It is a bit strange to think that the only way to continue printmaking will be by my own effort… I think I benefit a lot from the framework of a course which guides me forwards. I do have some ideas I’d like to explore further, for example working with collagraphs. I’d also like to experiment with non-toxic alternatives to stone lithography I discovered while working on the course.

Unfortunately, I’m on a tight schedule if I want to complete my final level 1 module (painting) within the OCA time limit for level 1. With OCA studies on top of a full time job, I’m not sure whether I can afford the time for anything extra. But I strongly feel it would be a shame if I didn’t continue making prints or trying to combine printing and painting for a mixed media approach.

The printmaking course actually changed my way of working, or I should say, I guess it was my tutor, with his feedback. I am so thankful he suggested Google Hangouts for course feedback. I was reluctant initially, because I find videoconferencing intimidating. But it made all the difference of the world to speak to a real person, compared to receiving only written feedback and exchanging an occasional e-mail.

My tutor introduced me to a seemingly simple, but eye-opening concept of busy versus quiet with respect to visual properties of an image. Very early he pointed out that my prints looked very busy, implying that there were not enough quiet areas which would provide the eyes with a rest and balance the composition. I’m still in the process of integrating the concept into my practice, but it pops up again and again when I look at my own works as well as those of others. The influence may be subtle but it was like some light in the dark when it came to reflecting and trying to improve an image. It’s also finding its way into my work for the painting module, which I’ve just started.

I did not always agree with tutor feedback. For example, he found my experimental monoprinting shoe series in Part 1 a way of going sideways, and that I should try more interesting subjects. But for me, the shoe series was a very intense, almost overwhelming learning experience. With every print, I tried something new – colour combinations and their effectiveness, texturing, overprinting, the effect of backdrawings. It gave me a lot of hands-on experience on which I could build subsequently.

And for the subject – I loved the simple shapes in the same way I liked the tulip shapes in my final series of prints. I acknowledge my tutor may not have been able to see any interest in a pair of shoes, and agree that it was more a vehicle for trying out printing techniques than interesting in itself. But the core of the problem would have been that I did not bring out the interesting features of the object, rather than the object not being interesting. In fact, the comment had a slightly destructive effect in that I began to judge objects whether they might be interesting in his eyes – rather than just giving it a try and see if I can discover something interesting for myself. But I think towards the end of the course I had assimilated his comment and became attentive to exactly this, how could I personally relate to my subject.

This showed me that even if I did not like something he said, I nevertheless took it on board and tried to find a solution that worked for me. His feedback also made me aware that all the seemingly irrelevant thoughts and associations I had while working on a print, or while researching a topic, were important and that I should make a not to keep track of things that had the potential to spark further ideas. In fact, I realize that my work process has changed to accomodate this and it also shows up in how I’m approaching the first projects of the painting module.

Overall, I’d rate this course as the one I liked best from all my OCA courses so far, and the first time that I occasionally had the feeling of following my inclinations rather than doing coursework. Really glad I signed up, really glad I completed, and (in all honesty) glad being able to move on to something new now!

Then I wanted to look around a bit how others approached the subject and did a google web search with ‘tulip print’ as my search term. Quite a few images came up and I selected several I liked. They represent a variety of different approaches. With a few exeptions, they were made from contemporary artist, with many contributed by craftmakers. I guess studying towards a painting degree I’m expected to search for “real artwork” but it’s not that easy to locate tulip prints by respected artists.

But actually, I do like what I found so far and find it inspirational already. I’m not yet in a position to know what I’m going to develop, and I also see the danger of muting myself by looking too much at what others have produced already.

Painterly approaches

I found two prints which I suppose are both monoprints, the first by Amy Akers, the second by Julia Ayres.

The Akers print reminds be a bit of Van Gogh paintings, because the lines are so fluid and irregular even for the harder materials like wood and ceramic vase. It gives a very lively effect to the image.

Ayres is the author of a monotype printmaking book and has much experience with the technique. The print includes a chine collé blockprint (the eye) which I think doesn’t very well integrate with the print as a whole. The monotype strongly corresponds to the tulip intaglio print below, maybe that plate was also used in the print. I particularly like the faint remainders of the red background colour from the wipe away technique.

In the ‘painterly’ section I also include these two etchings, the first by Josefina Hernandez, the second by Louise Stebbing. I think both are very exciting compositions with an unsusual viewpoint, the first by cropping and the second by using the wilted flowers as models.

