3 in a row

It’s most unusual for this infrequent blogger to post three days in a row however here I am again reporting on my monoprint adventures.

Therewasn’t so much time to play today and there wasn’t as much success.  One thing I have discovered is that as much as I adore Hundertwasser’s paintings and architecture I think I have a long way to go in learning to manage strong and contrasting colours.

My successes came in the subtle colours or in the use of texture with bright paints.  That being said it is on the scrap paper where I rolled off the excess paint that I found small sections that delighted me.

Some of todays results:

A small section using big one-inch bubble wrap to create texture . . . I had painted the primary colours on the plate.   I’ll use sections of this and the one following but I must admit I’m not that keen on them.

Yellow and red, mixed on the plate and pounced with a plastic bag for texture . . . close but no cigar. Don’t think I’m giving up with the bright colours though, it’s just a matter of cutting some more paper up and taking some time.

Using shades close on the colour wheel worked best for me . . . and the ghost prints were most appealing.  Lime through to turquoise was my favourite place to play.

The next two are sections of the large piece of paper used to catch the excess from the roller.  I really like them . . . the colours, the way they lie over one another, their transparency and the lines from tilting the roller to clean off the edges.  I would probably not have put these colours together on purpose . . . but I will now!  I’m not one to give up when there is so much to explore and so much fun to be had!

still smiling

I’ve continued playing with the Gelli Plate and each time I’ve tried to be deliberate in what I do, the more likely it has been that it’s gone awry . . . the story of my life, I should act intuitively more often.

Results have been mixed and although the primary colours were a bit messy, the earth tones worked well.  There is one stencil (Crafters Workshop, Peebles) and a couple of my own that were really useful.    Today’s results:

This is the primary colour print I like best. The line across the middle is not really turgquoise, it’s more of a washed out green . . . my camera leaves a lot to be desired.

I was intrigued by the cell-like appearance after taking a print, removing the stencil and then taking this print, sometimes there was a really nice ghost print however they didn’t photograph well.  Whatever paints I used with this stencil . . . I liked the effect.

Just grey . . . with the pebbles stencil.

I hadn’t cleaned the plate off, nor the stencil so there are scraps of all the paints . . . I love it.

I kept a piece of paper handy to stamp off the excess of paint on the stencil . . . a happy accident.

Now, if I can just organise the ‘accidents’ to happen when I want them . . . and perhaps decide what I’m going to do with all this gorgeous paper!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

the fates are smiling

Do you know what it’s like when you go to the supermarket and all the wheels on your trolley work together . . . when usually one of the wheels keeps flipping out at 90 degrees at the most inconvenient moments.  Life isn’t like that right now.  It’s as if the fates have decided that I’m to not only have everything run smoothly, I’m  to be on the receiving end of some amazing generosity . . . and I have been.

On Facebook recently I was bemoaning the expense of getting some of the supplies I lust after here in New Zealand and I was thinking that I would just have to wait to buy a Gelli Plate until next July when I make a trip to the USA (I have a list forming and will need an empty suitcase).  I have previously made a couple of printing plates from gelatine and was thinking about making one using glycerin so it wouldn’t go mouldy, but because of the unexpected generosity of a wonderful woman . . . I HAVE AN 8 x 10 inch GELLI PLATE!   Quinn, you are a genuine, dyed-in-the-wool, darling.

Like the shoemaker who had those elven night time visitors, I left everything set up before I went to bed so that the very next day, all day, I could play and experiment.  My results were mixed and often my best results came either by accident because I tend to over-think things, or from a final ghost print.  For the most part I limted myself to 4 or 5 colous and I used a quieter palette that I would usually work with.  So with no further ado . . . some of the results!

Triple printed using a commercial stencil.  The Crafters Workshop: Pebbles.

Overprinted using home made masks.

Overprinted using a hand made stencil.

Overprinted using hand made stencil.

Overprinted using a hand made stencil.  Rather too much paint but I like the effect.

And next up?  Stamps, scraping, and printing painterly layers.