow morning.

INSANITY II: Form and Content

2009-08-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and the shop is empty....hmmmm. It's a beautiful day for printing. We will be spending some time looking at our prints at the beginning of class on Monday, seeing where we are with the form and getting a sense of whatever content is there. Most of the current impressions are yellow, a bright yellow. I don't know if that content expresses insanity as much as it expresses yellow. Don't be afraid to make marks, create textures, roll some ink on your mylar, put on an old pair of pants, and sit in the ink. Is that insane?

Form is the physical manifestation of a work of art that includes the media, such as yellow ink on white paper, the manipulation and arrangement of the visual components, such as yellow shapes creating white shapes on white paper, and the subject matter as it is treated as components, such as yellow and white shapes on white paper. It is what the work looks like. So I guess we can discuss yellow and white shapes. THAT'S INSANE! There are a few that have gone beyond that, only a few.

Content is the message the you intend to communicate = INSANITY. It could be found in the subject matter, Shawn mentioned Munch's, The Scream, a kind of narrative that tells a story. It may be emotional or intellectual and could include the way the media is manipulated if that manipulation is driven by an idea, like Chris' juxtaposed symbols of the pyramid and the other thing, whatever that thing is, or even Rob's current investigations of surface and materials. Jackson Pollock, you know him, you know his work, made paintings with a particular idea about painting in mind. Not about an image but about a process. The way your work is created will become an important part of the content and should be clearly seen in the finished piece, or maybe not so clear. INSANITY, as mentioned before in some obtuse way, could very much tap into the OCD part of us. Imagine a color filed of yellow filled with dots, over printed with a color field of Cyan filled with dots, over printed with a color field of magenta filled with dots....that's INSANE!

Almost every monotype on the drying rack, even at this early stage, has both form and content. Even when they're finished they'll have both, but surely and not likely in equal amounts. How would we even measure that? That would be an insane exercise. It's actually a continuum where each monotype, or each piece you create, falls on a line that runs the gamut between being purely formal, think of those Josef Albers' yellow squares, to purely content, such as Basquiat, although both of these artists still have varying degrees of form and content. Or better yet, the work by conceptual artists, their artwork was/is about ideas, maybe a better analogy referencing purely content. Conceptual art had/has very little physicality and thus nearly no form. Push your form/content into an insane place, and....

Happy printing.

INSANITY

2009-08-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

Van Gogh cut off his ear, not a strong indication of sanity. Michael Jackson, hmmmmm? What about some of the surrealists, such as Salvador Dali, Paul Klee, Max Ernst, Jean Dubuffet, maybe even George Baslitz. They attempted to, in a sense, create a kind of "insane" art by using their dreams as blueprints for their pieces. While not overly abstract and usually chocked full of symbols in order to lose all obvious coherence (and thus the comprehension of the audience); the surrealists created what was bizarre and strange. Where those mentioned above, insane? There have been countless studies connecting insanity and creativity. Some of those studies are both compelling and convincing. Maybe, because we are all creatives, with a capitol "C", and we spend more time on one side of our brain than the other, we are a little insane. I've had those days. Of course that calls into question, is it the art that brings on our 'insanity' or are we drawn to art because we're insane? Italian psychiatrist, Cesare Lombroso, noted that all the artwork created by "lunatics" exhibited the same basic characteristics: distortion, repetition, minute detail, arabesques, obscenity, and rampant symbolism. However, the most important characteristic of insane art is its creativity. We're going to tap into that part of ourselves for our first project of the semester, a three-color separation monotype based of the theme INSANITY.

FALL SEMESTER 2009

2009-08-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a semester of printmaking. A syllabus for the course has been posted on our ONCOURSE site, and I will have hard copies available for you on Monday morning. This blog was created last year for my fall 08 class. There are many postings of interest to printmakers, especially those who are about to get their feet wet for the first time. Please spend some time looking at some of the work, videos, and discussions. This blog will be updated regularly with information particular to our creative investigations this semester, so stop back often.