The Hernandez print makes me think about collagraph prints that use different ink retention properties of various surfaces. The flowers would be a surface retaining much ink, whereas the light background results from a smooth surface which was wiped almost clear. This is apparently the same principle at work as in etchings when collagraphs are used as intaglios!.

The Stebbing print is quite different, and I don’t understand the technique. It’s a wonderful play with transparency, lines and shapes, very mysterious in effect and very atmospheric.

“Botanical” approach

I found a print by Sally Winters which reminded me of botanical drawings and watercolours by Elizabeth Blackadder, which I’m including here for reference. It’s in the tradition of botanical drawings, of which I’m including an example by Jacob Marrel (made c. 1635-45)

It’s not exactly what I’m interested in doing, but I still like it because it’s so delicate. Sally Winters’ print is an etching printed in colour . There are only only traces of a darker colour for outlines which creates the very fine style.

Winter presented some pressed flowers and another colour etching. I’m finding both very inspiring although I know it’s just too fine and delicate for me. I’m more at ease with a bold and expressionist way of working. But I do appreciate the visual qualities and in some of my tulip sketches I think there comes up something more sensitive and detailed that what I usually do.

Graphical approaches

Here I’m referring to bolder, black-and-white or restricted colour approaches that look a bit like poster prints. I guess this is the most frequent approach to linocuts, in particular single-colour linocuts. It promotes a stylized depiction that reduces detail and tonal values.

The first print (ted tulips) by Abigail Davidson is a linocut, but could have been made with stencils and looks a bit like the potato prints I used to make as a child. Nevertheless it’s nice in its simplicity and how it includes different stages of the tulip flower life cycle. The second print from “Anna’s Drawing room” impressed me by the loose cutting and the bold shapes.

It’s in stark contrast to the other two linocuts from Lapwing Printworks (left) and Rosamund Flowler right) with much more delicate and detailed cutting of lines, shapes and patterns. The Lapwing print has an interesting composition with a strong angle, although the cutting is a bit bland and not so interesting. The Fowler print reminds me of linocuts by Jacques Moiroud (as explored in resent research, see http://ocaprintmaking1.blueconcretemoon.com/?p=1819). I appreciate the technique but can’t help feeling that it’s overdone, there’s just too much pattern going on and this is a bit disturbing.

I also found a linocut of just the flowers with a pattern depicting the texture of the petals (published under the name Prionta Lionoile). It has the character of a detail study, but by enlarging it to take up the entire image space it becomes an almost abstract composition and the cutting patterns begin to create tonal values of light, medium and dark red. It is an interesting approach. I guess it works best on only a detail of the flower – in a group of tulips with leaves the image might become too busy overall.

Tulips in art and design

The initial google search was followed by a search on the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, search term ‘tulip’. There came quite a lot of hits but most were not directly relevant for what I was interested in, for example more botanical drawings or depictions of tulips on vases or in rugs. I still found a few items I’d like to include here for a closer look.

Two drawings captured my interest, one is a study of tulips by Charles Demuth and the other a charcoal drawing of several tulips by Lilian Westcott Hale. At the time of writing this, I’ve done some more tulip studies myself. I realize that the Demuth studies are much looser that what I’ve done so far, but I seem to have been similarly preoccupied with the tonal values of leaves. Demuth apparently wanted to capture this in the watercolour wash. By contrast, I tried to capture this with hatching at first, then making colour studies with coloured pencil, and finally tried watercolour washes. Demuth’s drawing is looser and more impressionistic, whereas I tried to depict the shades the same way I saw them. I think Demuth’s drawing with wash is more sensual than mine are, but I feel still too preoccupied with analysing what I see before I can let go.

The Lilian Westcott Hale drawing inspired me to try out charcoal as well. What I admired in the drawing was the interplay of figure and ground, with white shapes before dark ground vs dark shapes before white ground. The light contours in the dark tulip shapes are intriguing. I tried to do something similar in my sketches but found it hard to erase the charcoal to obtain white lines inside a dark shape. I guess I was a little too impatient, it probably takes much more time and patient study to achieve the kind of results as seen here.

I even found one tulip print in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, it’s an aquatint by
Joe Andoe. I do not particularly like the print, because I think it’s a bit kitsch with the stylized clouds in the background. Nevertheless I’m impressed by the simplicity of the flower shape which is enough to make it resemble a tulip.

