Designs, Doodles and Deadlines!

A couple of times a year, I gather up drawings and ideas that I've jotted down in sketch pads over the months and work on new designs for my paper line. I love this change in creative outlets because I get to play with paper and inks and think a little differently than when working on my stones.

I leave my at home studio to do my printmaking and rent space a month at a time. Thus this means more than ever that I have to organize myself with a specific deadline to get everything ready so when I get to the studio I am printing to the max. 

Getting ready involves deciding on designs and making final "perfect" drawings, deciding on paper colors and numbers and getting letterpress plates made.

Well, I am just about to head into the studio and the drawings are done, plates are ordered and the paper is on its way. Phew! That month flew by!  You all know what I mean about that fleeting time thing :)

Here's some pictures of the process. Next purchase: a bus pass to take me to the studio everyday! Yay!

Art Date: In the Studio

Even when we are doing something that we love, there are times that we need to awaken our creativity!

When I am feeling this need, I sometimes take myself on an "Art Date" in the studio. This allows for a time-out from my "work" art and frees up time to do a personal project. I may experiment with different mediums or maybe try something I have put off for whatever reason!

This set of drawings on paper were done with pen and ink and watercolors.

I laid down the color and when it was completely dry, went back and drew with ink.

On the drawing just beneath, I added some colored pencil to the drawing and rather liked the affect.

It was very energizing!

"Yay" to giving ourselves permission to play!

xo

Letterpress Month!

Happy Spring! 

For the last few months I had been designing cards, ordering paper and inks, cutting paper and printing.

This is the first time that I have spent an entire month in the printmaking studio making letterpress cards. My mission was to print, print print!

I have been submersed in the process and it has been great.

It will be a thrill to show off more of the cards soon...please stay tuned for more announcements about sales and stores.

Thank you for all of your encouragement!
Karen

PS if you want more info, please follow me on instagram or facebook by clicking on the icons at the top right :)

Art Date- Letterpress Cards!

 So, a couple of weeks ago, I was in the studio making letterpress cards. It had been a a number of weeks since the course ended and it took a few days to get re-familiarized with the presses, the tools and how to set the letters properly- having my course teacher around a bit of the time to ask when I was stuck was very helpful :) By day 4 (ha-ha), I was off and running. It was so much fun and full of learning, creativity...and lots of cards!

Here are a few of the results of the week....hope you enjoy!

Next time: new stone designs!!!

xo

Letterpressing with Love

Besides working on orders and new inspired stones over the summer, I have also been working on my paper line for the fall season!

Since taking my two printmaking courses in the winter and spring, I have fallen in love with the medium. I am back at Martha Street Studio, with ideas galore and trying to put them into print!  

The second course I took at Martha Street was letterpress and I have become a little obsessed with it.   Letterpress is the oldest form of print in which raised letters or surfaces are inked and pressure is applied to make prints on paper. Designs have to be composed and set. Ink has to be mixed and paper folded and lined up.

 The manipulation of one letter at a time, the centering and setting of the design and the inking and pressing of each card is powerful and beautiful and joyful.....most of the time! I have been using vintage photo plates, making polymer plates with our own designs and using vintage and antique wooden and lead letters to create a variety of art cards.

Below are a few pictures of the studio and some plates. Next week I will show more of the results of my week of printing on my blog and facebook!
xo

Some of the tools of the trade.

a bunch of lead type that needs to be sorted

Drawers full of type

"Furniture" for holding the plates/type in place

Mixing inks- Isn't this a beautiful color?

This is a platen press...

This proofing press is set up with plates, type and furniture.

A sneak peek at some new cards!

Art Journal: Time to Organize!

 

Well,it is time again for art room organizing—something that usually takes place in January or February. Just a little behind schedule!

Sometimes the busyness of everyday life,  the unexpected events that squash plans or something as simple and important as a much needed visit with family and friends can delay a "to do" on your list.

So here is some words of guidance that I try to follow:

Prioritize. 

Let go. 

Seize the moment. 

(Easier said than...right?!)

So, I grabbed some time recently on a weekend and did some much needed reorganizing. I put together some new cube shelving, put up some additional inspirational pictures on the wall, sorted, tossed and performed a good vacuum.

I even found a few "lost" things!

The room feels good and I didn't stress that it stayed extra messy for a few  extra months. 

Now that it is done I hope it will let a fresh flow of creating begin...  

"Toss your dashed hopes not into a trash bin but into a drawer where you are likely to rummage some bright morning." 
~Robert Brault, rbrault.blogspot.com

Art Date: Etching Class!

