The Creative Process: of Woodcut Printmaking

Update the look of your artwork

2011-02-14T12:06:00.000-08:00

I have not posted for some time, and that is because I undertook a couple of large and complicated woodcut prints. I say large and complicated, because I do not own a press(other than my table top version which holds a max size 8 inches by 10 inches). I am hand printing which adds to the complexity and time. I prepared both of these new prints for an exhibition on printmaking titled Light/Dark. Both these prints are inspired from techniques used in early works completed about 15+ years ago. Some of these early works were created using a hand held dremel to carve the relief linocut. I am looking back at these old works, and intend to update the look with 2 new prints using punches, awls, and chisels. Here is "The Collector" and "The Waterfront," and I am posting notes and details on creating both of these below.

"The Collector," hand printed in 2011 is approx 15x18 and uses 2 woodcut plates(above). "The Waterfront" (below) hand printed in 2011 is approx 20x26 and used 1 woodcut plate. I used virtually the same carving techniques for both prints, but each had different visual goal.

The main goal for each print was to show off the carving techniques used with a variety of punches, awls and Japanese chisels. When printing the goal is to show off the multitude of color in "The Collector," and the variety of tonal values in "The Waterfront."

"The Collector," uses 2 plates as shown below, in sequentially carved order. Here is my basic setup: I am using found plywood, not very high quality, and not recommended for ease of carving. I clamp my plywood plank to my workstation. The cutting is extremely difficult on low grade plywood. It is heavily grained, so each time I'm cutting in a soft, light area the cutting blade on the chisel digs into the wood deeply, then as you are cutting into the dark grain the chisel feels the hard wood and stops you from making any sort of smooth cut. So there are a lot of chisel skip marks(or unintended cuts), and cuts through the dark grain areas were cut twice to even the look. This wood is also hard to cut when you are close to a knot, or working against the grain. My suggestion is to get a clear(of knots) and finished plywood as I use on all my woodcuts now.

"The Collector," (above: setup, below: plate 1 carving completed)

In the image above, the plate is carved to simple lines, as this plate will be printed in a doctored version of the White Line print method. Below is plate 2, and in the first stages of completing the carving. In this early version you can see the areas that have already been "punched" with the variety of tools. The design is the exact same as plate 1, and careful registration of the design on both plates is crucial for a successful print. (see earlier blogs on registration techniques)

Above, on plate 2, I am adding additional cutting/carving around the punch marks to give a unique look when both plates are printed. Below, additional progress is being made in both carving and punch marks. What I am concentrating on is making a variety of abstract patterns within each area of the drawing, and trying not to repeat the same pattern. I use the pre-drawn grid on my plate to line up where I want the punch marks to go. I allow for a lot of leeway in the punches and awls. By this, I mean that I am not focusing on being exact with every punch mark since I know that is impossible.

This is impossible because of the grain, soft, and hard areas in the wood. I also don't want to be exact, I want to change the force of the hammer as it strikes the punch. I want the finished work to show a hand made creation. Basically, this is a woodcut, so I am treating it for its natural properties and not trying to force something out of it which I know it won't provide.

Above, you can see a build up of waste that has been carved away by the chisels, the progress to different areas, and some of the tools. My thoughts are in the printing, and making every attempt to gain a wide variety of colors and textures through the carving method used. In the below image you can see a detailed photo of how each space has been treated differently.

The plate is near completion(above), and completed(below). After I have all my carving done, I paint a thin layer of watered down gesso. I specify "thin," because I do not want to fill in any of the finely carved details.

I'm looking forward to printing this work and all that needs to be calculated is the color choices. When I begin the printing, I am hinging my paper to my woodcut plate on my registration marks. I am hand painting(with waterbase printmaking ink) directly onto plate 1 in various areas, and then printing hand printing them one space, and one color at a time. the photo below shows this method after being repeated about 30 times.

Yes, this is a very slow and time consuming process, and I often print for a few hours and leave it to the next day. The time involved in printing, "The Collector," is about 15-20 hours to get one copy.

The print above shows printing of plate 1 is near completed. and the print below is the first photo I have where I have started printing plate 2.

When printing plate 2, I can clearly see how the overlapping of the printed textures is going to make the color choices crucial for the carved areas to pop out of the overall image.

My focus is to make a print with a strong raked light coming from the back left portion of the print.

The print above is the completed first print from the 2 plates. The top image of this blog is the second printed copy. Below is how the blocks look after the first printing.

(Plate 1 above, Plate 2 below) What I want to show here is the way these blocks have been carved to support the White Line printing method. This method allows for direct painting to the plate. You can see how each space is separated by color, and gives the unique look of the final piece.

Know Who You Are as an Artist: Find your niche

2011-02-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

Today I am changing the title of my blog from The Creative Process: Painting and Printmaking, to The Creative Process: of Woodcut Printmaking.

I am working on a new woodcut today in my studio. I am in the first stages of making some of the first cuts right after the drawing is completed. I do a lot of thinking while I am in the middle of creating or "doing" the art. Knowing who you are as an artist is important so you know what your focus is when you are making any statement. It is important to recognize where you are making the biggest contribution to art. For Henry Moore it was sculpture, for Van Gogh it was painting. Defining who you are as an artist is a challenge and it is also something you should always know.

I have met many people over the years and and when asked what I do, I usually say, "I am a painter and a printmaker." That is what I knew and believed. I thought I was a painter, as I do paint, I still paint, and printmaking was relegated in my mind as secondary due to its associated 2nd class status to paintings. Prints sometimes involve making large editions, or seem less accomplished when compared with paintings. But I came to realize today, that I am not much of an experimental painter as I am an experimental woodcut printmaker.

When I paint, I paint in a comfortable style, without many changes over the years, and paintings are now inspired by a series of prints. I only make a few paintings per year, while producing a much greater number of woodcut prints.

When I first took up lino/woodcut as my primary printmaking method over 20 years ago, I thought I was making less accomplished versions of paintings I had created. But after reviewing a portfolio of my work today you will find I have produced far more different works in lino/woodcut than painting. Along with the quantity, I found far more experimentation and realizing that I am do my primary experimental and creative work as a woodcut printmaker.