Green Door's International Print Exchange

2009-03-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

The Green Door, a small open access printmaking studio in the UK is seeking an indication of interest in an international print exchange. A small edition of maybe 10 prints, restricted to "hand-made prints using any technique you wish." Anna Johnson would like to hear from those who would like to participate. If you'd be interested in participating, please respond to Anna at:

ipe@greendoor-printmaking.co.uk

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

2008-12-13T12:39:00.001-08:00

This is a linoleum cut that Kristie planned and worked on for several weeks. A very carefully planned relief print that required considerable focus on positive and negative relationships.
This is a detail of a quilt that Julie created from the small relief prints she created from linoleum and woodcuts, using found natural objects from her environment as subjects. All hand stitched.
This is a detail of a reduction woodcut that Brent created trying to tap into our fears. Actually, it is kind of scary.
This is a black and white monotype that Alex created which shows his deft facility for illustrative rendering.
Anthony created this black and white monotype, a self portrait that I said looked like Kevin Spacey....he titled it Kevin.

Keep scrolling down and join in on blogging about your TENSION print....

TENSION PORTFOLIO

2008-12-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

Allison's solarplate relief.
Rob's intaglio, relief, collagraph.
Michelle's linocut.
Kristie's linocut hand colored.
Krystal's linocut.
Julie's drypoint mezzotint.
Jay's linocut.
Brian's solarplate relief.
Brent silkscreen and relief.
Anthony's linocut.
Alex's linocut.

Allison raised the question in the previous post about perhaps extending the discussion of the Tension prints. Here are shots of each one, and since some of you didn't get an opportunity to talk about your motivations and ideas concerning these images, maybe you could continue the dialogue here.

FINAL CRITIQUE

2008-12-10T18:36:00.000-08:00

I'll have some highlight images to post after reviewing the final portfolios of prints, but I wanted to jump in with thoughts and impressions before they faded into the fog of grading.

Our meeting time is from 1:15 - 4:15, but in spite of having an extra week after the last class meeting, there was still a flurry of printing activity in the shop, and yet our discussion faded around 3:00. It would have been great if that flurry had been a constant throughout the semester, but as one student said, "I work better under pressure," so most of the work was done within the past few days.

The discussion started with a recap of printmaking impressions, the "love/hate" relationship was touched on, but that discussion pretty much existed between me and Allison, and we returned to that topic a number of times to open up other possibilities, other perspectives, other takes on love/hate. Few were offered. We passed around intaglio prints, exchange portfolio prints, relief prints, but there was very little discussion in the course of those sharing moments. I used to kick myself in the butt for not offering my thoughts and impressions when I was a student. Now I can yak it up, but only for so long as I keep digging for interaction, eventually someone else needs to make an offering. Once we got to the advanced folks the discussion became a little more interactive. Rob discussed his approach to creating imagery, particularly through the print processes. He really has the mindset of a printmaker, engaged with the variety of approaches to creating imagery and following with detailed explanations of how he created those images, and he clearly recognizes the perk of "multiples": process over image. Brent has a very different approach. He has a "reductive" mindset, or at least for this semester, and had a number of woodcuts, wood-engravings, and a silkscreen/relief combination. His approach is very much from an illustrative perspective: image over process. Julie has been working on a 'quilt' of small relief prints, mostly wood cuts, that she's sewn together by hand. It's an engaging piece, but would be much more so with a companion piece, which she may may be able to accomplish by the time her senior exhibition opens in February.

There was discussion about the trials and tribulations of creating prints, the unpredictability of acid's reaction to metal, such as demonstrated in Krystal's intaglio. There were also other interesting resolutions in the mix. Alex did some unique explorations with his intaglio plate; Allison did equally engaging work with her solar plates; Kristie created an image for the "tension" portfolio that she's now hand coloring for the final edition which heightens the tension of the image; Anthony's relief is not only tense in concept, but in execution with all of those tiny diagonal lines defining the image; Jay's "Bloons" was an interesting take on Tension and that's one that I have to think through a little more....a clown hanging from floating balloons...hmmmm; Michelle's was also interesting in concept with a view of an 8-ball - - perhaps calling that last pocket, that always makes me a little tense.

Check back in a few days for final images of the semester.

PRINTATHON

2008-12-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

Allison at the computer.
Allison's linoleum cut.
Rob's inked intaglio plate.
The resulting first impression.
The inked collagraph board.
Placing the inked collagraph over the intaglio impression.
The resulting combination of a happy accident.

It was fun going into the shop today, a non-class day, and seeing more than one person working. An encouraging sign for end of the semester activity. Allison had printed her relief and the image above does not do it justice. In fact, none of the above images above are very good, but it at least documents some interesting activity in the printshop. Allison created the print by water coloring some Hosho with some very transparent washes of various colors. After the paper dried, she cut out various 'orchid' shapes to chine colle with the linoleum cut, and then printed it onto a decorative Thai paper with subtle fern shapes within the fiber. The resulting print is beautifully executed.

