A few lessons from my Saturday printmaking…

I enjoy working on paper collages as a Saturday project. These are both relaxing and interesting to me. If I do some monotype printing that appeals to me in a batch, then I can work on creating collaged compositions over the next week.

This was on my worktable Saturday morning.

This is still a work-in progress. But, already, I can see a strong beginning.

I say this not to pat myself on the back. Sometimes, I will just struggle and struggle over a simple small collage. It’s like I’m fighting the content. Ones like that may end up in the “nope” pile. Or, if they finally come together, it will feel like I’ve run a marathon.

But, sometimes, when they begin to come together nicely, it’s helpful to me to stop and ask why, to see what’s going on. Then I might even be able to do it again on another project!

So, what seems to be working?

First, the monotype printing on this very thin paper achieved some very nice organic textures. This piece has a wildlife component, so a sense of water or natural forms pleased me.

Contrast! This may be the artmaker’s most important mantra: “Put some contrast in it! Put some contrast in it!” In this work, the clean straight line where I trimmed the printed monotype paper is a strong contrast to the organic, fuzzy edge.

Angles! The importance of a few well-placed angles, and their power to pull compositions together, is a reminder I have to give myself regularly. Grids come so much easier to me. In this piece, the angle of the overlapping papers at the bottom serve as a base for the bird, and also provide a sense of movement.

Some angles within the composition, as well as in a border element can add a lot. Here’s a work I created in my girl’s journey series of larger art quilts. This is “Overlooked.”

While it’s a completely different subject matter and content from this weekend’s small project, there are similarities too.

Fuzzy edges – Those leaves that have over grown the windows and are spreading into the background form an organic-shaped edge that’s interesting, and connecting.

Clean lines – the edge of the windows have strong linear edges and help to direct your eye within the composition.

Angles – I created the border design as an angle, and I was very glad I did that. The whole piece has a more dynamic quality, and I also think these angles help to pull you eye into the composition.

(If you’d like to learn more about this quilt, you can find it on my website HERE.)

If you are a maker of art, take time to look at the things you make that you like and that you think work well. What is going in in that piece that you can learn from?

If you are appreciator of art, you can also deepen your appreciation of works you like by looking for elements that seem to strengthen the effect of an artist’s work. Maybe you will glimpse a bit of what the artist was thinking about while creating.

For all the artmakers: Happy creating
For all the art lovers: Happy appreciating

Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi

bobbi@bobbibaughstudio.com

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