Digital fumblings

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Ideas for hybrid ‘tradigital’ works are always lurking in the back of my mind. I’m new to the digital realm and I’m on a steep learning curve figuring out how to create and use my digital images in combination with my traditional printmaking. I’m fumbling my way along the digital path and mucking around with some mobile digital iphone making of paintings, drawings & patterns during snatched spare moments. Some of the iphone art apps are amazingly good and some are amazingly crappy. My eyes have been opened to a whole world of mobile iphoneographers out there. I aim to combine my ‘digital fumblings’ with my traditional printmaking in some way. I’m not sure how the two very different practices are going to come together and manifest as resolved and successful prints?

I realise that you can achieve incredible amounts of detail though digital methods and so I understand the appeal. But for me there is a problem with digital prints. They do impress me when they are on a computer screen but once zapped from their virtual state of being and printed into reality on a 2d paper format they lose appeal due to great lack of ‘surface quality’. The art work surface is ‘dead’ and flat and once the light from the computer screen is no longer part of the equation – the image always seems so dull. Whenever I print out one of my digital images – I’m always so disappointed and I think that it’s better off left in it’s virtual state in computer land.

The surface quality of traditional printmaking work, on the other hand, is tactile. The surfaces sing with texutre and you can see and feel the layering of inks and the embossment from the printing plates. It somehow seems wholesome and real. You can see & feel the story of the ‘physical’ making of the print.

How will I successfully add a surface to my digital prints ? Can I bring them out of the confines of the computer land onto a 2d paper reality and impart a handmade, textural surface quality ? I hope so. I also need to conduct some research into getting some help with doing my digital layouts and printing my digital images onto archival digital printmaking papers using lightfast inkjet. The paper needs to be such that overprinting intaglio plates, embossing etc. will be a possibility.

I’ve posted some digial abstract patterns I’ve been creating from ordinary photographs and iphone apps. My digital finger paintings and drawings are still ‘behind closed doors’ whilst I learn the capabilities of my apps and have a bit more practice.

Patterns:

These digital prints (above) somehow remind me of this rusting and scorching experiment (below) I conducted some time ago. Mmm … I wonder how a digital print would rust and scorch ?

OK….. Enough thinking out loud for today !!!

Some links re: “TRADIGITAL” printmaking & Iphone Art http://hybriddigitaltraditionalprints.blogspot.com.au/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradigital_art

http://www.worldprintmakers.com/english/mamata.htm http://www.hockneypictures.com/iphone_pages/iphone_etcetera-23.php

http://www.iphoneart.com/groups/12?gp=1&size=small&tab=recent

On the edge of Woods Lake

  

I sit on my paper quilt of patchwork blue. Dark shapes of Currawong, cloaked in grey and inky blackness, flash by.    Bathed in prussian blue and bright warm sunlight,

vitreous humor particles float around me.   It is summer.  I am still.

From deep within their forest place, the piping songs of the Currawongs

entwine with guitar and double bass.  ♫♪ﻬ ♫♪♭♫♪ﻬ ♫♪♫ ﻬ ♫♪♭♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♭♫♪

On the edge of Woods Lake, I hear music.

  

 My latest print series “On the Edge of Lake Woods, I hear music” is currently showing at Parnella Gallery, St Helens, Tasmania.   The work is part of an group exhibition “On the Edge” and showcases the work  of 6  Bruny Island Women - Janine Coombes, Kate Mills, Marlene Schmidt, Margaret Vandenberg, Barbara Tassell and Myself.      The body of work that I created for “On the Edge” consists of embossed Cyanotypes stitched together to form paper patchwork quilts and a collograph, Linocut, chine colle triptych.

Book Press

I have been very lucky.   People have been incredibly generous loaning me various bits and pieces for my studio.   I now have, on loan, this lovely old Book Press (Thanks Jenny !)  I’m not sure how old  it is but, although in good working order,  it looks pretty old.  I’ve already found it to be very useful for framing / glueing purposes.    I’ve just given her a bit of an oil and  polish and she sits there gleaming, ready for use, beckoning me to make some relief woodblock prints.