Rob was working on an intaglio/relief that combined a collagraph on masonite with a reverse etched plate. He was very focused on it until I showed up with the camera and then the distraction created some interesting results. After he printed the intaglio, he had the collagraph board inked with both intaglio and a relief roll and was going to print it over the first impression from the plate. The two maticies have the same imagery, one a postive and one a negative. After he pulled the impression and lifted the collagraph off of the paper, the board had been printed in the opposite direction of the first impression. Oops. Usually that results in an obnoxiously symmetrical image, but since he had used some opaque and some transparent colors, the resulting image was very engaging. Happy accidents in the print shop often create beautiful results.

Let's see more prints.

The BFA Critique

2008-11-13T12:52:00.000-08:00

last evening's BFA critique raised some interesting points about how we each perceive CREATIVITY. It was during the discussion of Ben's work when Nate stated that Ben's sculptural pieces were allowing him to "exercise his creativity", thus relegating his functional work to something perhaps less creative. Rob then interjected distinctions between "producing" brochures in graphic design and images "created" in more traditional studio practice. Forgive me, Nate and Rob, if I've mischaracterized your comments, but the gist of those thoughts was on some level a bit disconcerting. It made me realize that we don't spend enough time looking at or thinking about creativity, about the nature of it and how it impacts and influences how we live.

Creativity is a way of both thinking and behaving with both subjectivity and objectivity. It's a combination of feeling and knowing between what we sense and what we know. When we're aware of both, when we embrace both, there is a sense of wholeness. Of course I don't think it's possible to have a perfect balance of both, and it's that imbalance that makes us unique to each other.

Our society, in general, is either subjective or objective; in fact, that split kind of typifies the individuals of our society. The objective person is a knower after the fact, the one who kind of senses the situation and then makes a determination based on that experience. The subjective person is sort of a here and now type, savoring the sensory experience and caring little for the conclusion.

When we combine the two, as I hope we all do, we gain more than both. We have a more natural conscious balance between extremes. It allows us to see ourselves from a more unique perspective and our wholeness becomes more apparent, more palpable. We can lead and follow, we can determine our goal and go toward it - - we can design the stimulus and experience the response.

Creativity is expressed in so many ways, infinite ways. Such as designing a brochure, or throwing, glazing, and firing a mug or a platter. Creativity has been expressed it the chairs we sit in, the benches we sit on, the orange tables in the studios, the colors of our walls, the patterns in the carpeting, where the little trees have been planted out by the 'lodges', the way we install exhibitions in the gallery, even how we light those exhibitions, and on and on. I even get creative when I cook, sometimes when I shave. When we each have an idea that we want realized, we're being creative. Sometimes our creative solutions may not be as strong as we'd like, but they're still our creative solutions; we're exercising our CREATIVITY.

Wednesday's Solarday

2008-11-12T18:09:00.000-08:00

After what seemed like an interest in doing Solar plates turned out to be very different. I went in earlier this morning to do a test plate, an image I put together in Photoshop about my recent dental bridge replacement and that may be the image for the Tension portfolio. I tried one plate with an exposure of 35 seconds for the aquatint screen and 30 seconds for the transparency. It was over exposed, the teeth looked like big white boxes and the hand-written text was nonexistent. I tried another plate and cut the exposure back to 30/25...still too much. My time for experimenting was fading so I decided that for the in-class demo I would use a 25/30 exposure.

When we finally focused on the project of the day, only one person had an idea ready to roll. So I went through the whole process, how to use the exposure unit, and exposed the plate to the aquatint screen and the transparency, developed/etched, and then proofed the plate. Everything showed up in the proof, but the dense blacks had light areas. I had printed another transparency and layered it one on top of the other, and as Rob pointed out to me, the density of the layered blacks had blocked each other out thus producing an area that didn't have enough tooth to hold the ink. That made all kinds of sense. Good thinking , Rob.

I'm going to try combining the various over exposed plates into a separation image and see if there's anything there. If not, I'll look for another alternative. Anthony has an image ready to go that's pretty nice, so I guess he'll attack that this weekend. Everyone else got solar plates and we'll see what happens with them. We'll look at collagraphs on Monday.

So, when do you want to do a print-a-thon?