I now introduce myself as a woodcut printmaker, even though I have been all along. It just took time for the fantasy of being a romantic Van Gogh like painter was really not me. I still paint with vigor, intense feeling and, thought, but my primary working medium is woodcut. I am a woodworker, I use my hands to create, I experiment with different materials, techniques, and ideas. I define what woodcut printmaking is, and not the other way around.

Find the Best Materials to Master Fine Technical Skills

2010-10-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

Choosing the best tools will open the gateway to creating better works of art. Mastering your craft as a printmaker is essential to making good technical prints. Without these skills some artists may never attempt printmaking. Good tools, and knowledge of your process allows you to determine the what to, and how to create a work of art.

When I first started woodcut printmaking back in 1990, I did not consider much of woodcutting, nor did I think this would become my primary printmaking medium. I was in love with etching at the time as it was all that I was trained to do. When I graduated college I realized the toxic etching chemicals and press I needed to set up a home studio was expensive and unrealistic. I switched to linocut and woodcut printmaking to satisfy craving for printing in a non-toxic manner. I purchased what a lot of beginners choose,..the basic, plastic, interchangeable cutting heads made by Speedball Co. Early on, these worked fine for a while. I found them clunky, not very sharp since they were made so children could not injure themselves. As an adult, I needed better materials and I finally began to change my perception when I found there is something better.

I found woodcut to be a medium that was very compact initially. I could work on carving a print on my lunch breaks at work, and hand printed on the weekends. The only material I needed was the woodcutting surface and the cutting tool. My early woodcut works tend to be very small, and filled with lots of detail. I soon noticed that my cutting materials were setting me back. I would have skips with the cutting knives that sometimes destroyed part of the design. (My early woodcut tools have been buried in the local dump for years)

On a unrelated visit to my local retail store dedicated to Japanese tools, I was searching for some garden knives. I noticed several groups of printmaking chisels, and I decided to purchase a few to give them a try. These tools made a world of difference and centered my focus on woodcut printmaking. The tools had so much more to offer that it changed the way I carved, it changed the images in the artwork, and it changed my whole look at printmaking. These tools gave me the immediate ability to make more advanced prints, and combine printmaking techniques. These woodcutting tools have harder steel, a finer and sharper point, a wider variety of sizes and are even more comfortable and balanced in the hand.

Paper has also played an important role in how I print. I was taught to use 100% rag papers, and typically French or Italian. These papers are fine quality, and heavily sized....perfect for running through a press. But these papers also have a drawback for me. Because they are so thick and heavily sized, I could not print using the white line technique. I once again gravitated towards Japanese papers. Like most fine papers in the world, The Japanese papers are made by a rich family tradition with the techniques being handed down through generations. The Japanese papers are also made of rice or mulberry paper pulp, and the natural properties of these pulps make a stronger paper, and a much thinner paper. The thin quality allows me to print without pre-soaking the paper which has lead to more inventive ways of printmaking. This paper also has its drawbacks, sometimes wrinkles will form in the printing process that I do not like. This typically happens when a lot of medium is used the ink gets sticky, or when I work on a hot day the ink remains tacky on the printing plate and pulls the paper fibers and sometimes rips.

Inks are different from one brand to another too. I have found Dick Blick inks work fine, but if you would like a more rich and concentrated ink I suggest Daniel Smith. I use both and combine them when mixing colors. Dick Blick inks are ready to go straight out of the tube, while Daniel Smith inks are tacky/sticky and need to be cut with medium to get the desired texture to roll it out.

Experimenting with different tools also helps. Forget your local art store and you may find something that works great for you, the way the product was never intended. Here are a few tools in my studio that I have adopted to continue my printmkaing process. I found chopstick rests to be the perfect tool for resting a wet brush, common hardware clamps to secure large printmaking plates when cutting and printing, a wooden spoon has doubled as a baren since I began woodcut printing. Nails, screws, punches, awls, routers, and dremel have all been used to create unique works of art.

Find your own materials, learn how to use them, and use them in a creative manner to the best of your ability.

Make an "Art" of your art to Remain Unique

2010-10-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

Being an Exhibitions Director for a few years, I am confronted with a lot of great art and a lot of art that I consider uninspiring or even inartistic. What is the difference between inspired and uninspired art? Does it matter? And what is the mastery they are exposing in their creation? Just being creative and throwing paint around does not make a good work of art anymore. It may have worked for Jackson Pollock,....but consider that was over 60 years ago, and his work was created with a strong Abstract Expressionist statement that vaulted the conceptual meaning of his work as "progressive" for the time. What I am getting at is, just how strong and committed is the hand that pushes the ideas of creation?

What is the difference of inspired and uninspired art? When I look back at the number of artworks I see every week, I can not help but see one similar hand in many different artists work. How does this happen? They are clearly the work of different artists, but they look and feel as created by one. One abstract monoprint looks the same as another sometimes, because it is employing the same technical use of printmaking, and almost similar ideas when creating it. What do I mean? In the monoprinting process. Paint is applied to a printmaking plate and run through a press. Now this process can be done in a very artistic manner where the artist has explored numerous ways of going about printing, developed a strong idea, and a strong image to back up a simple, conceptual or expressive statement. On the flip side (and I am not trying to be negative here, just a bit analytical, so forgive the criticism as this is venturing into opinion) I have seen several monoprint works that start in the same manner, and finish in the same manner. This focus, or lack of focus, makes their artwork look and feel similar. What I have seen is a lot of works that follow one method: throw paint on the plate, run it through the press, see what happens, repeat this process until the artist is satisfied and calls it finished. Is this art? Yes it is, but is it good art, or is it creative art? Each year I see several artists that follow this same method of printmaking, and even in their artist statements they have employed some of the very same ideas as I have just described. Does it matter that several artists use the same technique, process, statement? I think so, as with art, these artists are not making an art of their artwork. Realizing it or not, they are essentially doing what everyone else is doing. My guess is that they are continuing what they were taught, they do not push the boundaries of technical skill, or they are not exposed to the numbers of artwork I am to see their works, ideas, process, and statement resemble several others.

