Crowds 2 (M5 Chpt 9)

Generally I aim to produce one or two pieces of work in a chapter that are satisfying to produce or noteworthy for the future. Sometimes a chapter can inspire many such works, but this chapter got off to a slow un-rewarding start. It may have been using templates again, I think the third time in this module, combined with monoprinting which remains an elusive art to me despite my regular working with linocuts (cue bewildered emoji face). However in the final analysis I produced two pieces of work I was more or less happy with - not for want of trying. One of them because it was an enjoyable challenge of alternating colour and the other because I felt it was a start of something with monoprinting that could be developed further.

Stencils and templates

Initially I struggled to find images for the first group of activities, and I think this set me off on a connundrum at the very start of work. Finding some figures a little too complex, others too simple. It was also quite hard to find full length body images on line. I considered aztec warriors, dancers even samurai warriors before finally decided on commuters for a straightforward not overly complex set of shapes to work with. I was beset by doubts about my choice of figures from the start, and now can't recall why I didn't go for more extravagant figures.

Creating stencils and templates

Three walking commuters and two commuters standing in the rain

I started off working on book pages drawing around templates:

Secondly making a completely uninspired piece using wax crayon and watercolour wash - although I had more success with this as I perked up with the exercise:

Can you remember the Old Grey Whistle Test?

Blue acrylic background with white acrylic ink splatter and white pen:

Going back to module 1 and using coloured papers for this next piece. Colourwash sealed with cling film and them using the stencils, with acrylic:

I enjoyed working on this this piece and found myself perking up creatively at this point. It generally only takes one rewarding piece  to get things flowing.

I have a large number of linocut boards and I turned now to use these as a base for making rubbings:

An indigo textile base turned many times to make a complex base with the templates laid on the surface, painted over with watercolour:

A flower base:

In module 3 we looked at scraffito and I made a long scraffito city piece which I subsequently used as a subject for a collograph plate. So here are the commuters walking to work against the backdrop of a fantasy city. Graphite stick used to rub the base:

A sign of the times. By unusual coincidence, last October I made some virus and bacteria prints. Here are, what look like, three rappers, on a background of viruses:

Almost ready to move on to monoprinting, I had one final idea. One of my figures was a young girl waiting at a bus stop in the rain. I thought it would be good to do her with flowers on the inside, black all around to show that whilst the weather might be awful, she might have happy thoughts on the inside. My first idea was not going to work so I decided to go completely over the top and have a pattern that was grey and blue on the outside and colourful on the inside of the template shape. I used a fabulously complex fabric from the 60s as inspiration:

The first go.....

Re-thinking my ideas, and working on a black base with coloured pencils:

Moving on to MONOPRINTING

How embarrassing. When I studied monoprinting with Louise Stebbings, I must confess I found it hard to really understand what it was all about. In the most basic sense, why create one thing when you can make multiple copies of the same thing. So in many respects it was a good thing to re-visit monoprinting again. I tried three techniques:

Drawing on an inked plate:

This was not a success for me. I found it hard to achieve any accuracy:

The tools:

The plate

The results. In order, Russian dancers, chinese terracotta warriors, two fashionable ladies from the 60s and Gloriana again:

Next up I tried drawing over a photograph. Inking the plate, taking off the excess ink and then working over the plate: In order: three dancing ladies, a punk boy band (with grading ink colour) and finally some nerds dressed as storm troopers at a comicon convention. I used lightweight paper as suggested, some light weight mulberry paper, hosho paper and some beautiful very lightweight, almost lacy Khadi paper (which was my favourite, and which incidentally is very robust)

the khadi paper is the creamy stuff

Add caption

Finally I made some monoprinted bases and worked over the top of these. I chose various things to base print with, such as, pine needles, lace and fabric. A couple of the monoprinted bases worked very well:

First up, the commuters walking against lace. Using templates to block out the figures:

Add caption

Secondly, and I liked this one in particular, dancers against a stripy base:

Finally the one to take forwards and easily the best of the lot (as far as I'm concerned. Some eighteenth century silouhettes on a pink base of scrim monoprinting. This last piece was printed on the khadi paper, which being very creamy gave the print an additionally warm hue:

Claire Gordon

07/11/2020