And then finally, the tulip chair by Eero Saarinen which was really a surprise because I’m quite sure to have seen it already but have never been aware where it came from. Now having studied the forms of the tulips, I recognize its elements! It’s how the stem sits in the center of the flower, and it’s so smooth, straight and perfectly even in form. The green leaves have folds and wavy shapes that are really like the armrests of the chair. It similarity just makes me smile.

Web references (all accessed 6 April 2015)

Amy Akers, Pink Tulips http://www.artspan.com/art/2345921-98287/Printmaking/Giclee/Still-Life/pink-tulips.html

Joe Andoe 1993 Portfolio of 6 Aquatints: Tulips http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/487026

Julia Ayres artist website http://ayresprintmaking.com/

Elizabeth Blackadder Irises watercolour http://stilllifequickheart.tumblr.com/post/3971525312/elizabeth-blackadder-irises-2010 )

Abigail Davidson https://www.pinterest.com/pin/363454632399481219/

Charles Demuth 1926 Tulips (watercolour and graphite) http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/481640

Anna’s Drawing room http://annasdrawingroom.co.uk/2014/03/07/lobsters-on-a-postcard-please/

Rosamund Fowler – The tulip vase http://www.woodengravers.co.uk/gallery76_01.html

Josefina Hernandez http://www.josefinahernandez.com/printmaking

Prionta Lionoile https://www.pinterest.com/pin/165436986284139715/

Jacob Marrel ca 1635-45 Four tulips watercolour botanical drawing http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/337769

Lapwing Printworks https://folksy.com/items/4002-Tulips?shop=yes

Eero Saarinen Tulip Armchair 1956 http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/482088

Louise Stebbing at Skylarkstudios http://skylarkstudios.co.uk/index.php/prints/detail/49/

Sally Winter Etchings https://www.etsy.com/listing/77904353/tulips-a-botanical-etching-with-aquatint
Sally Winters Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sally-Winter-Etchings/352823438130241

Lilian Westcott Hale undated, Tulips http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/10979 Charcoal

What intrigued me was how he managed to create tonal effects through the density of cuts into the linoleum. I wondered whether he used gray ink for these effect, but in a discussion he said it was all based on cutting. Most of the linocuts I selected for a closer look are very large, 24 x 36 inches (about 60 x 90 cm), and I guess the grayscale effect is partly due to scaled down images on the computer screen. It’s fascinating to look at the pictures enlarged to study the fine cutting.

I’m not sure whether my final project leaves enough room to explore further what I like in these prints. What I’d like to do is to make an experimental series where I use the equivalent of hatching and cross-hatching or other cutting techniques to achieve tonal values in the linoprints. I do have some larger linoplates, I think they are A3 and even an A2 size. I’ve never printed that large and they might not fit into my press so I’d have to print from hand pressure.

The second thing I’d like to explore with linocuts (independent of the tonal effects in Jacques Moirouds prints) is the interplay of white lines on black ground versus black lines on white ground. I haven’t yet discovered this play of light and shade in a visual scene, but will look out for it.

I’m including a little gallery of Jacques Moirouds linocuts for reference and study. Actually I rather have images in the blog than cutting them out and sticking them into the sketchbook. I can refer to them using the blog and increase their size on the computer screen to study the details, which for me works much better than a printout that gets lost on some page inside the skechbook.

The linocuts are mostly figure studies featuring intricate details. I don’t think I could commit myself to this type of fine detail on the large scale, and I’m not so much into figure as a subject, but I admire the approach and think I might learn from this for other subjects. I think my recent linocuts focused on shape and line, not on texture, and adding textural qualities might enrich them considerably.

Two of the smaller portrait linocuts, size 10 x 7 inches (25 x 17.5 cm): Jean Paul Sartre (2005)
and David Lynch (2005)

I think these were made from photos (since it’s highly unlikely they sat for him), but for the other prints there were hints that he had sitters and sketched from life for the linocuts.

Selected figures, 2005 – recent – large size originals (24 x 36 inches / 60 x 90 cm)

The distance between you and me / detail (2011)

The detail shows how the tonal values were achieved through cutting fine lines rather than carving away large areas. This is a much more delicate approach compared to what I did in my Elvis linocut. I think both styles work, I’m just getting aware of the different visual effects created through the cutting technique.

