More From the Grotto

I started to get some images of some of the prints today ... and discovered that everything was wrong. Still got a few shots, but not nearly as many as I have printed designs. Will have to come back to that project, with some mat board and mounting tape and a bright overcast day, and a LOT more patience.

That said, here are a few little tastes.

A tiny print, don't think the image is even 3" on a side. 

Close up of the tiny print. This image looks grainier than the actual print does. Did I mention, everything was wrong?

One of my recent favorites. Have done this in several colors / color combos. Can't decide which way is up, which is usually a sign that I have done something right.

Detail from the one above. 

This one is another favorite. That plate got changed many, many times, and reprinted after each change. This was my favorite iteration, but I didn't love it at the time, so I only got one good print pulled before it went under the knife again.

Same as the one I posted yesterday, in a much more ... painterly execution. Probably not finished yet, I think I want to add some highlights and outlining by hand. 

Short show & tell, I know. Next step is to get enough mat board to get them all mounted, so they look like something. Maybe even something other people would want.

More Printing

Although things here have been a little chaotic, and also much, much too hot and dry, I have managed to get myself out to the studio a bit, and pull a few more prints. I think they are getting better, but I am no Master Printer. Yet.

This is the first print I have pulled of that acrylic dry point plate (that I posted about a couple of weeks ago). It is not so much composed as it is a collection of line sizes / weights / directions / etc. A sampler, if you will. There is so much new in this process for me that I most likely will claim every print as a test print for the next 30 years... This one looks especially funky because it does not fit totally on my scanner bed, and I did not want to mash it down, so the left side curved up and away, and seems blurry. In the actual print, it is not.

Revisiting these blocks. 

The two prints above are reprints of the same one I posted last week, with different technique, and the addition of retarder. Those both were beneficial changes to the process, I think.

This last one, however, actually has had a bunch of new cuts done to the block since last time I printed it. I tries printing this on top of prints I had already pulled (with the old cut), but this is a linocut, and the linoleum has become tremendously warped -- makes alignment / registration difficult. This print looks a little funny because the upper left corner is slightly over-inked, but also because this is a mixture of blue and black inks (plus retarder) just to see how that would go. I kinda like it, except the over-inked bit.

Now it's *really* snowing!

Although it has been a while since I posted about the snowflake project, I have been beavering away at it like some kind of an large nocturnal semi-aquatic mammal. As proof of this, I submit to you photographs. They're mostly weird angle macro photos because ... well. I am an Artiste, what can I say?

In any case, the photos are largely of snowflakes I made today, which I have just soaked in the stiffening solution and pinned out to dry. I am thinking I need to charge by the number of pins necessary to achieve the desired shape, because that seems to be the most time consuming part of this process.

Also pictured: A spinner display rack I scored at a thrift store for $6.50! Sweeet. As usual, click through to see the larger versions of these pictures. It is amazing how not-interesting glitter looks when it is sufficiently magnified!

I am not 100% on this yet, something like 92%, but I think I am also going to sell some cookies at the craft show next month. Just to see how that goes over. Assuming I can remove enough of the glitter from my person to make cookies without them being something like White Chocolate Glitter Chunk Surprise cookies.

First, pictures of my new sketchbook! I made this over the weekend. It took me longer than it probably should have, considering how complicated it isn't, but it's been a while since I made a book. Also, I didn't have the right glue, and had to do some dodgey substituting, and then also spray the covers in waterproofing stuff. .... don't ask.

The front cover.

The back cover. The covers are made with a fabric scrap I bought in the Ikea clearance room a long time ago. I bought it with no particular purpose in mind, but knew I would find something eventually. And, so I have. Vindication!

Laying open. Because it's a coptic binding, it opens pretty much totally flat, which is nice. The crease in the standard hardcover sketchbook is problematic. I'd been buying spiral bound for a while, but I don't really love them, they are just a compromise between not opening all the way, and using plain old loose leaves of paper. Which I might do next time.

Here's a shot of the spine, in case you were wondering what coptic binding means in practice. Each signature (group of pages) is stitched from the inside to the outside, connecting to the signatures that come before and after it. The first and last signatures are attached directly to the cover boards. It provides exceptional flexibility of the spine, and can also be used for a book of almost any thickness.

This picture shows the inside of the back coverboard, and some of my drafting tools. Not that you really needed to know about that, I just liked the shot.