I have discussed Mastering your craft several times on this blog. Why is that so important? It is important to master your craft weather it is sculpture, painting, printmaking, movie making, dancing, acting,..etc, etc. This mastery will lead to more expressive, exaggerated, and creative ideas. This mastery will allow you to carry through every creative idea you have. It allows you to change direction in the middle of your work when needed. This is part of the process in any art. When I create a work of art, I am creating an idea, I am experimenting, I am using my mind to thoughtfully carry out the concept or expression, and I am working with my hands. Without the dexterity to carry out my ideas, I may never achieve the unique look of an independent hand.

Just how strong is the hand that creates? This is the difference that will matter the most in all creative works. Several artists have mastered their independent look to separate their ideas from other artists. This independent vision and mastery of materials, will always be the basis for a strong and unique work of art.

Here are a few of some famous quotes by popular artists:

"Take an object. Do something to it. Do something else to it." Jasper Johns

"The art won't mind." William T. Wiley

"It is not hard work, it just takes time." John Buck

Using a Commercial Steamroller to Print

2010-09-24T13:36:00.000-07:00


The Cryptogram, 2010 woodcut 16"x 28"

It is that time of the year again at the(SFCB) San Francisco Center for the Book's annual Roadworks:Steamroller Prints street fair. I have participated for the past 3 years as an artist, and this year I was invited to be one of 18 contributing artists to produce a linocut for a portfolio of special prints with the theme of La Loteria. I am excited to be chosen, but the theme does not immediately appeal to me, so it will take some time to develop the right image. I must consider using a number as part of the SFCB requirements, and how it will look on the final piece. Coming off several new works of art, I decide I am going to enlarge a portion of the artwork titled "The Cryptogram" as inspiration.

Since I am developing an image for a theme, I have to be creative in the way I can apply my techniques, maintain consistency in the portfolio, and comply with the requirements. I have several new punches that I am continuing to use, and I am working on linoleum as wood will not support the weight of a commercial steamroller when printed.

The SFCB Roadworks: Steamroller prints is exactly what it sounds like. A commercial steamroller is used as a press to print hundreds of artists work in the middle of the street. These prints are sold to benefit the SFCB. So just how do they do it? Well, here is a simple demo.....


9 lino plates are inked at one time


The lino plates are arranged in the middle of the street on a wood bed, and mylar with predetermined spaces for both plates and paper

close up of: San Francisco


The artworks are covered with paper

Blankets are used, just like a normal printing press to protect the paper


Finally, they fire up the steamroller and drive right over


The artwork is revealed to the onlooking public,..oohs and aahs follow...

The prints are left to dry and sold.


Thousands of people attend each year to watch


Prints for Loteria on the top row, and other various artists works on the bottom

My artwork has to conform to La Loteria, but I still have artistic license to work within my style. I have chosen “The Moon” as my title and the number 0(zero) to make use of the natural circle a punch makes. This way I can concede to the guidelines without destroying my artwork. I really like the idea that “The Moon” can be translated in many ways as the punches produce moon shapes, and the subject matter is a butt, otherwise know as a moon in slang terms.

While working on the linoleum, I am aware that this block will only be printed in one color, so the punches are used to the best of their ability to show a direct light source. I do this by overlapping patterns the punches make. This work is very loud, with the hammer striking the metal punch, and the work moves slow, as my ears begin to ring after an hours worth of work. After 3 days i have something to print.


State 1: The Moon, 2010, 12"x12"

I am a little unhappy with the results; one, I made a punch at the very bottom between legs that I did not intend on doing, and two, I am uncertain an actual butt can be clearly deciphered. I continue to work for 3 more days adding small punch marks here and there until it looks like the butt is covered in diamond dust and glowing from the light of a full moon. It is RTP, or ready to print.


State 3 printed in dark blue: the finished image

It is time to turn in the lino-plate so it can be editioned, and sold with the portfolio or as an individual piece at the SFCB.

Each year I look forward to participating in this event as an artist, that brings relief printmaking to the public right on street.

Discovering new creative inspiration by revisiting and updating earlier works

2010-09-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

Beagle in the House!

Introducing Gilly, our new beagle. She was rescued by way of http://www.norcalbeagles.com/ and I am printing/bloging with a new partner now.

I have been stuck in the creative process for new material and new ideas for content as well as developing my woodcutting technique further. This past week I found both. I looked at some older artworks as potential subject manner due to the fact my carving techniques are producing different looking images than previous artworks. The difference is made by a number of reasons: I am using 2 plates to print one image which allows for a richer and deeper look because the layered inks can provide opaqueness or transparencies as intuition dictates. I am also using 4 different sized circle punches, and 3 different awls, which provide an infinite number of patterns.

I found a great new inspiration from looking back at my sketchbook from the late 1980’s, when I used Van Gogh’s Self Portraits as subject matter. I thought of the ways that Chuck Close has used the same image presented in a different manner each decade, and the way that artists build a body of work. Several artists have changed their painting style as their inspiration grows, but several make this change by using the images of artworks from their past to update them with new style, or technique.

In the past, I thought some of my older artwork had lost its relevance because my focus on printmaking had changed, my style had changed, and my subject matter changed. These so called relics of my past are perceived in 2 different ways, either junk from your past or still loved but where is the present connection to your current artwork? By recommitting myself to some older images, I can build a connection to my past through my present artworks. I am going to do a number of new artworks based on older pieces. I have decided to take only small sections, mostly portraits from previous artworks, enlarge them, and see what images will inspire me to create whole new artworks in my current working style. For subject matter, I choose the Van Gogh Self Portrait again. I made several paintings in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

I started my drawing dissecting the image and allowing my present mind to forget all the previous times I used the same subject manner. I convinced myself that any new approach to an older image will produce a completely different piece, because stylistically and artistically, I have grown.

This is my printing area, to the right is my drawing.

In this new print I have expanded my carving in one different way. I am no longer isolating the type of cuts on each plate (previous work included isolating white line cuts to one plate and the second one, a punched plate). I am now combining both cutting marks on both cutting plates. I have reduced my printing to hand painting each space for each plate printed. In order to achieve a final look, I have printed several spaces overlapping each other, and left some blank on each plate in order to emphasize depth, texture, and color.