Hiromi (undated)
Timbuktu (2009)

I’d guess the Hiromi print was earlier, because it is more graphic in approach, similar to the two small portraits from 2005. Interesting aspects: The irregular shape of the linoplate which follows the outline of the staircase, and in the middle follows the girl’s arm and leg. I also like the contrasting patterns of the striped shirt against the wood grain of the stairs. Very nice the light shadows on the lower feet and the dark shadows on the ankles towards the jeans.

By contrast, the right print evokes almost grayscales from the way the lino is cut. I’m really fascinated by the various textural effects in the girl and the fabrics.

Upper West Side
Carl, the stamp collector (2005)

Again, fascinating variety of tonal values, image details and great composition.

Alcools
Not from Texas

Avenit
Slow Commuter

‘Avenit’ (left) is a print I included because I found it less successful and wanted to analyse why. I guess it is because the textures and tonal values in the middle are too similar, and the image lacks contrast. By contrast, the ‘Slow Commuter’ (right) works better. The textures are not that varied as well, but they are set off better through the inclusion of stronger contrasts.

Wallflower
A girl and a bird

I love these two for the expressiveness of the women depicted. Technical aspects are one thing, but these two convey so much about their lifestyle and personality. The way they sit, the way they look at the viewer, their clothes. The print to the right works technically better because it’s clearer and has more contrast, but they’re both excellent with respect to depicting personalities.

I’m certainly not at a point where I could hope to produce similar quality prints, but I think I’m getting an idea what I find interesting when depicting people: Capturing personality. Indeed while I was working on the series of Elvis prints in the Chine Collé project I found that despite technical imperfections they seemed to convey aspects of Elvis’ personality as I perceived it: The idea of a ‘broken hero’ that came best forward in print 4 of the second set, where the linoplate had moved and the print was misaligned as a result. I find the final print quite successful in capturing the glamorous, glittery aspects of his style, combined with some inner turmoil and exhaustion.

References

Jacques Moiroud artist website http://www.jacmo.com/html

Therefore I’m reviewing what my approach in the blogs was so far. For one, I think it’s valuable  to simply document the technical side because this represents knowledge I gained through the coursework. I can get back later to it and check how I achieved certain effects, and see what worked and what didn’t.

Then there’s the aspect of enabling my tutor to see what I’m doing beyond the assignment outcomes and selected preparatory work. The blog contains the complete coursework and this means it also includes the “uninteresting” stuff. It might be a problem that assessors don’t have the time to read it all and therefore simply don’t find the bits of reflection that are included in the text.

Beyond this, I’m somewhat at a loss for now what I’m actually expected to do or write. But I do perceive “lack of motivation” in the sense that I’m eager to do some printmaking, but I’m often having trouble finding a subject. Or maybe rather, trouble to develop the initial idea further into something more exciting.

I was happy about the recent development in sketchbook work, where I experienced a sense of departure and liberating myself from strictly focusing on sketches that are relevant for  coursework. I also think that the experimentation I did after completing the Elvis prints in project 13 was a huge step forward, because I just played around without limiting myself to one particular approach. This might be a way to approach the problem: If I can’t liberate myself to experiment with an idea before I’ve actually done it as aprint, then it might work to do the playing afterwards. I might then make a second set of experimental prints, which take the initial idea further into new territory.

There’s a discrepancy between what I perceive as steps forward and the feedback I receive… somehow I feel like an infant proud to have made its first consious “La La La” utterances after the stage of either sleeping or crying. Now being criticized that I still can’t pronounce intelligible speech… it will come, but it takes time and everybody develops at his or her personal tempo.

I guess I will just have to endure the comments, try to respond appropriately and continue to strive for development of what I’ve begun.

The artist posted images from the stages over the development as well as detail sections of the print, which I find helpful in understanding the build-up of colours.

The 4 linocut blocks:

It was also very interesting to see where the ideas for the subject came from. In a subsequent discussion, the artist posted photos that documented the sources of his memories on which he later built the composition.

Seeing this, I thought I might take a similar approach in the next project, using the suicide linocut technique and multiple colours. It is also an example of how I might trace back my own sources of inspiration that can develop into subjects for prints.