Monday's Discussion

2008-11-10T13:58:00.000-08:00

Seeing where we are with things was helpful, I think, in getting everyone to realize how time moves more rapidly toward a deadline. Obviously, the work to date has not been proportionate to the amount of time that has passed, especially when you consider the expectations of work outside of class for a 3 credit hour class. However, as I mentioned, many students today work better under pressure, and the amount of work that needs to be done in the amount of time left in the semester is what I would call pressure. So go at it.

Wednesday we're going to do some experimenting with Solar Plates and Collagraphs. Perhaps that will spark ideas and motivations consistent with those media. It might also be a fun idea to have a Friday or Saturday print day. Turn on some music, grab a box of Krispy Kremes, brew some coffee, and print, print, print. Think about it; could be fun.

Monday's Discussion

2008-11-09T17:12:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow we'll be looking at the progress that's been made on the various print projects going on in the studio. We'll be looking at the intaglio prints that have been cooking in the S240 section, and the beginnings of the relief prints. Those reliefs, I think, are moving a little faster. Any of the portfolio prints that explore the concept of Tension will be looked at in-progress. We should discuss the actual portfolio: what will we create to contain this group of prints? I'm still looking at possibilities for my contribution, but I think I'm going to go with an intaglio print for a break from the computer. Some of you may have one layer of black on your B/W monotype ready for discussion and I'm anxious to see how those develop. The advanced folks have several things going: intaglio, relief, silkscreen, collagraph, and litho. I'll be interested to see and hear how some of those projects are pulling together.

It's a fast moving semester and there's still alot to accomplish with your work. Take a close look at the calendar so that you can budget your time in the print studio to meet the needs of the minimum expectations established for your final portfolios. And remember, the studio is open for you seven days a week, so some of you may want to take advantage of the other five days that are at your disposal; they'll prove to be invaluable to your progress.

Happy printing.

Where are we?

2008-11-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

Let use the first part of class on Monday, November 10, to see where we are and where we're going in the next few weeks. There's a lot of work that needs to happen and a lot of activity in the printshop. There are only seven class periods remaining, and if you're one of those who only works during class time, you may find yourself with an incomplete portfolio by the time the semester ends. Please take advantage of the printshop during times other than class times, it's the only way to get your work accomplished. Bring your current state of your current projects for discussion.

Black and White Monotypes

2008-11-03T07:33:00.000-08:00

I will have the transparent black ink mixed for B&W monotypes that are to be included in your final portfolios. The image size is variable, but no smaller than 11" x 14" and no larger than 18" x 24". The image should be one that you create for this project, no old drawings from previous studio classes. The process is just like the reductive three color separation monotype you did at the beginning of the semester, only this time you'll be layering transparent black. It will require at least three runs through the press to achieve black. The darkest darks will have multiple layers while the lightest greys will likely have only one. The ink will be a mixture of process black, tint base, setswell compound, and linseed oil. Each layer is reduced the same manner as before, and registration is the same as well.

Have fun!

Exhibit at Galerie Hertz

2008-10-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that it was a little disheartening, maybe even a little discouraging, that Alex and Allison were my only students from Printmaking class to see my exhibit at Galerie Hetrz. In fact, they were my only students from all of my classes. My twenty seniors from the seminars haven't been over either, and who knows if they even will go. There was a time when students used to show en masse to their professor's exhibition openings. Either times are changing, or I'm changing, and I don't know if I know how to redesign the paradigm or if I should just accept at as is.

This year's faculty opening last month also had a low student turn-out, especially given that it was on campus and just down the hallway from the studios, and that it introduced our newest faculty member, Brian Harper, in Ceramics. I used to go to all of my artist-professors' openings, in both undergraduate and graduate schools, sometimes out of curiosity, many times out of respect, maybe even sometimes out of the "brownie-points" awarded for such gestures. Whatever the reason, seeing a body of work created by my professors was big in understanding their aesthetics, the temperament of their criticisms, their processes, and their concepts and how they resolved them. It used to be that when we, as students, attended exhibition openings of our professors' works, it was about that hunger or hope for refreshment, about absorbing motivation from those veteran artists who we worked so closely with; those who could lift my day by acknowledging my creative efforts with a positive comment or who could send me in a downward spiral by not recognizing my efforts or any of the successes they might have contained. Attending their openings, or even just seeing their exhibitions after-the-fact, was ultimately because I wanted to see growth in their work as badly as they pushed for growth in mine.