Detail of print showing how color is layered

Detail of print in progress


detail of plate #1

My printmaking process is all painting. I am mixing colors with a brush and palette, and I am printing with my trusty old wooden spoon to use as a baren. I am focused on making sure there is a strong light source present, how to add contrast where some colors will be overlapping, and how the patterns that are carved will produce different visual effects. I am concerned with how opaque and transparent colors will play out on the final piece.

On this print I left both plates UN gesso-ed/un-fixed and this may have been a mistake, because the ink is adsorbs into the plate which means I have to paint a smaller area to print, and adds time. However, the un-fixed plate also produces a softer look, and I can still get a real hard edge by applying the ink while it is still pretty stiff.


Stage 1


Stage 2


Stage 3, Plate 1 is printed, time to start printing the second.


Detail after first plate is printed


Stage 4

Stage 5, and completed

My excitement is contained by the number of hours to finalize one print. So far I have printed 3 in a 3 day period working about 6-8 hours on each piece. The slow process allows me to take an analytical look as the print begins to develop. This slow and time consuming practice appeals to me more than creating an edition of several exact copies. I am now producing much larger and more technical, more concentrated works and producing a smaller number of unique prints from each plate.

BTW: Gilly slept the whole time at my feet, what a good girl!

Develop a Vacation Art Studio

2010-08-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

For many years now, I have packed up several art supplies to bring with me on vacation to just pass the time by with no specific purpose of developing any of the ideas into finished works. Over the years that has changed from a few simple drawing materials, or a small woodcut, or a travel easel, to a packed car full of way too many supplies. I have even gone to the extent of taking along a portable or desktop printing press(about 100lbs.) to get my artistic energy working. A lot of artists will take a sketchbook, a camera, or a watercolor box since they know these items are small, and can be packed away easily for any trip. I tend to over pack on vacation as I know I sometimes have no idea what will inspire me or what materials I want to use. This time, I planned on woodcut printmaking only and I managed to pack everything I needed into a small box, and an artists portfolio case, minus the large paper and actual wood woodcut plank.

My most recent vacation entails renting a small studio house half way up the hill, and along the northern Californian coast, overlooking the famous Russian River. This peaceful and relaxing spot has allowed me to focus on one print over the next 6 days. I planned for this at least a week ago, and managed to carve or cut my latest work(see previous blog) prior to setting out on my trip. Therefore, I only needed the printing end of my studio. However, my work was large and I would need a fair amount of space and a great setup spot to finish.

When working on larger pieces, I can not stress the importance of having the right equipment for the job at hand. I can not bring a 600lb. press with me, nor is it practical to bring massive inking rollers. Those are the right tools to produce a woodcut large print, but there is no practical means so I have opted for the full manual process using hand tools only. This will add time, and inconsistency in some of the printing depending on how I manage. I have a 2 plate woodcut print to finish printing in 6 days, and 5 sheets of 25”x39” Japanese mulberry paper.

Day 1: on the first day I get right down to work claiming the sunny corner where the breakfast table is, and quickly arrange all the furniture to suite my purpose. My goal is to print 3 different colored prints of the first plate. There are many quick lessons to learn when working large, and little time to make big adjustments. I am not to specific about the color choices I am printing other than I want one or 2 yellow copies and one or 2 peacock green copies.

Inking a large plate like this will take about 3x to 4x more ink and about 5x more time to lay the ink to the surface(My work is just under 30”x18”.). The important steps here is make sure you are adding enough printing medium: Extender to thin out the ink, and Retarder to allow the ink to dry at a slower than normal rate(use about 1/5th of total ink used).

Once the block has been inked, The paper is gently pressed against the wood and flattened out. Some papers tend to warp or wrinkle, make sure your paper is flat before using any pressure to prevent creases. When I use a hand pressing method, I choose an old stand-by, the back end of a large wooden spoon that has been used for pressing small blocks for many years. The challenge here is making sure you continue with even pressure and the ink does not dry up on you while you are pressing the piece, or stick to the surface and tear the paper. It takes at least 10-15 minutes to fully cover the plate by the hand pressing method, and I’ve had to stop at a few points near finishing it because the muscle in my shoulder was burning. I am reminded of the master woodcut artist John Buck’s quote, “it is not hard work, it just takes time.” How true. These words kept me going and working through “the burn” of aching muscles. Even though my muscles were soar, the task at hand just needed time to develop the final image. Over the next few hours, I repeat these steps 3 more times, and come away with 3 good prints: one in yellow-gold, one in mint green, and one in peacock green. My wife convinced me to print a 4^th copy after seeing the print in peacock green, and she suggested black to add more contrast of the woodcut work. I decided this was a great day because with the few successful prints, I am also walking away with one print in red-black that I never intended on printing,…like an added bonus. I clean up and into the hot tub to soak those soar muscles.

Plate 1 in red black

Day 2: I don’t have a completed plan in my head for the way the second plate will be printed over the top of the first. I know the method, and the practice, but seeing a finished piece in my head is impossible right now. Everything is very immediate, unplanned, and basically a test of both woodcut blocks. The second day work goes very slow as the process for printing each color is very time consuming. I manage to finish about ¾ of one print on the second day.

Day 3: I finish the first print and have inspected the final image and how both plates interact with each other. After surveying the image closely I notice that the first plate does not show itself as the second plate does. Its dominating presence makes the print look very regular to me. While I am happy with the final printed results, I am stuck for the next print on how to make more of a balance of each printing plate. I immediately notice in the first print how the 2 figures and their color dominated the image, and looked overworked, and also destroyed much of the beauty of the first plate. Finding the balance for the second plate will require leaving more of the first block to show itself. I set up the next print with the paper only so I can begin at any moment.

Day 4-5: Over day 4 and 5, I thought about color placement a lot, and how I can use the beauty of each plate to balance each other in a finished work. I started the printing on the peacock green proof, and I have completely reversed my normal method of working from light to dark, to dark to light. I imagined that I would be able to see the print develop better using darker colors first, and it will allow me to choose which elements of the first plate to be left alone and shine through on their own. Since I am printing less of the second plate, the print does move quicker to completion, but I have to stop at several points and second guess what I am doing and if it will work in the end.

When is a work finished? I asked myself this question several times while examining the print and in the action of printing it. Do I need to print more? Do I need to make colors richer, etc..etc. These questions let me walk away from the work and leave it until morning.