  One of the items on my 2014 Check List was to take an art course. 
 I am happy to say that I completed an intaglio class at Martha Street Printmaking Studio!
It was such a joy to learn some new skills...besides some art related ones, I learned to slow down and be patient. I was also happy to find out that my brain was ok with all this new stuff!  
In intaglio (etching), you work on copper. The plate is prepared and coated with a hard ground which you then draw your design into. The copper that is exposed by the drawing is etched in an acid bath. I worked many, many hours on my two designs: drawing, then etching, reapplying ground and etching again. It is such an interesting and thoughtful process.  I have included some pictures of one of my plates from intaglio class and will be sharing some pictures from my new Letterpress class (Yay!) on Instagram 
over the next few weeks.
P.S. I hope that you are inspired to try a new class in anything that intrigues you!

Here is the copper plate I etched, inked up and ready to print.

The plate is put on the press...

And a piece of wet (but not too wet) beautiful paper is placed carefully on the plate.

Felt clothes are placed over the paper and plate. I  then used the big "captain's wheel" to roll the plate through the heavy rollers.

Then, like a gift, you pull off the paper and voila! A print.

Below is a clean plate and a print with some drawing tools!

xo

Quote Love

...at least, I thought it was John Muir!

On my last post on the ArtRocks blog, I talked about the multitude of mis-attributions that exist on the internet. This week, I found out that one of my favorite quotations by John Muir is a misquote!

The actual 1869 quote by Muir was "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." as noted by the Sierra Club website.
Oops!
 

Karen

Art Journal

"Do not fail, as you go on, to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worth while, and it will do you a world of good."

-Cennino Cennini (14th century artist and writer)

my backyard

a boulevard tree

As per Cennini's advice, I am continuing to sketch often, if not daily.

My drawing usually starts by pulling out my small drawing pad and pen, looking at what is around me and picking a subject.

Even the most seemingly mondane subject can end up making a pleasing picture (the BBQ, which was originally omitted from the first picture, was added at the end - adding interest and balance!)

I am learning that sketching isn't just about replicating a scene, but more about understanding how to really see (and, much like practicing the piano: the more you do it, the more natural it becomes!)

Draw on,
xo Karen

Art Journal

While I was in Europe in June, I gave myself the challenge of sketching something every day of the trip.

The challenge lied in the fact that I am not a 'sketcher'. I have a hard time creating an impression of something quickly on paper because I like to go back and correct mistakes right away. I can also be quite shy about drawing in public. I have to admit that I still get nervous that somebody will look over my shoulder!

   Over the course of 30 days, I drew 30 ink sketches of my surroundings. The most wonderful thing about doing this was that instead of taking a quick snap of a beautiful sight, I had to sit and truly observe it. Also, by the 30th day I was much more confident about embracing "mistakes" and not worrying about what was going on around me.

I am continuing with these sketches in my every day routine back home. It is important to find the beauty in your surroundings, even when they're your normal ones.

 Look for my next post for some sketches that I've done since the trip!

xo Karen

ARTROCKS ON PAPER: NEW CONTEST!

Hi everyone!

We're back with ANOTHER exclusive ArtRocks.ca contest. Doesn't it seem like just a couple of weeks ago that the last one ended? 

...

Oh wait. That's because it did.

The rules for this one are the same as always: enter to win by commenting on any new post on the site. You can enter once per post (remember, think "Wednesdays") until the contest is over on December 5th. When commenting, leave your name and e-mail address, so I can contact you if you win!

But this time, we're switching up the prize. As you may know, I've just released a new line of ArtRocks on paper. So as you may have guessed from the name, the winner of the contest will receive two brand new art cards and one art print OF THEIR CHOICE! 

Good luck!

Karen xo

September 15, 2010

One of the things I've been working on over the past six months is the creation of works for a new line of ArtRocks - "ArtRocks on Paper"! Throughout my life, I've found that taking on new projects is always tricky. You begin to get excited about the things ahead and have to start thinking in a whole new way - while still trying to complete the old work that still has to get done. We all know how hard that can be (though it is something that most people have to get really good at these days!)

Back in April when I made the decision to expand my business, the first thing I did was make a list of ideas of all the types of art that I wanted to create. I've always wanted to design cards and bookmarks, so I put that on the list. I also began to recall my old love of pen and ink on paper, so I put that on the list too. I kept my "idea book" close at hand at all times, so I was always ready to jot down just about anything that struck me as a good concept for a series of drawings. I collected pictures, that I would later use for reference.

My plan was that by August I would take all these nuggets and get down to the act of actually turning the ideas and sketches into finished art.

I'm happy to say that the aforementioned plan has worked! In August, I allotted a certain amount of time to work exclusively on the new project, rather than the juggling everything that could get worked on. I think that when we give ourselves that time, astonishing things can happen. Einstein said, "The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind," and I think that even a couple of days of peace can be all you need. 

I love this idea, and just found a website that conveys it beautifully: Click here for a link to zenhabits.net. I hope you enjoy it!

As far as my artwork goes, I'm happy with the results so far. I am sharing a few designs with you today, and I want to thank you for your support. Please let me know what you think!

 Karen

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Karen :)