Many students look at us, their professors, and sometimes forget, or are not aware, that we are practicing professional artists. They also maybe don't realize that the miliue they have chosen to inhabit is the very one we've existed in for, in some cases, decades. The road they're traveling is the very road we've traveled, and to be engaged in that journey is such an enriching learning experience, both personally and professionally; to not engage fully in that journey is an underappreciation of the value of that education.

I jokingly said in class a day or so ago that I would award extra credit for those who went to see my exhibit. My students chuckled at that suggestion. After class I though it was a little sad that I was, although jokingly on one level and truthfully on another, trying to buy them into going to see my exhibit. Have times changed so much? Has curiosity become so narrow that it doesn't expand outside of ourselves to include the creative efforts of our colleagues and peers? Have our worlds become too complex and unrewarding to include the celebrations of others? What is the paradigm, and how do we shift it to something that is more inclusive and encompassing?

Check This Out (GOOF PRODUCES SOMETHING NEW)

2008-10-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

Go to Goof

Go see this exhibit. It'll be worth it in the long run. GALERIE HERTZ, PRESTON ST.

HELLO?

2008-10-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

Is there anyone out there? Is there too much tension in your life, are you stretched and strained? Are you putting too much intellectual effort into coming up with an idea? Do you need to throw out some possibilities for feedback? Hello......

My Opening:

2008-10-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

Bog II, Digital Monotype, 16" x 24", 2008

The opening today was really great. It started a little show with about ten or so people, and by 2:00 the gallery was pretty crowded and remained pretty steady until well after 4:00. Billy, Laura, and Althea did a beautiful job with the installation and the peripherals, Tom did an artful job with the chili, the other 'refreshments', and also his touch on what is turning into a beautiful outdoor garden. The transformation of this space has been amazing, both inside and out. When people walk into the gallery they marvel at the space before they even notice what's on the walls. It's really a beautiful space for showing and seeing art.

I received a lot of great feedback on the work, 26 pieces that still felt like new work. Actually, I guess it really is new since other than the faculty exhibition, where six of the pieces were shown, it was the first time all of this work has been exhibited. And, that it's really a 'new' body of work, unlike the work I had done before. I enjoyed seeing it all at the same time for the first time, instead of one piece at a time, which is about all I can do in my studio space. I appreciate very much Allison and Alex stopping by, that meant a lot to me, thank you. I hope the rest of you printmakers from class will take a little time to go over to see what I've been up to in my studio. Also, thanks Susan and Marilyn (Scott and John) and Donna for also coming over, that support from my department and faculty spouses (and, actually, my campus) meant a lot as well. The exhibit continues through November 27.

Mid-States Exhibition

2008-10-14T20:21:00.001-07:00

This drawing was just accepted into the 54th Annual Mid-States Exhibition at the Evansville Museum in Evansville, IN. It's a graphite drawing, 22" x 30" on Arches 88, that I executed as part of my "Vices" series (that quit-smoking phase that I'm still battling). The Juror was Rutger Brandt, Director of Galerie Mokum of Holland, the most well known and respected venue for representational art in the Netherlands. The exhibit runs from December 7 until January 18. Go check it out if you have the chance.

GROUP PORTFOLIO PROJECT

2008-10-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

Today we will be discussing a theme-based portfolio project during class. I have brought in such a portfolio that was developed by Professor Debra Fisher from SUNY Brockport a couple of years ago. The theme was "Walking on Water". She invited 29 printmakers to respond to that theme and to create an edition of 40 impressions. Many of you have seen my contribution to the portfolio, but I'll also include it here. My thinking about walking on water was that in order to do so, I had to get out of the boat. The print is entitled, Disembark.

So after a show/tell of the Walking on Water portfolio, several theme ideas were put up for consideration: tension, non-portraits, animals, movement, thin-air, music, interpersonal relationships, explosive, personality, and childhood. The nominating process is now closed, and the theme idea that gets the most votes will be our theme for this exchange portfolio.

Paper size was established at 11" x 14", no minimum image size was set.

Edition size will be 13. Intaglio or Relief

There are a some interesting possibilities for imagery and processing. You can vote here so we can all keep track of the tally. All votes cast by 1:30 on Wednesday. I'll vote in the case of a tie.