Day 6: Very little work was added, just a few small spots to make some of the existing colors a little stronger.

The working process of printing allowed me to see what can be done in the middle of completing a work no matter if it is going bad or good. It also allowed me to mentally develop different carving techniques for future works…..How did that happen? While printing I was able to see what the final print would look like or how the plates may overlap each other in different ways, so now, I can emphasize these ideas, make changes, or fine tune them for the next work.

Always be thinking about the next work…..

Inspiration from mastering your craft

2010-07-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

I recently experimented with a variety of hardware store punches, and awls to produce a woodcut plate. I have printed several copies of the finished piece and provide photos below in the order they were printed in: #1 Yellow, #2 orange, and #3 orange-gold.(note: a total of 2 plates were used to print each image, the first plate or background color=woodcut plate made with punches/awls. The second plate is done using the white line method)

impression #1

impression #2

impression #3

With the initial results being promising, I have decided to produce a new image for an upcoming exhibition. Inspired by the basic awls and punches, my mind has constructed a number of different possibilities for the surface to be cut. One element from the first experiment remains. I have decided to continue dividing up the initial cutting space into a grid so I can produce the desired pattern in the proper space intended. It does not take a lot of effort to use a punch or an awl. I am simply lining up the awl or punch like a chisel in my left hand, and striking it down with a hammer. This motion creates a dot for the awls, and circles for the punches. I am using 3 different sizes of punches: 1/4, 3/8, & 1/2. The awls have very similar looks, I have a variety of 3, and my favorite has become a solid steel piece that has a graduated point. The graduated point is especially nice since I can strike the awl hard and produce a large hole, or alter the strength and get a smaller hole. These holes do effect how the final print will look.

Here are a few close ups of the actual plate(after cutting), prior to sanding down the complete block in order to show how varied the surface can get using a variety of different size punches, and awls. The emphasis is on variety as the results of the first printings has shown this detail to be a great success.

almost full view of plate

close up of bottom center

close up of top center

You can see I am able to add definition of shape and space by means of creating a unique pattern for each intended space. These unique patterns play a great role in where light and dark will be when the second plate is printed over the top of this one.

When you are working with something experimental a great lesson can be learned from mastering your craft. No matter what your craft may be, if you feel inspiration to change your craft as the thought occurs to you, and you are able to carry out the idea successfully, then you are on the path to creating something unique. The point is this, as artists, we must experiment a lot to get our artwork perfected. Even without a clear vision for a completed work, the means of mastering your materials will provide you with the skill needed.

For the woodcut plate (3 photo details shown above), I threw out a lot of conventional concerns about creating this work. A punch or an awl has no intended purpose for creative use in printmaking. It is however, a woodworkers tool and fortunately I saw an alternate and creative means for their intended use. I followed my most immediate impression of what punch or awl strike mark would look good next to each other and the space around it. I used a combination of both tools in areas that will receive more light in the final print. This way of working has allowed me to relax during the final printing phase because I have noticed that each plate acts as a counter balance to one another.

I will be very eager to print this once I have the time and energy.

A Little Procrastination, Fear of Results, Produces a Good Print

2010-07-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

Experimenting with a new creative process can sometimes delay your natural thought process to see/comprehend all artistic, and technical details to be "finished" work of art in your mind. The idea of the "unknown" can be a positive influence as the level of expectations or even seeing a good result after many attempts, can be naturally lowered. The range of defining a good result is often undetermined. This openness also allows me to modify the "typical" technical printing method on the fly to some thing that is immediatly "workable" with sometimes imaginative and unforseen results. This print worked as a double positive as the artistic process and the technical process were being developed as the artwork was being completed simultaneously.

For a few weeks I have been delaying the printing process due to some technical factors, primarily registration. I decided to use one registration method for 2 blocks so I can be consistent on my allignment. I decided to use the White Line printmaking method of registration by securing a "tape hinge" from the printing paper to the printing surface. So, after I worked out some of the details in my head for the printing process, I was ready to start. I am making a woodcut print from 2 different plates. The first plate, I already described in an earlier post, was created with a variety of hardware store punches, and awls that gave me a variety of different marks on the wood. This plate was printed using a regular brayer to ink the surface, and I altered the color after each printing. This process was quick and took no more than an hour to produce 4 prints in yellow, orange, gold-orange, and gold-red. (photo of yellow orange, plate #1 )

After printing the first plate the real time consuming challenge sets in, as I have far more color options with the second printing plate. I have a basic idea where I want some of the lights and darks to generally exist, but because there is so much printing to do and my color choices change quickly, a true finished work is almost impossible to conceive.

I begin by printing some of the light colors first and immediately notice how the texture of both wood surfaces from each plate are sometimes fighting each other as well as blending with each other in various places. This wood grain texture changed the printing style and direction with the inks. I experimented with the opacity of the inks, allowing some of the first plate to show through with very thin inked areas, or condense the ink and made very opaque

(Left=photo of printed image after a few areas are completed)

The process for printing the second plate is very slow. Each space is hand inked, the paper is registered, and then it is hand printed with the back of an old wooden spoon. This step is repeated for each and every color. Development of the final print moves very slow, similar to a painting, and then there is a tipping point where more than 60% of the second plate is printed and the "final image" begins to take on a look. Like developing a photograph, the print begins to reveal itself. withe each new printed color and space. As the print get close to completion, I am more focused on sharpening up dark colors. This plate took about 5-6 hours to complete the printing of woodcut plate #2 and below is a progression how the print developed from this point. (left photo=full view of woodcut printing plate #2)

(photos stages 4,5 &6)

(Close up photos)

After each hour or so, I stopped to take a look how the print was developing to correct any areas that looked out of place. I took a few close up photos of the plate and the print to show the details of the paper and the wood plate as it was being worked upon.

Eventually, I could do no more, so…now this print is off to the drying rack. I am now actively thinking of the second print with the general idea that the color scheme can not be the same. The challenge will be working with the color from each printed proof of the woodcut plate #1......and I need to find another 6 hours.