I know it's been a while since I posted the current work in progress, and technically I am not really doing that now. HOWEVER! Here is a picture of my workspace as it sits right at the moment. The panels along the back are the pieces of a custom crate, the center of the desk has a belt buckle design I am finalizing with hopes of begining the actual piece today, and the rack on the right has a bunch of work on paper that needs to be matted, imaged for the portfolio, and filed. Also, some Sequential Tart review materials are there, and my new sketchbook that I made over the weekend.

All the little containers are writing implements, tools, etc. The pink things on the top / left are tape dispensers, which I have needed for a long time. (Yes, it IS "the little things" that make happy happen.)

Little file cabinet is full of more tools / utensils, paints, inks, etc. Trash can on the left, and the cubbies on the desk supports are full of random crap that I need without warning ... but then set aside without warning. It's a functional system, don't judge!

Chair is a swiveling kneeling desk chair. It's not super duper comfortable, but it does save my back and hips. And shoulders and neck. Also, it's really good for keeping my herniated cervical disk from pinching the nerve in my right hand. So ... comfort isn't always immediate gratification.

Work in Progress

wip220211
Originally uploaded by Id Marks

There are several pieces in the works right now, nothing finished yet. That notion of getting something done every day? Not happening. Not because I don't work every day, but because I tend to parallel process, so I'll have a bunch under way and nothing finished for ages, and then a bunch finishing up all at once.

Click through to Flickr to see more works in progress.

Also, check out Mary Golay, whose color techniques for Art Nouveau illustrations are amazing.

Groundhog's Day Again

That was a little joke, y'see.

Here's today's project, another prototype bookmark. Spent a lot of time doing sketches, and this is just one of the ideas I scratched out. It was easier than yesterday's, and perhaps easier than tomorrow's. I am particularly pleased with how much this one matches the sketch.



Again, a prototype. A few technical details stand between me and a finished piece, not least the question of how to harden the metal. I find myself actually wondering if I can use a stand mixer in place of a polishing tumbler.

More pictures in Flickr, just click through the pic from here.

New Year / New Blog

Hi there! I know it's been pretty quiet around here. Too quiet! There are some changes coming. I would say soon, but soon is relative. Here are the highlights.

• I'm opening two Etsy shops. One for 'fine art' — paintings, sculptures, prints, etc., and one for functional and silly items. This is taking some time, but I hope when I get it all up and running, it'll be easy for folks who are interested to browse & buy stuff I've made.
• I'm re-doing this blog. Can't say too much about it yet, because I just don't know the details yet, but as soon as I know, I'll post it here, and then you'll know.
• Metal work!! I have my tools and some supplies to get going with, so I'm very excited to say I'm getting back to my true love.
• Printmaking!! I'm ready to start experimenting with this. This goes nicely with some of the metalworking I plan to do.
  
• Other! It's going to be a busy year. I'm really excited about this. I've got cold glass work planned, custom-printed materials such as textiles and stationery goods, and a couple of guerrilla art maneuvers in the world. Oh, and maybe something that will lead to a book.
  

I realize that's a lot more exclamation points than I normally indulge in, but what can I say? That was a really good cup of coffee!!!! I mean, there's a lot going on. First, however, there is some administrative stuff to address. Because setting up an online store and a new blog isn't all about firing up the torch, sawing on stuff, or breaking out the paints. It's mostly about filling in the blanks, uploading the pictures, and double checking all the squinty little details.

For now, I'm going to leave you with this picture of the sun, moments after emerging from an eclipse, and a vague promise to post again just as soon as I can.

partial credit, I demand it!

Tried to post this stuff a few days ago, did not manage to do so, and decided to post it now, before I forget again for the rest of eternity. Of course, it's a holiday, so probably no one will see it. C'est la Vie!


So.... these photos are stubborn about placement! Wow.



This tiny strip is actually a fabric thing about five feet long, maybe a foot wide. The black silhouette region was printed by IKEA, I'm filling in the colors myself. I stitched all around where the black meets the white, because I'm going to fill it with pillow stuffing and turn it into a sort of low relief type thing.

All these sheets are watercolor paintings I did three years ago. I'm getting them into mat board finally this week, as I'm taking everything I can carry with a reasonable expectation of not damaging it, and trying to sell stuff at the flea market this weekend. Hoping the holiday shopping frenzy is in full swing.