UPDATE: Tension, act of stretching or straining; state of being stretched or strained; mental or emotional strain; strong intellectual effort; intense suppressed excitement; a strained state of mutual relations; pressure; a state in which a body is stretched or increased in size in one direction with a decrease in size in a certain ratio in a perpendicular direction; a force tending to elongate a body; the condition of a dielectric body when its opposite surfaces are oppositely electrified; potential; a device for stretching or pulling something; a device to hold the proper tension on the material being woven in a loom.

The potentials of this theme are enormous, especially since it defines so effectively the act of printmaking: act of stretching or straining (intaglio and silkscreen); mental or emotional strain (printmaking in general); strong intellectual effort (printmaking in general); intense suppressed excitement (printmaking in general); a strained state of mutual relations (printmaking in general); Pressure......printmaking, printmaking, printmaking.

Printmaking is my medium, my tension. It holds me captive through its sensual presence and quality, both of which are incomparable: metal plates abraded and etched with marks and textures; inks adjusted for rubbing into and/or rolling onto the matricies; dampened paper to accommodate the subtlest nuances of the relationship between the matrix and the inks once significant pressure is applied. I love the rituals of moving throughout the printshop to various locations of processing, and the sounds of the press as I turn the wheel to pull an impression. I love the physicality of printmaking. It's animated, tactile, fragrant, and real. It's abundant with the most rewarding of tensions.

So we'll look at some of those possibilities on Monday, your potentials. Until then, I hope you'll stop by to see my new work on Sunday at Galerie Hertz. A new body of work: landscapes. In hindsight, they are my home, my childhood, many of my life-changing experiences. They represent for me safety and danger at the same time. They are dense, textured, and magical. Cynthia, my wife, told me this evening that they were about those parts of me that she didn't know because they were parts of me that I didn't tell her, but that she knew nonetheless.

BRIAN H. JONES: DIGITAL MONOTYPES

2008-10-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

Night Veil, digital w/monotype, relief, crystals
Passages, digital w/montype

I will be opening an exhibition of new work at Galerie Hertz, 1253 South Preston Street, on Sunday, October 19, with a reception from 1:00 - 4:00. A series of digital monotypes created during the past year. A Digital Monotype, for my purpose, is an image that has been printed from an inkjet printer and then layered with traditional printmaking inks from relief and nonporous surfaces. Many of the images are actually layers of images. After shooting various landscapes from all of our seasons, I manipulate them in photshop to increase their density. In fact, when I shoot landscapes, it tends to be from a perspective within the landscape rather than at the landscape as I love the density and moodiness of that point of view. I then print the image onto a heavy Somerset Velvet paper with an Epson 7800 digital printer. Looking through other landscapes images I've photographed, I find another, usually a different season, that has a similar feel as the first one I printed. After manipulating that one, I feed the first image through the printer again and layer the second on top. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. I have a pile attesting to the later. When it didn't work, it was because the sensors in the digital printer couldn't read "white" paper, thereby causing the printer to quit in mid-image. However, when it did work, that's when I became more passionate about the possibilities. After having two layers of imagery printed digitally, I then took that print to my French Tool press and often printed color separation monotypes on top or relief patterns, adding more layers to the complexity of the images.

I hope you can stop by for the opening, or at least while it's at the gallery.

Back From Fargo

2008-10-07T06:43:00.000-07:00

Attending the Mid America Print Council conference in Fargo was an interesting five days of travel and print education exposure and I think we all came away from it with new perspectives in many different areas. There were seven current and former IUS folks. Besides Donna, Susan, Rob, Jamie, and me, we were joined by Brett, who is working on his MFA at the University of Cincinnati, and Diana, a 2006 BFA graduate in printmaking and who recently moved to Minnesota. She was very generous toting us around to various conference sites in her BMW. Of course we had to fold Donna and Rob many times into the luggage compartment to get everyone into the car. Many thanks to Diana.

The panels we attended were enlightening and covered a wide range of topics: "Printmaking: A System of Languages" was attended by everyone except me as I was presenting to the Board of the MAPC about the American Print Alliance: www.printalliance.org.

"A Sense of Space", chaired by Karen Kunc. Several artists on this panel discussed how their senses of space and their geographic locations influence their work, and how that work defined the print tradition, although much of what we saw pushed the boundaries of those traditions.

"The Role of Classical Practices in the Digital Age" explored the relevance of the traditional (classical) practice of observation and experimental interpretation in the participating panelists works. It was chaired by Cynthia Kukla, who questioned whether or not artists still embraced the classical methods in a world where imagery sources are so abundant via the internet. One of the panelists, Flounder Lee, discussed his work which utilizes maping through such sources as GPS and Google Earth, and he documents all of his internet searches in his work.