Calculating the Unknown

2010-06-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

When I am experimenting with printmaking methods, I need to calculate what is going to take place prior to printing anything. I want to use the key block to create several different types of prints using different woodcutting techniques. My goal is to print the key block with chine colle, and again with the 2nd block, and once more as a reduction print. Because this key block will be used in all the prints I have intended on doing, It is important to note the proper order of printing to not get ahead of onself by getting to a point where you can no longer turn back. My goal still follows my primary printmaking focus, where I am printing 4 basic color schemes; day, night, gold, and silver for final prints. I am not concerning myself with creating any kind of editions, every print will be unique and hand printed.

Calculating the finished results is sometimes impossible without printing, but I did a few basic sketches so I do not get lost when applying color. The second block was designed from the key block, but i intend on using the white line method. Here inlies the registration problems that I am challenged with. the Key block will be printed with a brayer, and the second plate will be printed while the paper is dry. I don't have a press large enough to print these blocks, so they must be printed by hand, and since I am using the blocks to produce a wide variety of prints, registration will be key in the end to producing good work.

To the right is the "white line" 2nd block design which I transferred and cut. I had several problems cutting the second block, because I used construction grade plywood. I know many people who would never attempt to use this wood, and I am joining with them. Here is why. Each time I made a cut into the plywood, the texture was different and the depth of cutting was hard to control. The piece of wood I used had several knots in it, which I thought would be a good look if they printed all the grain. The knots were very difficult to carve throough since the wood was extremely hard, and unforgiving especially on turn cuts. The rest of the carving was love and hate. I was loving the soft bits cutting with the grain, but when cutting against the grain, the soft wood was like mush. The wood alternated between hard and soft grain, which made the worst possible mark,...a skip. So while this was not the best wood, i am still trying to get out everythign I can to make a finished print. I have finished preparing the blocks by adding a thin layer of gesso to each board. It is best to apply the gesso with a "drybrush" stroke. This is done so the cut lines do not fill in with any gesso material.

Karl Kasten, inspirational to many generations

2010-05-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

Karl Kasten, an artist I met and became acquainted with just recently, passed away a couple of weeks ago, and I am remembering how kind and generous he was during a visit I made to his house. First off, Karl was more than 50 years my senior, about the same age my grandfather would have been if alive today. My chance encounter came when I phoned a friend of a friend and said, "I would like to just meet him." I was late to our lunch date, where his wife, Georgina, had made crepes, and we shared some white wine. I felt special being amongst new friends.

He showed me around his house, which was difficult to walk through quickly because every square inch of wall space had been covered by Karl and Georgina's collection of prints and paintings, collected over their lifetime. Almost every item in their home seemed like a museum object, and I wanted to spend time with each object to appreaciate its value and beauty. We visited his studio where I had a good look around, and Karl showed me what he was working on in prints, and his paintings. He was kind enough to share many stories about his great teachers in art like Worth Ryder, Chiura Obata, and Hans Hoffmann with me.

Our time was cut short, as Karl needed his rest. Karl recently published a memoir titled "Foghorns and Peacocks," which highlights his experiences as a Bay Area artist and all his special moments with some of the great artists that passed through the San Francisco Area. Before I left he handed me a signed and dedicated copy of his book. I am proud to have my single moment with Karl and understand why he was so loved.

for more information on Karl Kasten:
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/23372

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Kasten

Testing new punches, awls and chisel for a woodcut

2010-05-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

I am under way on my second test, creating a woodcut print from no traditional tools, meaning v-gauge or u-gauge chisels. I spent about 7-8 hours on a 42cm tall x 36cm wide woodcut using my new circle punches, chisels, and awls. I started this time by mapping the woodcut into a grid, transferring the design, and then proceeding similar to the manor of Chuck Close, but different in approach. I did concentrate on each individual square, but that only assisted me in lining up the circles I was punching. After a while I felt I needed to choose several different patterns made with the punches to show different tonal variations, I also plan to use this printmaking plate as 1 of 2 plates. I do not plan on making a duplicate of Chuck's work, he does a fantastic job at what he does. The second plate will be cut on plywood, and I will use the whiteline method. Since each plate will be printed differently, I have yet to come up with a propper method for registration.Right now I am only focused on "doing" art and not "making" art. It is during these periods that I am able to experiment more, because I have no expectation of what the end result will look like. normally I would be deeply concerned at this point and have to print a test, so I cheated.
Here is "How to cheat on a woodcut test print." Below you see 3 images of the same woodcut: Image 1 on the left is a close up of the woodcut in progress. You can see some of the unique marks I am able to get from using the circle punches, and the awls, as well as using these in combination; The second image is considered complete, or as far as I am willing to work on the plate for now; The third image is the cheating part. I took a photo of my work and opened it with Microsoft Paint, and chose "image" and then clicked on "invert colors." This sort of gives me an idea how the plate will look inked up and ready to print,....sort of.

At the very least I am able to continue on to cutting a second block. The final photo shows further manipulation of the photo and gives me an idea regarding the graduated color, and it will be possible to replicate this if desireded during the final printing phase.

The Second Block will be cut using the White-Line Printmaking technique. Both plates will be printed to complete one print. I will have to work out the technical factors of registration, since the first block cut with the punches will be inked with a brayer to cover the entire surface, and the second plate will be printed in a step by step fashion as illustrated in the white-line link above.
I look forward to printing these into complete works, and have already made plans to print these as monotypes, using different ground(or first plate) colors to set the tone for the white line printing that will be printed over the top.

How Inspiration Became Experimentation

2010-05-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

I was out doing a mundane chore at my local hardware store searching for metal snips that will cut through an average screw. While I was searching the shelves and racks, I noticed several punches and awls next to the snips. I have recently begun collecting awls and punches because I feel drawn to experimenting with non-traditional tools for woodcut printmaking. I did this in the past by using a handheld Dremel. The result of those ambitious woodcut prints are shown here. Judith and Holofernes and Portrait of Rembrandt. I made these impressions by attaching a very small drill bit and drilling out the white space one whole at a time. These prints were very labor intensive and I abandoned the Dremel returning to traditional woodcutting tools.

Once again I am find myself wanting to experiment. I don't really know that there is a method to developing new printmaking techniques, but know my inspiration will lead me. So back to the hardware store. I saw these punches that would not just make a dot mark, but an actual circle punch and in three different sizes, too. As I stare at these tools and I am thinking how they will mark the wood and what sort of printed impression they will make. But, I purchase my snips and leave the circle punches for another time.

