Digital Work - Bullrider

While I've not been in the printmaking studio (other than to plant up our seedlings for the summer...), I've done a little bit more preparation for some printmaking in the future.

We used to attend the Williams Lake Stampede, but haven't been for a few years. I took lots of photos at the last two with the intention of turning them into something artistic at some point. I had done a few mixed media images from some of the photos: semi-blind contour sketches followed by watercolour monotype and coloured pencil crayons (if I manage to dig up one of those pieces, I'll take a photo and post at some point), but nothing much since. I hadn't decided how else to use the images, then the other day I thought maybe I'd try playing around with GIMP and my Wacom graphics tablet like I did with Murri, and see what came out of it.

So I started with a photo that I'd scanned a while ago, and cropped a little:

I tweaked the image so that it was then just greyscale:

Using a new layer and the Ink tool in GIMP, this is the first sketch:

While I was pretty happy with it, Dave & my cousin, Len, commented that they couldn't figure out where the bull ended and the rider started. I've highlighted the problem area here:

It seemed to them that the chaps of the rider were actually the back of the bull, and thus the leg disappeared and didn't "read" properly: it seemed like the rider was positioned side-saddle. We chatted about what I could do to improve the image, and we decided that as long as there was some kind of distinction between the back of the bull and the chaps of the rider, that it should probably work. Here is the second attempt:

While the leg still disappears to a certain extent, I'm thinking this will probably be it. I do like the composition better, and with a black & white simplification, you definitely can lose detail, but that's something that appeals to me, personally. Any comments or suggestions?

There will likely be more of these as I can take the time to do them; there's already another under way.

Mad Scientists of Etsy

I recently joined the Mad Scientists of Etsy team; a group of Etsy sellers who are both crafty and geeky/nerdy, just my kind of crowd! Check out their blog, Facebook page, and Etsy Team page. I just cobbled together a treasury featuring some of their members' work:



They are a wide and varied bunch, from jewelery to cosmetics, toys to accessories, paper to fabric, so much to see!

"2011: The Pre-Occupied Horsemen"

This graffiti mural is by Chris de Souza Jensen, one of my patrons, who lives in Malta:

Hello, my name is Amie R...

... and I'm addicted to Etsy Treasuries and Tumblr. Oh dear.

Check out my Treasuries on Etsy, and my new Tumblr blog, where I post mostly interesting finds from Etsy (not surprisingly, many printmakers and specifically Printsy members).

Here's my most recent Treasury:



Sigh. Like I don't have better things to do with my time. Like sleep (read: I have a 7 1/2 month old daughter that has decided she doesn't like to stay asleep when we finally get her there... so why am I wasting time on the internet when she is asleep? Dunno. Must be insane).

101 Prints - Malaspina Printmakers

I have donated one of the "Exposed" edition to Malaspina Printmakers' 101 Prints fundraiser:

Get your tickets now! $300 guarantees you a fabulous print worth at least $300, and all proceeds go towards Malaspina Printmakers. Find out more information on Malaspina's site.

Leftovers Print Exchange

Do you have lots of bits and pieces of paper kicking around from various editions? How about old blocks or plates that would combine in an interesting new way? Or do you have leftover prints lying around that you could funk up a bit? Well, then, step right up for the second annual Leftovers Print Exchange! Delivery deadline is March 15, 2011. Join the over 124 (!) participants from around the world and get your special printers' dozen in the mail.

Details
Prints: 14 (twelve for the exchange, one for the exhibition, one for donation to raise funds for a local charity)
Process: That's up to you! (No inkjet though, please)
Size: Up to 5" x 7" - can be smaller, but NO larger please!
Cost: $12.00
Due Date: March 15, 2011

Please advise by return email [amyen at mac dot com] if you wish to participate.

And please invite other printmakers to join us!

Printmaking around the Web

Thought I'd share some neat printmaking stuff that I've run across recently on the internet:

One of my all-time favourite internet printmaking buddies, Sherrie York, has a wonderful little film about her work:

PPLD Off the Wall: February 2011 from PPLD TV on Vimeo.

Congrats, Sherrie, it's a great film, you do a wonderful job of explaining your work, and I love the pieces chosen.

Another favourite printmaker that I've met online is Annie Bissett, and she's just announced that one of her pieces has been accepted into the 1st International Moku Hanga Conference in Japan in June. Congrats, Annie! Your work is brilliant, and deserves the international attention that it gets.

Finally, a funky little print project from a couple of years ago titled "Just in Time" by Xavier Antin. My husband found this on his blog reading, and I thought I'd share with my printmaking buddies. Enjoy!

That's it from me; still not been in the studio, still hoping to get there sometime soon... eventually!

The Artist's Way - a hiatus

Well, it was a good idea, but bad timing. Yes, I'm sure that those of you who've been through this workshop would argue that any timing is potentially bad, and that I should stick with it. I just don't have the psychological strength or physical fortitude left after looking after our little girl. I'm pretty sure that I'll have more time and energy eventually (hopefully soon) to pick this up again. I made it through weeks three and four (four was interesting: no reading! I managed to not read almost, and I tried to avoid TV and computer as well, mostly), but then burnt out. I did discover on the couple of days I was able to manage the morning pages first thing in the morning that it really does make a difference what time of day they get written; it was much more productive first thing in the morning.

Anyway, I'm hoping to get some more art done sometime soonish. I did a quick sketch outdoors the other day with Kate strapped to my front; if I get to the scanner any time soon, I shall include it in the blog. For now, though, I think that any spare time and energy is going to be devoted to sleep, and just coping with being mom :)

Hope everyone is having a creative and fulfilling new year thus far! I sure miss being a part of the online printmaking community right now, I look forward to catching up with you all again sometime soon.