The pictures made me aware that I might have neglected developing ideas for prints for a while. I’m actually a “hobby photographer” and often go through phases of “increased visual awareness”, when I’m out with a camera. It’s a state of altered perception which makes me focus on visual stimuli. When for example I see a traffic light, I look at it not in terms of the information it conveys about the traffic situation, but in therms of its visuals – the shapes and colours of the object, contrast to background etc. When I’m in this mode I usually take a lot of pictures that might look random to an outsider, but they capture the little visual sets I happened to come across.

Unfortunately nowadays I’m mostly stressed, busy and in a hurry when I go outside – having to go to work or to the supermarket, or I’m going to the dentist, etc, so never seem to be in the mode for visual journeys. Or maybe I manage a trip outside, taking pictures, but then afterwards I don’t find the time to work out what I found and develop it further. But at least for now I realized that there’s something I might get back to.

I’m going to re-read the brief for the next project, but if I remember correctly the task was to combine printmaking techniques. A densely composed, 4-colour linoprint would probably  become overloaded if I just added more techniques for the sake of themselves.

I think I’ll develop more ideas along the way once I’ve started the project, and will see whether it’s going to correspond to the subject idea I’ll be choosing.

– cutting lines and shapes

There are coloured areas where white lines appear, and there are white areas with coloured linear elements. This interplay creates a lot of visual interest. I repeatedly found this pattern in linocuts, only recently in two other postings to a FB group. I’d like to integrate this in my prints as well.

– multiple colour inking

The plate was inked in a gradient from blue over turquise and green into almost black. In his feedback to Ass. 4, my tutor pointed out that I need to improve my use of colour and should be attentive how others employ colours and what function it has in an image. I think here the colour helps creating space, it lifts up the sky from the woods that surround the mountain.

Source: Sasha Barker -> Linocut friends FB group (30 March 2015)

The first thing that came to mind was an image I had seen recently when I did some research on Andy Warhol’s celebrity portraits. Warhol had made a series of prints of Mick Jagger. I looked them up and found out they’re screenprints. But I think the way Warhol treated the subject would work as an approach to chine collé as well. Warhol combined linear elements with shapes in different colours. I find this series really exciting and it brings across Jagger’s (projected?) personality extremely well.

Multiple versions seem to exist. I like the photo where original polaroids were placed next to the prints that were developed from these. Particularly important for me is how Warhol used photographs as sources for his prints. I’m alway having legitimacy issues when using photos, as if they’d be an “inferior” source to work from, compared with drawings. So it’s good to see an artist using photos well, as it means “it’s allowed”.

Naila Smith: Finch

This is a true chine collé. It incorporates pieces of newspaper which add a subdued tone and visual texture. The two versions of the print are slightly different by the colour composition. The left one is lighter which makes the finch stand off from the background. The right one uses an earth colour background and to me this makes the image space more narrow, less airy. It’s interesting to see how the choice of colour affects the spatial effect.

Stephanie Flier: Linocut & chine collé

Springtime window (2013): The print has also an embossed effect. The motif has many linear elements. I wouldn’t have believed that lines in linocuts work so well. This aspect of the print is similar to my prints for the combination mono and linoprint which also emphasizes lines, but this print includes more interesting textures than mine.

The tulips (2013) also feature many linear elements. They remind me a bit of Art Déco, but are less stylized, more organic.

With springtime window and the tulips one can only guess what the chine collé elements are. Maybe the coloured flower buds?

The third print, Little Sister, big sister (2011) includes a handwritten or photocopied piece of paper on a first layer print in a different colour, then a linoprint on top. I particularly like the title because it reminds me of a song by Elvis Presley – Little sister don’t you do what your big sister does. But I don’t know how the title relates to the print’s subject. Despite this ambiguity, I find this as well as the other two prints visually very appealing.

References

Andy Warhol / Mick Jagger (1975) series: https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/pop-culture/andy-warholmick-jagger-34/3043/ (accessed 23 March 2015)

Naila Smith : http://naylasmith.deviantart.com/art/Finch-Chine-Colle-266661857 (accessed 23 March 2015)

Stephanie Flier: http://stephanieflierartist.weebly.com/prints.html (accessed 23 March 2015)

Glenda: Beach hut series
Glenda: Beach hut series, inked a la poupee

What works well here is the contrast between strongly and lightly textured areas, which is supported by different tonal values. As a result, the image can easily be read as figure and ground.