Most of what's kept me busy since then has been the framing stuff. Today I matted six of the large pieces, and prepped a bunch more for tomorrow. It's amazing how long this stuff takes me. I think I might move a little faster if I work on a lower work surface (will try it tomorrow), but they sure look nice when they're done. I even shelled out for the nice poly sleeves to put them in. Pics coming real soon! Trying not to get distracted, but if I get actual daylight during the day tomorrow, then pics tomorrow.

This Is How It Begins

Candle Sconce Steps 1
Originally uploaded by Id Marks

I started a new project this week, in part to avoid post-partum depression after the tea chest, and in part because I have a HUGE list of projects backlogged (also, after the tea chest...). So, this one is small, but I thought I'd try documenting it pretty well. Looking over the pictures I took, it seems like there were a couple of times I thought, "This would make a great picture," but that was as close as I got to actually making a picture. Turns out, I still don't have that camera-eye. If you're Regan, you can just pull those images from my mind, probably. Everyone else, SOL. Sorry.

This project begins with the broken mirror from an old American Tourister travel case. (thanks, giant ridiculous cat...) And, some coffee. I wanted to make a wall sconce for a candle, and I wanted to do it without buying *anything*, so I was scrounging around for inspiration. And there was the broken mirror. Everyone makes candle holders that sit on tables and shelves, but tables and shelves eventually fill up with crap, or in my case, fill up with cats who are more than happy to knock my stuff onto the floor, whether it is burning or not. There is real appeal in being able to nail something high up on the wall!

Click through to see all the photos so far – about a dozen – with some explanation on each. The project is NOT finished yet, and I probably won't post again until it is. Should be soon, WARNING, that's the kiss of death right there, but when it is done, and I post again, that should be the rest of the photos, including the very first sketch, before I even thought of using the mirror, all the way to the last pic of the candle sconce on the wall with a burning candle in it and a frustrated cat, unable to knock it over.

Waiting For Glue To Dry

Since I'm waiting for glue to dry in a non-euphemistic, non-metaphorical way, I thought I'd muse on some of the lessons I've learned from this project. It's not over, but since I just bribed myself to work on with an offer of a trip to the office supply if I finish it today, it must be close ('cause it's back to school sales time, squee!)...

One thing I've learned is, this is probably a prototype. I didn't start with a plan, I started with some nice plywood from the 50¢ scrap bin at the hardware store, and some shards of glass I'd painstakingly removed from a broken window here in the apartment. I had many different ideas along the way, and it moved forward very haltingly. And slowly. Part of the slowness was not actually knowing what came next, and having to have a good long think about that. I think the longest was almost a month.

If I had to build it again, by drawing a plan from what I've got now, and making a shopping list, and doing this like a proper project.... it'd most likely be a weekend project, or even just a day project, depending on what I chose to finish the wood / materials. I may test this bold claim. The closer it is to finished, the more sure I am that I can do better, faster, and with greater satisfaction at the end. I can't really 'save' this one, but I could go for a mulligan and be happy with what I get out of it. What I can't do it for is cheaper – this one is constructed almost entirely out of stuff I already had on hand, or clearance bin items. The only things I paid full price for were hardware (hinges, knob, latch).

Another thing I (re)learned is that prototypes are totally worth it. Although maybe next time I should do it in cardboard or something. In art we call that a maquette, or a 'mock up' if we're not being pretentious art school dorks.

In no particular order, further learned things:

• cut the glass first, cut the holes for the glass after
• hot glue does NOT work like caulking (don't ask)
• slate is surprisingly hard to find
• have a variety of fastening hardware on hand
• there's a reason some kinds of hardware come in a minimum of 100 quantity
• sand before sawing, between coats of paint, and after pulling the splinter out
• if you think something will make a good picture, it probably will
• measuring is not just for chumps
• a project that won't end is hugely inspirational - I'm FULL of other ideas now!
• cheap wood clamps are even worse than you think they'll be

Perhaps the most painful part of all this were the times I didn't have the right tool for something. Doing projects without a fully equipped shop can be fun, especially when you manage to work around a tool or process. A person can feel quite clever when Making Do. (See my contour gauge a few posts back...) but... it's those times when I'm mis-using a tool that I feel like ass. When I'm using a tool for something it was simply not intended for, and I know it. Or when I know without doubt that the problem I have can ONLY be solved by having the right tool, which I can't afford at the moment. Or that the problem I have can ONLY be solved by having a quality example of the right tool, which isn't in the stars at the moment. Those times are a bit frustrating.

