Daily Thoughts
Conversations, life experiences and what happens each day, leaves me with more ideas than I'll ever have time for! But, after years of teaching young students art and explaining that artists' work is the result of what they see around them - I find myself responding to the images I see in newspapers on a daily basis. The written word as well as pictures that are constantly being flashed in our faces, intrigue me. Some things are funny, some frightening, some are maddening.
Many things touch me on a much deeper level. I have the desire to capture in time, a notion, a thought, some injustice or something to be celebrated. Life happens all around us each day and so much of it slips away, never to be remembered unless, we record the idea or image in some way.
I use a transfer process using wintergreen oil and photocopies of images I encounter. I sometimes use a camera to capture an image; other times I use what comes across my desk.
Many times, I will keep printing the image until no ink remains. I call these 'ghost images.' After experimenting for several years, I've begun to combine watercolors, collage and the photo transfers of many kinds of images
February 17, 2006
Photo Transfer Process using Wintergreen Oil
Simply put, wintergreen oil, applied to a photocopied image/text causes the ink to be released onto a surface. This is best done using a press and with moistened paper. The oil must be applied to the back of the image and run through a press with the paper on the top.
Many materials (cloth, different kinds of papers) can be used as a transfer surface, if it will accept the ink. The image becomes permanent on most surfaces. This makes for endless choices and ways to create. I first learned about this process from Native American artist, Juana Quick-to-See Smith and have been experimenting with it for several years. It has become a phenomenal vehicle for my thoughts and ideas.
(The three pieces of paper in this frame were all printed using the ink that was on the original photocopy.)
Intaglio - Etching The piece, 'Henriette Reclining' is an etching or intaglio print. This begins with a metal plate that is covered in a waxy substance that protects it. Wherever you scratch or expose the plate, the metal is eaten away when it is put in an acid bath. The grooves that are left (or roughed up surface) is inked to print an etching. Other processes besides just pure etching were used. One, called aquatint (a powdery substance) is applied to the metal plate that enables you to get overall grays. Also, you notice a lacy like pattern. This is texture that is from fabric being pushed onto the plate into the waxy surface then the plate is placed in an acid bath.
Notice as well, the shape of the image. I first cut the plate into that shape on a large saw, then drew and etched and finally inked up the plate, to print. |
