Monday, August 8, 2005

August 8




Over the past few days, I've worked on two more monotypes not previously pictured and re-worked another that was.

I kept looking at the one with the chine colle pieces with the rocks from Collioure and just couldn't keep the rocks. I pulled up the edges of the paper and peeled and scraped off as much of it as would come loose. I, then worked on the bare spots with oil based relief inks again to protect the bare paper from the linseed oil in the oil paints. After I did this I just kept working on it and turning it around. The final piece is now in a horizontal format instead of vertical. I may need to re-think a title here now that the rocks are gone.

I continued to work on two more pieces that I think of as aerial views of the landscape. They also turned into horizontal format by the time I was through with them. I added oil paint to the monotype......one of these is the ghost of the other.















I've also determined that the two chine colle pieces from France and Spain from the previous post will need a lot more refining and simplifying........they are just too busy looking and lots of the information will have to be edited........but that is for another day.

It's also good that I determined some time ago that it didn't matter if these pieces remained true to the monotype process.........'cause they sure aren't and have turned into paintings.

Monday, August 1, 2005

Monotypes, continuing





Working over the weekend, I put up some of the monotypes on the easel ...I think some may be finished. With that in mind, I put those away and pulled out four more that are 16 x 20" printed on full sheet copperplate paper.

After making the decision to forgo the pure monotype process, I feel better about permitting anything goes to develop them further. I will keep in mind the fact that they are oil based and use compatible materials on top.

Since I'm no longer using a plate to work on these pieces, I just decided to work directly with both oil based relief inks and oil paints. I'll extend the inks and paints with burnt plate oil to be more compatible with the paper surface.

The first two are the ones with the Spanish and French brochures and maps I chine colle to the paper when I printed them on the press. I've found it better to use brushes most of the time although I'm still using a brayer in some areas. By the time I get to the other one with the picture of Collouire rocks I'm changing up the colors and layering more....also using more of my customary marks on the pieces.




By Sunday I'm on to working on that very first piece I ran through the press......yellows with gray and black. I do like it's simplicity but I think it lacks in surface quality. Starting to mix up more pigments, I use a brayer and brushes again to add a lot more black and subdued greens into the lower section (now at least, lower) to help it contrast more with the brighter, smoother section in the top.



Will leave them to hang on the wall for a day or two and consider "what next?".......when in doubt, leave it for awhile . I also took some digitals of these steps.