Prussian Blue cyanotypes

FINALLY… I’VE BUSTED OUT OF MY CREATIVE BLOCK and have made some embossed paper Cyanotype wall hangings.   Cyanotype printing is a non-toxic process that was developed in 1842.  Early botanists used the process to capture minute details of plants.   The resulting image is a stable Prussian Blue print.

 The cyanotype process is a way of portraying the subject using a light sensitive emulsion and developing the image by the light of the Sun.  The prints are sometimes referred to as sun prints or photograms.  It is a process that requires patience as the Tasmanian sun does not always perform on cue !

Here are a few pics of my cyanotype work that I have just put into our Bruny Island  “Imprint of Bruny” art exhibition.    The embossed wall hangings are titled “Imprint of Bruny”  – Beach walk, Paddock, Garden & Oyster Catcher.  They  are the result of my Bruny  walks on  Hansson’s beach & Highwood’s paddocks and garden.  They derive from found objects and plant specimens,  handmade papercuts & photographs from my walks.

To prevent cyanotypes from fading they should be kept out of direct sunlight.  If they do  happen to fade over time,  you just pop them into a dark cupboard for a while and, magically, the colour revitalises !

My new Studio Space

I have slowly been  setting  up my new studio space since the move & struggling with feeling comfortable and creative in the new space.   The space is  small, it’s a wierd “L” shape,   it doesn’t have much natural light, or view or ventilation !!   But…. I try to  make the most of it, remain positive about it and try to love it ‘warts n’ all’  & make the space work for me.    On the upside – it is solely my space, it has lots of nice shelving and I have good immediate access to undercover outside space with running water  !    I’m still setting up but it’s  at a workable stage now and I’ve started printmaking again.  I’ve also been lucky enough to borrow a piece of very important equipment for a printmaker –  A fabulous sturdy old brownbuilt paper drawer !   Hooray – no more rolling up my precious paper.   This will make such a difference to me and will make life on the ‘paper front’ so much easier.   Thanks April !  The space is coming together but I do miss my old Green Room.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Exhibition on Bruny

Periodic Table of elements by 38 Tasmanian Printmakers

Recently, 79 Australian chemistry professionals & 38 Tasmanian printmakers collaborated to create the periodic table of elements  for the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.   I was one of the artists invloved.   My three allotted elements for the project were Selenium, Chromium and Indium.    I  created 2 plate intaglio collograph prints for each of the elements.  My process began by taking photographs of the subject matter or creating a drawing and making papercuts from the photos or drawings.   I collaged the papercuts directly to a cardboard matrix and add detail with a drypoint tool and stanley knife.  My collages are then covered with shellac and hand printed in the usual intaglio manner by using an etching press.  

Selenium (Se34):   I investigated the area of food science to formulate my image for Selenium.  Selenium plays a key role in the functioning of the human immune system and thyroid gland.  The trace element is also needed for successful reproduction.  We have naturally occurring selenium in our bodies and it is also available in a number of foods.  A selenium rich source of food is the Brazil nut.  I have portrayed this orbicular hard shelled fruit containing the triangular, wrinkled seeds known as Brazil nuts.

Indium (In 49):   The bottles in this print represent Indium supplements which are available in liquid or tablet form for human consumption.  There is great debate regarding Indium and human health.   In some circles it is hailed as a miracle dietary supplement with multiple claims of beneficial therapeutic results.  Scientific literature, however, does not support these testimonials.

Chromium (Cr 24):  I have depicted an audio cassette tape for the Chromium element.  Chromium dioxide or chromium(IV) oxide is a synthetic magnetic substance used in the manufacture of magnetic tape emulsion.  Chrome tape is considered by many to be the most perfect magnetic recording tape available.  This is due to the way in which the chromium dioxide crystals can be evenly and densely dispersed in the magnetic coating which leads to unparalleled low noise performance in audio cassette tapes.

(See my previous post “expressing chemistry through art”  for a bit more info regarding this printmaking project.   The complete periodic table of elements can be viewed on the RACI website.   Follow these links –  http://www.raci.org.au/raci-news/periodic-table-on-show-launch    &  http://www.raci.org.au/periodic-table-on-show)