This was one of the major problems I identified in my own collagraphs. Both the group of small geese and the single large goose were texturally not different enough from the background. Using different colours for figure and background improved overall readability, but overall the composition did not provide enough textural contrast between different areas.

Angie: Leaf series
Angie: Landscape and feathers

The leaf and feather prints use natural objects to create interesting textures. I think an intaglio technique was used to wipe away ink from the surfaces, probably also making use of differences in ink retention. The landscape works through the colour contrast between the warm brown and cold blue.

These prints show another element that I did not get to work in my collagraphs, the intaglio wiping technique. Maybe it has to do with the textures I used, which may have had to much size difference. Actually I did not try out natural objects, maybe this would have worked better.

Bryce: Little owl
Bryce: Kestrel

The two prints make use of strong figurative images and expressive shape, with a lovely feather texture for the kestrel. Compared to this, I think my geese shapes might have been a bit simplistic and the textures I chose did not sufficiently support the “feathery” aspect of my chosen subject. But I don’t want to be overcritical, as the shapes might have worked if set against a quieter background texture.

Lenisa: Sculptural work
Claire: Gingko leaf series

I think the ‘sculptural’ prints strongly build on the wiping technique. The middle one with irregular shaped objects looks particularly intriguing. It’s breaking up the standard rectangle image boundaries. I discoverd this during linocut research and used it for the experimental linocut as well. It’s nice to see this applied to collagraph as well.

The Gingko leaf series explores a variety of approaches. Some are a bit weaker for the same reason I criticised my collagraphs, not enough contrast between figure and ground. But they are interesting to look at nevertheless. Again a single leaf evokes the impression of a whole tree. This reminds me of my leaf prints in part 1, where I created landscapes with trees based on the effect.

To conclude, looking at these prints I think that I was right being less than satisfied with my collagraph prints so far, and also identified what I could improve for future attempts.

Post scriptum

It was only after completing Part 5 of the course that I realized this little research must have worked subconsciously as an encouragement to choose collagraph in the final project, despite the technical difficulties I had encountered in Part 4. I guess this is an example of how much I integrate what I see and study along the way, without immediately drawing the connections or anticipating future effects. I’m much more at ease with this kind of organic influencing, compared to deliberately working “in the style of” any particular artist.

References

Original Facebook posting by Hester Cox: https://www.facebook.com/hestercoxprintmaker/posts/800684823352850

I looked at it several times and the black marks reminded me of works by Keith Haring. I found the coincidence striking and went ahead to do some research whether Haring might have been influenced by Klee. I did not find any such hint, but maybe it just isn’t documented. Haring studied semiotics at the School of Visual Arts in New York and it would surprise me if he’d never seen works by Paul Klee.

I found an early work by Haring, it’s very small (7 x 9 inches) and I think there’s already the core of his future style visible. He was known to make no preparatory sketches for his works, but worked entirely from intuition.

To me it looked as if he just couldn’t stop covering surfaces with his sign language, and he extended those surfaces in various ways: Screen printing, embossed printings, the human body. He even made large sculptures from his figurines.

After delving into Pop Culture and New York Art Scene of the 1980s (Keith Haring had been friends with Andy Warhol), I went back to take a closer look at Paul Klee.

I selected a few works which I found particularly interesting. Three more which take up this motif of black signs on a coloured backgrounds, all from his late years:

left: Nach der Überschwemmung (1936)
below left: Forest Witches (1938)
below right: Heroic Roses (1938)

I also liked his colour studies with rectangles. They are said to take up ideas from musical compositions as Klee had also learned to play the violin. What struck me was again the warmth and softness of his colour choices.

left: Red-green and violet-yellow rhythms (1920)
right: Flora on sand (1927)

Piet Mondrian (Dutch, 1872-1944), a contemporary of Paul Klee came to my mind, and I thought Klee and Mondrian must have had very different personalities, in view of the direction that Mondrian’s abstractions had taken him. When I first researched Mondrian, I knew only the purely geometrical works in primary colours. It was only then I discovered that early Mondrian was a very skilled figurative painter who slowly progressed towards increasingly technically precise abstract works.

