In past few days I have had some time to try out some ideas that have been swimming about my head. In the pursuit of the perfect tape to mask the drawings with I picked up a roll of bookbinders mending tape and laid down a grid on some Japanese paper.
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| laying down the grid |
Laying down some charcoal lines, I was unsatisfied. Color is want I was wanting, luscious color, color hinting of growth, of warmth of spring. Added some color. Still not right, so started to cut out the inside areas of the grid. The wall is full of drawings so I lay the grid on different drawings.
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| Experiment 2 |
Well I have a colored grid but still not what I am sensing. Change the colors on the computer....better, but not there.
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| Experiment 4 |
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| Experiment 5 |
More experimenting needed. Time to try some soft pastels, to see if they will react like the charcoal with my hands and fingers. Maybe loose the grid?
Maybe if the grid was a bit more subtle? Hinted at instead? I like the idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks jennifer, you are so right, need to be way more subtle!
DeleteGreat experiments! Can't wait to see the paintings/ drawings evolve. It is always fun to see where this process takes us.
ReplyDeleteExperiments sometimes work or in this case sometimes don't work. But I need to do them to get to the next place, thanks Munira.
DeleteI think I am so used to your muted tones my eyes are just boggled by colour! There are some very interesting lines in there, so just keep on experimenting I say...
ReplyDeleteThanks Fiona, as you can tell I'm longing for color, for scent, I'll take mud!
DeleteA friend [Black Cat] emailed me this very pertinent and insightful comment and gave me permission to post it. Thanks Black Cat.
ReplyDeleteYou may have been going for spring in your heart/mind but you weren't getting what you wanted.
I like the first image of just the tape on the mulberry paper- subtle, exquisite - it is hauntingly soft, beautiful and serene. Like a blanket of snow. Full of promise and mystery. And reminds me of the time near the end of winter, which is what seems to be outside of where you live.
I would like to make a series of suggestions:
Redo the grid on the paper;
Do not add colour to the tape;
Turn the paper over;
Work your images on this back side using charcoal, allowing some of the grid to glow softly through, like a ghost image, and some to be obscured by the charcoal;
Play gently, coaxingly, with this relationship - I get the impression you know how to do this;
Does it really need acidic green? hot yellow? hot hot orange? now? or is it maybe too soon? It is still winter where you live. When I fight reality, I tend to loose. Maybe you're luckier arguing with reality.
Good luck, Enjoy your blog a lot.
Beautiful work! I have creative envy!
DeleteA thought (in fact, a silly thought probably) What if the grid was the same color black or a light gray as the design? The closeness of color may create a unique effect.
Hi Steve, so sorry to take so long getting back to you [I just found this, I think I need to get more organized], thanks for your thoughts, i quite agree about the color of the grid. It always amazes me how many false steps I need to take before I get to where i want to go.
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