"Teaching Critical Thinking in Print" was also very enlightening. Each of the panelists in this presentation raised points about the complexity of relationships in collaboration and criticism. Phyllis McGibbon was an especially interesting presenter as she discussed the extremes of technique driven vs. concept driven instruction and how the integration of concept driven assignments help students to engage in the practice of critical thinking with technical instruction.

Finally, "What?!...a Woodcut?!" brought a few of the country's leading relief artists together to discuss their innovations in that medium. Karen Kunc was, of course, very interesting in her presentation. See her work at: www.karenkunc.com

The exhibits at the conference were too numerous to single any one of them out, but they all were rich in the traditions and innovations of the printmaking media, from centuries old Rembrandts, to current digital applications.

The studio demonstrations were also engaging. E. C. Cunningham's Phot-intaglio/Collagraph/Monoprint was inspiring. It was a large sheet of masonite with areas built up with gesso, modeling paste, carborundum, and solar plates. A separation monotype was first printed and then the masonite matrix was inked and wiped intaglio and printed on top. It was stunning.

Art Werger's Color Mezzotint www.wergerprint.com demonstration was also very enjoyable. both artists had several of their students helping which expedited their laborious processes to a final impression. One of the most interesting demonstrations was by Chris Flynn of Anchor Graphics who printed an intaglio digital combination with chine colle. His passion for printmaking was infectious and I especially appreciated his attention to the craft of his work. The resulting print was beautiful.

Anyway, that's it in a nutshell. See you tomorrow.

Off to Fargo

2008-09-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

We're off to Fargo to Attend the Mid America Print Council conference. As part of the conference activities, there will be an exchange portfolio with the theme of "Convergence". This theme is defined as the occurrence of two or more things coming together, and each artist participating in the portfolio and exhibition can interpret that as they see fit. Each image has an edition of twelve, and each artists who participates will receive a portfolio of ten prints by different artists in exchange. So we'll bring our portfolios to show next Monday. The images above are by those of us from IUS who will be participating. Jamie Klein's lithograph and screenprint combination; Rob Woolley's intaglio with relief roll; Susan Moffett's screenprint with relief, and my digital with relief roll. I couldn't catch Donna today, but will post hers next week.

Mid America Print Council Conference

2008-09-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

The MAPC Conference in Fargo, ND starts Wednesday, October 1 and continues through October 5. I will be attending this conference along with Susan Moffett, Donna Stallard, Rob Woolley, and Jamie Klein. The conference theme is Convergence (impressions of space we inhabit). The conference literature explains that we "will explore how artists, educators, and creative people in general are influenced and marked by the spaces they inhabit. The conference will also examine how the current world of printmaking is affected by vast quantities of available and developing methods and approaches, methods that seem connected to one another (historically, in terms of process, or by physical characteristics) while others seem quite unique. The theme also questions limits and how they are determined or superseded, and how artists who use prints/printmaking are leaping into open space, or taking the risk to enter vast expanses.

That's a lot to think about. There will be numerous panel discussions and demonstrations of printmaking techniques. An artist named Chris Flynn will be doing a demonstration of "digital print through press" which interests me a lot since my current work is about taking digital prints and doing traditional printing on top of them. E.C. Cunningham will be doing photo-intaglio/collagraph monoprints, which seems particularly connected to the theme of the conference. I hope to see that demonstration as well. Art Werger will be doing color mezzotints, which I'm sure will be an interesting process. He's a very meticulous printmaker.

The panel discussions are rich with provocative topics and I wish it were possible to attend them all, but I'll have to pick and choose. Those of particular interest are: The Role of Classical Practices in the Digital Age, Teaching Critical Thinking in Print, and A sense of space. You can read descriptions of these panels by going to the link below:

http://www.mapc2008.com/presenters.html

See you in class on Monday.

Color Separation Monotypes

2008-09-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

The prints above were created with a three-color separation monotype process. I may not have had my camera adjusted just right to capture the true colors of the works, but at least you'll be able to see the range of execution possible with this unique print process. There were no particular conceptual parameters to the project, it was mostly to get the beginning students to become familiar with and more acclimated to the printshop and the presses. Some of the images were inspired by drawings done in previous semesters. Those posted here are by Alex Kennedy, Julie Anderson, Allison Filippini, Cricket Bidwell, Jay Whitman, and Kyrstal Clements.