Rhododendrons (1910)
Composition in Blue, Grey and Pink (1913)
Composition in Red, Blue and Yellow (1930)

Impact on coursework

I started reading the introduction to Part 5 of the course only after having seen the Paul Klee painting. It struck me immediately that Klee’s painting would make an interesting starting point for a combination mono and linoprint. I envision a monoprint background in those muted red-orange-brown-violet tones and a line-based linocut overprinting. Of course I would not want to simply copy an existing artwork, but as a starting point, I really liked the idea. I will see whether I can take this further.

A first step was that I juxtaposed two images in my sketchbook, Klee’s 1940 painting and the photo of Keith Haring painting the floor of a huge space while walking backwards. I filled the remaining white paper of the double page by drawing black signs with oil pastels, then colouring in with watercolours in red, orange, yellow, green and blue tones. I quite like the result. It might be the first painting that actually has a message. It visualizes the closeness I perceive in the visual language of those two artists and also conveys a sense of “endless signmaking” as a basic principle in art.

References

Keith Haring

Brooklyn Museum exhibition (Spring 2012): http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/keith_haring/ (accessed 28 Feb 2015)

Wikipedia Article, overview on life and influences http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Haring (accessed 28 Feb 2015)

Keith Haring Foundation website http://www.haring.com in particular paintings overview by year http://www.haring.com/!/genre/painting and biographical info http://www.haring.com/!/selected_writing/keith-haring-art-and-commerce#.VPH9ieGOfz8 (accessed 28 Feb 2015)

Keith Haring Documentary video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPlzHR_WyVA (accessed 28 Feb 2015)

Paul Klee

Tate modern documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLbPTI6bfC4  (accessed 28 Feb 2015)

Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Klee  (accessed 28 Feb 2015)

Piet Mondrian

Website with list of complete paintings http://www.piet-mondrian.org  (accessed 28 Feb 2015)

Life with Facebook groups

There’s good things and there’s bad things about this. The good thing is that I feel connected to current art practice and see what other people are doing. Particularly important for this module is the OCA printmaking group, where students regularly post recent works, art stuff they come across, and discuss printmaking stuff. We’re all aware that the OCA student forum should be the place for this to happen, but Facebook offers much more social connectedness and easy interaction so this is probably the reason for its success.

On the downside, I observe that I’m quite quick in following up, but usually don’t do in-depth research because of the constant arrival of new stuff. I’m in a phase of learning how to keep up with all the information, and my reception might be somewhat too superficial. On the other hand, it does happen that things really capture my interest and this leads to prolonged research, as was the case when I came across David Bull and his Mokuhankan Project. I spent several days reading about his activities, and how he used crowdfunding to finance a printmaking studio close to his home in Ome (Tokyo), Japan. This also inspired my use of rice paper, some experimentation with flour paste and watercolours to print (not successful so far), and with image transfer. I used this to prepare one of the collagraph plates (the goose).

The Facebook printmakers groups also provide much stimulation from the prints members post. It’s interesting and inspiring to see work that’s done at a professional level, unrelated to OCA course briefs, fresh and not yet embedded in artspeak -isms. Linoprints by Hans von Doehren, a German artist and printmaker living in Berlin and Bretagne in France, come to mind. In December and January, he posted a series of prints made by his father, who was also an artist. The father lived and worked in Berlin, Germany in the early 20th century and made exceptional, expressionist linocuts.

In particular, the ‘Linocut friends’ Facebook group provided me with lots of visual input and showed me that I’ve only scratched the surface with my first attempts in the medium.

Other inspirations

During part 4, I haven’t been to an exhibition. There were the Matisse Cut-outs and the Cubist exhibition which I wanted to see, but didn’t make it. Reasons are a combination of busy work schedule, general exhaustion, and bad weather. I hope that as spring arrives and the weather gets better the enthusiasm for going out returns.

The most recent big topic for me is rediscovery of Elvis Presley and his music. I’ve been researching his life and performances and am off my feet by the way he sang. The memories I had were from his last years and I hadn’t realized there was so much more. Born in 1935 he was older than my father and would have turned 80 on January 15, 2015. What I find truely inspirational is the way he was present, in the moment, during his live performances. But also watching old footage from studio rehearsals is hugely interesting. He must have been quite an exceptional person. I know it’s not related to artmaking or my current printmaking practice, but I’m deeply impressed at a personal level.

References

David Bull, Mokuhankan project site http://mokuhankan.com/ (accessed 26 Feb 2015)
Hans von Doehren, artist and printmaker https://www.facebook.com/Hansvondoehren (accessed 26 Feb 2015)