Shotgun Updating

Check me out, two posts in one month! It's starting to get crazy around here!

The formatting on these pictures is going to make me nuts if I goof around with it. So I'm not. Here's the rundown.

Couple sheets of paper with barely visible sketches... sketches for my next couple of projects. Hopefully those projects will be visible.

Bunch o' sticks.... if you can guess what tool I made there, you win a prize!* Double prize if you can guess whether it worked or not.

The re-do on the frame / edge. It took much less time than the first time, and is a thousand times better, but I'm still cross to have had to re-do it. Ahh, well. Live and learn. And re-do crap sometimes.

Quick watercolor painting to test out a brush brought from Beijing by a friend who visited there recently. That sucker can lay down some SERIOUS paint! Highly diggable. It will be my go-to brush of choice for watercolor tidal waves.










224214152 - sorry I didn't answer your question sooner, more pictures to come... behind the windows are pigeon holes.... square openings (16cm I think, a bit deeper than that?).

There will be more pictures when I have the front panel opening and closing and stuff.

Yes.





* There is no prize.

Polar Expedition Thought Lost Heard From At Last!

Step 1 - Collect all the underpants!

I've just finished the scrollwork for a picture frame I've been wanting to make for a while. I don't think this is the frame I originally dreamed of, but it will be cool anyway. And I can always make more! I like this very much, although it is pretty far from done. Next time I'll probably keep track of how many hours go into something like this. I didn't this time, but I know it was *many*.

That's 4 pieces of thin plywood that were stacked up and staples driven into the edges. The design was applied to the top layer, and I drilled holes to feed the saw blade into the interior of each enclosed space to cut out, starting with the smallest / furthest inside first, and working my way out. The last step was to cut the outsides, gradually replacing staples with tape so the stack would stay in alignment.

The roundy thing in the center, below the flash glare is a quarter, for size reference. Next step.... paint it, I think. Then paint something to glue it to.

New! Content with actual content!

OK, last post, total cop out. Fortunately, I don't think anyone looked at it too closely! :)

On the topic of making a living as a gallery artist, versus not:

As I gather my application materials for this studio space thing, I have been meeting with some surprising internal resistance. I DO want the space, that is not an issue. My issue is what I do with my art. For a long time, I've been frustrated by the gallery art world. There are things about it that make me very uncomfortable.

A big issue - prices. It pisses me off to see a scribbled cocktail napkin going for $10000. Even though I think, well, good for them, that someone can make a living at art. In *any* way. But it's irritating. Because I know that if *I* scribble on a cocktail napkin, I'd be lucky if no one charged ME for the privilege of throwing it away. This is NOTHING to do with talent or skill. It's all about place / time / connections. That $10k napkin is a $10k napkin because that artist was in some particular situation to make it that way. Maybe it won't last forever, that situation, but the artist sure as hell will want to sell as many $10k napkins as possible in the meanwhile.

But I don't want that. Watch closely, because here's where it gets very squadgy indeed.

The thing I don't want is something I regard as crap going for a lot of money. Maybe I could make an infinitely superior scribble on a cocktail napkin, but if *I* think it is crap, I would die of shame before selling it to someone, much less displaying it publicly.

But the work I do, the work that meets my standards ... doesn't seem to be in much demand. There are only so many options in this situation. Create demand, change the work, or do something else altogether. (These options all assume I want to make some money with my work, which I do. Not so much for the money-have, but simply not to be a continued financial drain on my world.)

And that's where I get stuck. I know this studio space is a step in the direction of being that gallery artist. Fundamentally, I think it would be great to make money off my work, and that is an avenue that I could pursue. But I don't want to be the cocktail napkin artist, producing crap and selling it for mad money. It was pointed out to me that, in that context, the price is part of the piece. I don't like that. I don't feel comfortable with the meshing of value and aesthetic. Because I don't value money much at all. It is useful, but it's not interesting.

So... whether I get this studio space or no, I am going to need to figure out what I DO want. What IS a good exchange for my effort? How can I recover expenses without losing self-respect, which I can't afford? Knowing what I *don't* want only gets me so far.

Oh, and that picture is the beginning piece of the first complete object I will have made with my scroll saw. It's not very exciting, but I admit it tickles me that removing 18 tiny strips of wood makes 9 flat pieces of wood into a little shelf-esque thing.

2 steps forward..... 2 steps back.

