Printing

My husband, Thom bought me a basic lino cut kit for xmas, containing a small linocut block, a pot of ink, lino cut handle and a few different blades plus a soft rubber brayer to roll the ink onto the lino. I really love the expressive tonal quality of woodcuts and lino cuts so was really excited to try this out. It is a process that requires planning and forethought. Once a mark is made, it is there forever, so I found it a little intimidating getting started. I would like to explore this process further.  

One of my favourite artists is German artist, Kathe Kollwitz who worked in Germany during the early part of the 20th century.  She is known for her powerfully graphic and expressive studies of the less fortunate.  The devastated, sad and skeletal faces in her prints are emphasised by the strong graphic qualities of black and white.  My subject matter fo rthis purpose (a simple oak leaf) is not a confronting subject but it is interesting to see how this medium gives the oak leaf a kind of presence.

Lino Cut of an Oak Leaf

Ballet Russes Sketches

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Ballet Russes exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia.  The Ballet Russes were an innovative French ballet company that performed around the world in the early part of the 20th century.  They were known for their innovative collaborations with famous artists, choreographers, dancers and composers.  This exhibition contained costumes, paintings, photos, set designs, stories and ephemera from the company.   I took my sketchbook and a couple of pencils with me and did a few quick drawings of some of my favourite costumes,  adding a bit of colour to them back at home.  The textures, colours and craftsmanship of these costumes were just beautiful and very inspiring. 

Costume for a Seahorse, design by Natalie Goncharovna from the Ballet 'Sadko'

Mysteriously Round and Round or Mysteriously Lying Down?

I finished an A4 sized illustration for the daughter of one of Thom's work mate's who asked me to illustrate her poem-"Mysteriously Round and Round" based on childhood innocence and growing up.

I did a couple of versions of this poem and this is my first- a girl with a spinny skirt. 

After a couple of quick sketches I came up with a different composition- a girl lying in the grass looking up at the sky.

I used watercolour which requires a a lot of patience especially if you're a beginner. Firstly, It takes time selecting the colours and secondly it takes time waiting for each wash to dry before adding a new one. Although the result is often spontaneous, it requires a lot of sitting back and waiting....which I am not very good at!