That other time came just a week later when I realized I could not do another print without giving these new tools a go. I purchased 2 of the 3 sizes and started working on a small print, 5" x 8", Shorebirds of Alameda. This woodcut is inspired and created entirely from my new tools.
I believe normally most creative inspiration revolves around developing the image through successively working, sometimes over a period of time, until the ideas of what you are trying to create and what your hands can actually do come together in a the final work of art. Subject matter is most often the source for the creativity behind all that long and hard work.

As I began using the new tools, I realized I had a lot of different options for how I was going to work with them. Figuring out my first print was a test, I freed myself from all preconceived notions of the proper method to use these tools and just go at it and make the first print. My initial reaction was mixed. The print itself was not especially fine or beautiful as it was a simple study of birds on the beach. But I also like the tools enough to continue. I found that their power is not in random striking of the punches creating this sort of scribble effect as you see in Alameda Shorebirds. Their power derives from the various patterns that I can concoct by varying the way I use the punches, chisels, and awl.

Tale of Two Self-Portraits

2010-05-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

Recently, I took two of Gary's paintings to hang in my office at work. Within the first few days, some co-workers came into my office and noticed the new pieces immediately. Two colleagaues really loved the surrealist paintings and asked if Gary had painted them. We chatted about the subject matter and I told them their titles, "St. Francis" and "Electricity." I hadn't seen these paintings in a couple of years and I was reminded how much I have loved these older works.

I came home and told Gary about how much I enjoyed his surrealist work. We started talking about how his work has transitioned since then. St. Francis, a self-protrait, has always been one of my favorite paintings. Recently, Gary painted another "Big Self-Portrait" which has also become a favorite of mine. And we started talking about how Gary's self-portraits have evolved from St. Francis to Big Self-Portrait, same subject matter but two totally different treatments, both equally interesting.

Gary said he had emerged from a period quietness and stillness when he was painting the lovely and serene San Francisco Bay Area landscapes. During this time he really concentrated on his art of painting, and working the light. The result in Big Self-Portrait is stunning. In St Francis, I love the narrative and the beautiful and fanciful imagery. In Big Self-Portrait the artist's portrait is painted in striking colors and simplified shapes. Each color and shape impart in the artist's face shifting emotion and powerful serenity. For me the external interest and beauty of St Francis is now internalized, richly and expressively in the emotions of the artist's face. Once fanciful and light, is now grounded and evocative.

Another recent work, a large print called "Woman with Calla Lilies," is equally as stunning. The subject of the print is enigmatic. Her gaze is steady, strong, and yet, soft. To me she has the same mysterious expression as the Mona Lisa. Tonight I saw Woman installed at the opening night of the new CSP show at the Adobe Art Gallery in Castro Valley. I thought it breathtaking. There was a good crowd at the show and everyone was commenting on how much they liked the show. As we mingled with other CSP members and other gallery visitors, I overheard many attendees comment on how much they liked Woman. She seems to have the same affect on everyone - from the moment that she comes in your sight, she draws you in closer for a longer and deeper look.

I can't wait to see more...

Kavita

"Light" the ultimate source of the creative process

2010-04-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

For any artist looking to free himself from a creative block, there is one source that many artists have looked at for hundreds of years and produced many famous works of art. The creative source was light. The desire to capture light has inspired almost every painter from the time that people began painting and inspired them to innovate.

Because light is not constant, there are unlimited, unique interpretations of light, from a candlelit still life or portrait in the daylight through an open window, to the stormy skies of a John Constable and William Turner or the evening glow captured by Charles Rollo Peters. Of course, for the most well-known depictions of changing light,...pick any Monet painting you like. The pioneering painters were all inspired by light.

Capturing the light on any subject is the key to most all works of art. When I think about creating new works and I get stuck, I typically go for a walk down to the shoreline. I have found that staring out at the water will quiet my mind and fine tune the creative ideas jumping around in the mind. Staring out over the landscape, I can immediately see how Constable was inspired by approaching storm clouds. The light makes everything beautiful. These memories of looking at landscape paintings and looking directly at the landscape led me to create my own interpretations of light; gave me purpose to create my own messages in art about how I perceived light.

I made an important decision a long time ago, "I would not discount any form of light that makes the subject strong." For a long time, painting light used to mean only one thing to me and that was strong and direct day light. It is simple to fall into this trap when creating new work because we spend most of our time in day light. A few years back, during the winter, we had a power-out. I had lit a few candles and noticed how everything was transforemd by the candlight. The light was simple and warm and had not over powered every surface in the room like traditional modern lighting. It has been a long time that candles have been the main source of light in modern art and I felt inspired to draw in my sketchbook. I managed to complete one drawing of a reclining figure behind a few lit candles on a table in the fore ground with a pot of orchids on it. It was the only time I had worked under candlelight to when drawing. Afterwards, I found the drawing appealing enough to do a small painting titled, "Power Out."

The idea for this painting, Nude with Tealights, started from a simple moment having a drink at a local bar that had several tealights in a row. As I enjoyed my drink, I just stared at the light flashing on the candle, the glass container, the shadow and the reflection. It was the beginning of a new work, ...inspiration at last.

Light is still the main source of my creative inspiration when I am confronted with a block. My exploration of light frees me of these creative blocks; moonlight at midnight, dusk on a cold or hot day, midday light, late evening light, candlelight, lighting by a house lamp, and early morning.

I have used light during different times of the day to express quiet images of landscape or portraiture. As with all artists that have come before me, capturing light in my art is still powerful and thought provoking.

Conversation on creativity w/ Jon Kerpel

2010-04-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night, I was went to Autobody Fine Art Gallery on opening night as an artist exhibiting in a group show dedicated to the upcoming Earth Day. Artists participating had a wide range of creative expression in various mediums. I was immediately drawn to the many totem and temple style sculptures that were built from wood, glass, rocks, plastic and found objects. These were assembled to resemble a religious alter on some and a oversized Victorian Finial on others. I was introduced to the artist, Jon Kerpel.