Soap Box 2: Print, Politics & Democracy

2008-09-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

Check out the link below for the American Print Alliance. It is mounting a national exhibition that will then travel for the next few years. One of my prints was accepted and is reproduced on the site. Also click on the link with the above title to see other prints in the exhibit.

www.printalliance.org

WHAT IS A PRINT?

2008-09-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

Go visit this website to see the four main print processes, two of which are the primary areas of focus this semester.

http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/2001/whatisaprint/flash.html

Moving on.....

2008-09-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Ike will long be remembered in the Ohio Valley. The power at my house finally came back on Saturday night, and I know a few of you were still unfortunately without power yesterday. I can fully understand and appreciate the inconveniences that Ike has caused. However, we have to move on with our work in class. I can't continue to teaching the art of printmaking to alternating groups. Those of you who have missed classes since the storm should try your best to get caught up. In the printshop is a very informative studio manual called A Printshop Handbook, by Beth Grabowski. This textbook details all of the processes we have been exploring with Intaglio to date, from plate preparation to pulling the first impression. Please review it particular to line etch and aquatint.

On Wednesday, the 24th, at the beginning of class I will collect all monotypes after they've been signed. I will discuss that procedure with you then. Think of what your title might be to include with the signing. After reviewing the monotypes, I will then attach an evaluation and return them to you within a week. You may then revise, redo, or create another in response to the evaluation, which will be included in your final portfolio.

Remember, if you've not yet paid your materials fee, please do so ASAP.

See you tomorrow.

2008-09-18T09:01:00.001-07:00

I'll be leaving for Alabama tomorrow and will return Sunday night. For those of you who are first time etchers working in the shop this weekend, please remember to cover the acid when you're finished etching; turn off the hotplate; return tools and materials where they belong.

I will be collecting your monotypes on Monday.

Have a good weekend.

2008-09-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Brian Harper has added to his blog an easily accessible link for voter registration for both Indiana and Kentucky. If you've not registered to vote yet, here is an easy way to do it. It's at www.claybucket.blogspot.com

As I'm sure you're all aware, there are some very important issues that we are all facing in this presidential election, so the more who participate in the process, the better for us all. It may even provide further inspiration for the class project: "POLITICS: ISSUES OF VOTE O8"

PLEASE VOTE!!!!!

2008-09-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Ike took a big bite out of class yesterday, more than 50% absent. I understand the difficulties. So we're a little behind on our schedule and will try to get caught up on Wednesday. I did not take the monotypes yesterday as planned, but will do so during our next class. Also, we will need to take a look at October 1 and discuss what we'll be doing that day as I will be out of town attending the Mid America Print Council conference in Fargo, ND. We're currently scheduled for a soft-ground demonstration, but I think some of the other processes you'll be involved with will easily occupy your workload that day. We'll discuss it during class. Rob and Jamie are also attending the conference, but there will still be some experienced printmakers in the studio should you have questions: Julie, Cricket, and Brent.

I hope everyone gets out from under all the Ike debris and will be in class on Wednesday. See you then.

2008-09-07T10:01:00.000-07:00

This is the color version of Awakening that I said that I would post in order to demonstrate the difference between the duotone image (below this post) on the cover of Contemporary Impressions and the actual print. The color was created by a blended relief roll onto the plate after the image had been inked as an intaglio. The blend was created with three different inks, two with Cyan (the bottom a bit more intense) and one with Benz Yellow. Each color was further mixed with transparent tint base and Setswell compound. I also added a few drops of linseed oil to the mixture so that the relief roll would not pull up any of the intaglio ink; the intaglio color was stiff and the relief roll was loose. It was important in this printing for the inking combination to have a strong repulsion of each other since the solar plate was not etched very deep. I did not want to lose any detail by having the relief roller pull any contrast from the plate.

2008-08-31T19:05:00.000-07:00

This is the recent issue of Contemporary Impressions with a photopolymer intaglio with relief that I printed in 2007. Although the cover reproduction is a duotone, a method of printing an image using two colors, usually black and one color, the actual print has a color blend of blues, oranges, and yellows.

Contemporary Impressions is the Journal of the American Print Alliance. Check it out at www.printalliance.org

Intro Reduction Woodcut

2008-08-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

Intro to Relief

2008-08-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

Intro to Intaglio

2008-08-28T07:45:00.000-07:00