Once I shook his hand, he and I realized we have met before and this was the first time viewing each others' art. Jon took a lot of time with me to explain some of his creative process. He pointed to one of his first pieces that explored this new direction in his sculpture. It was a small, white, wood, 6" square box with an opening on one side covered in non-glare glass, which gave it the look of a shadowbox. But, because the glass had a frosted look, the item inside , a polar bear made of plastic, was hazy and trapped in this artificial world. These constructions abandoned the a typical Joseph Cornell approach of creating found object sculptures of meaningless objects grouped together in an abstract manner. Jon had a well thought out vision and message regarding our disappearing environment, and animals. This added a dimension to his work that may resemble Pop Art and combined it with the rough nature of the found objects used to create these alter/temple structures, and backed it with an environmental message.

Jon went on to tell me that part of his creative process is 'the hunt' for found objects. He likes to walk along the shore of Alameda, and also out at the Alameda Naval Base. He picks up whatever he thinks looks cool without any intent or purpose for artistic placement in a sculpture. He just collects, and then uses these objects as ideas pop into his head during construction. Most of the time he has no idea why he picks up certain items or how he will use them. One example of this: Jon said he had a number of large sheets of non-glare glass in his studio for several years that he could not give away due to the nature of the glass making anything placed behind it very blurry, and rendering it useless for framing artwork. In these new works, Jon said the glass was perfect for the first time, because it did add a certain level of sophistication, and the message of his art can now be interpreted with many different meaningful descriptions.

The creative process for Jon is a lot of trial and error, grouping together non-traditional materials, with little meaning on their own that has a greater message when combined as a whole sculpture. His work relies on immediate creative inspiration from the objects arround him. His inspiration comes from anything,..including items that he can not find any immediate use. His found objects have become his dictionary for communicating to the public.

It was my pleasure to spend as much time as I did with Jon and hope he has continued success.

A summary of my conversation with Jon Kerpel, a found object sculptor, at the new opening of "future/tense" at Autobody Fine Art Gallery. (Friday, April 9, 2010)

Delivering Artwork to a Gallery

2010-04-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

This week I am delivering "White" to the Autobody Fine Art Gallery.

Inspiration for artists comes from all places, and the painting "White" is no exclusion. I had started this painting while I was going through a period of down time, or uninspired images. I had not drawn in my sketchbook for months. I forced myself to just keep painting and printmaking. For subject matter, I choose the iconographic skyline of San Francisco. So,....I just started painting, like any old easel painter would, with no direction, no message, or intent. I simply painted the SF skyline as everyone sees it on every sunny day. The painting sat half finished in my studio for months because I was unable to work on something so unattractive. To use the metaphor, "a lightbulb went off in my head," was kind of an understatement. I travel throughout the bay area and remembered the special moments when fog changes the natural landscape into a beautiful and expressively quiet place. These moments when the landscape changes from its regular, sunny, eye catching view was what stuck with me the most and gave me inspiration. It was only natural that I should choose to paint a landscape in various shades of white and grey. It was like a mathmetician working out a solution to a hard equation. The result was a long process of mixing various shades of white tinted by blues, greens, reds, yellows,..etc. to differentiate the sky, land, and water. Through trial and error, and multiple layers of paint, I managed to complete the picture. The alternating shades of white replicate the dead quiet beauty and calm feeling of cold and fog. This simple process of getting back to what I view as beautiful, even amongst the most mundane of subject matter, transformed this small piece from totally uninspired to actively working on an idea.

From here, I was propelled to continue with additional landscapes in larger sizes, with other "times of the day" that I found moving as inspiration. I finished "Oakland at Night" and 2 more landscape dyptichs of the SF Bay. I was able to remain inspired by changing the atmospheric conditions and using a very specific, toned down, color pallette. "San Francisco, Dusk" was created in blues, pinks, and purples to express a cool dusk evening, and "San Francisco, Warm Evening" was painted in yellows, reds, oranges, and browns to express a hot day coming to an end.

These tonalist pieces with a very limited color palette propelled me to complete more works and continue my focus on various images of night, and day.

Future/Tense, starting Friday, April 9th, and with the opening reception on Thursday, April 22, 2010 (Earth Day) / 5-10 p.m.

Artists include:
Gary Comoglio
Joanne Fullager (photograhy)
Mark Garrett (video installation)
Susan Lee Hackett (photography and quilting)
Linda Hanson (photography)
Sandra Hart (photography)
Jon Kerpel (sculpture)
Laleh Zahedi Latini (photography)
Aurora Mahassine (Transform 2012)
Rosie Powell (watercolor)
Christian Schiess (sculpture)
Mark Schroeder (photography)
Sunshine Urbaniak (photography)

Autobody Fine Art is proud to announce it’s first juried show, celebrating the ecology and geographic diversity of Alameda island and opening in conjunction with Earth Day. As many of you know (but just to be certain, I checked in with Wikipedia!) the island that Alameda occupies was originally a peninsula connected to Oakland. Much of the peninsula was low-lying and marshy, but on higher ground the peninsula and adjacent parts of what is now downtown Oakland were home to one of the largest coastal oak forests in the world. The area was therefore called "Encinal," Spanish for "oak grove." "Alameda" is Spanish for "grove of poplar trees" or "tree-lined avenue," and was chosen in 1853 by popular vote.

Five species on the endangered wildlife list make their home on Alameda Island, alongside a wide variety of waterfowl, plant life, domesticated animals and landscaped gardening, as well as over 75 thousand human beings. Artists have a responsibility to reflect social and environmental issues, be it through commentary, critique or celebration, and we are inviting you to become a part of the visual record of the island by taking part in our honoring of Earth Day.

"If I am not an artist, who am I?"

2010-04-06T11:28:00.001-07:00

"If I am not an artist, who am I?"
Those are the memorable words of William T.Wiley who has become one of the most impressionable artists for my own personal work. His statement is appropriate for every and any artist that confronts a mental block, as in this moment of questioning that we look inside ourselves and define who we are by responding with action.

Welcome

2010-04-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog!

I'm a painter and printmaker living and working in the San Francisco Bay area. Much of my work reflects my deep connection with the beautiful landscape of my home as it is frequently the subject and inspiration of my work. I also feel very connected to the history of art and artists of Northern California.

In this blog I will be jotting down my thoughts as I progress through my creative process. Also, visit my web site www.garycomoglio.com.

Gary