I've been working on that wooden knot all week. Today's work centered around un-doing the work of the prevous two days. How's that for awesomesauce?

Curiously, I find I am OK with this, for a couple of very specific reasons. First, knowing how to correct screw ups is a valuable skill. Especially if one can correct them to the point of hiding all evidence of said screw ups. In this case, it's not a perfect cover up, but it's certainly going to be close enough for government work. And I don't go through life pretending screw ups don't happen, I'd rather know how to cope, than not.

Second, I shot myself in the foot by being hasty about what I was doing, and it cost me in time, effort, and result. Which means this time spent putting things back on track is also time I can spend figuring out a suitable course correction. Don't know if I'll actually learn any valuable lessons in patience, but it seems possible, and it seems like I can be happy with the outcome of this project. Historically, getting pissy and abandoning stuff when I screw up is my M.O.

So, no picture today, you can see yesterday's picture for a peek at what it will (once again) look like by the time I stop working on it today.

Still going, and hopefully going somewhere else, too.

Still working on this. I did most of the shaping and rough sanding over the weekend. Now I need to get busy with the drill, wooden pegs, and wood glue, and get it assembled.

Or, wait, maybe the 2nd sanding comes after the pegs are fitted, but before the wood glue.

Man, I don't know. Can you believe I do my own taxes, and can't even figure out the order of operations for a simple woodworking project?

I did learn that I probably want to spring for a shop vac one of these days. A little one.

In the spirit of collecting moral support, I want to share another project I'm working on. It's not quite as concrete as what's in the picture here. I'm applying for a studio space in a local art-in-residence program. You don't speak German, and this is not posted in English this year, so I'll just tell you the deal... it's rent-free studio space for up to a year, there are 8 studios on the 5th floor of the building in the picture. The 6th floor has live-in studios for 4 artists, as well. I hope to do work I can't really do at home (glass, metal, larger scale...) and interact with other artists, maybe get some shows and contacts and possibly collaborative projects out of it. Assuming I get the studio. The application is due by 31 May, so I'm hustling now to get a suitable portfolio and statement together. Thought I'd missed the deadline for this year. I don't know if they extended it, or if I was just confused, or what. Not going to waste time worrying about that.

I admit, I felt much more hopeful about this before I knew how many people applied last year. I'm sure it's even more this year. I'm just not a competitive person. Probably what I need to keep in mind is that I don't need to be cooler than everyone who applies. I just need to be cooler than enough of them to get a spot.

Also, in the course of digging up the necessary info about this artist in residence thing, I also discovered that this city has some great resources for artists. I am going on Thursday afternoon to find out what exactly I'm allowed to do legally (given my resident and work status here), and what my obligations are in terms of taxes, etc. Good info, and they provide it at no cost. Even if I find out that I can't do anything, at least I won't be out any money for the info, and will not be stuck wondering what the deal is and how to find out for sure.

On the hoop

I don't have an explanation for what this 'is' -- what is it for, where is it going.... I just was seized with the urge to line out a design in needle & thread on cloth, and so I have. It's not *quite* done, maybe one more hour of stabbery. And then.... what? I don't know. Maybe I'll frame it. Or sew it onto something else.

The fabric is something like muslin, but stretchier than I expected. Which is to say, it probably is not muslin. This is what I get for buying scrap fabrics. It's lighter and smoother than the linen I'd been using, and it's not a bad choice, although it is basically see-through. I have been basically doing double-sided stitching (where it looks the same on the top and underneath) because the dark purple thread would make the top look kind of discolored in places.

If you have a use for this, let me know.

Last sketch for today, I promise.

I know. Way more sketches than anyone cares to see. I like to post them here because occasionally I read back through my blog and see how things have change / stayed the same. Sometimes blogging is more like journalling, I guess.

Progress continues!

MacBook for size reference!

I finished cutting out the individual pieces of this today. As of this moment, the plan is to shape and refine the blocks a bit before affixing them to something else. Probably another piece of wood, if I had to make a random guess. Most likely use the Dremel and other things to do the shaping. Haven't decided yet about finishing. Since it's plywood, there isn't going to be a lot of point in highlighting the wood's natural beauty, so paint might be the order of the day. If I really feel like doing a LOT of sanding, I might go for some glossy lacquer type thing.

And, yeah, before you sharp-eyed folks even ask, it is the same knot as on that painting from a couple of months back. I really like this one.

New saw, new project, new hopes and dreams.

New saw showed up yesterday, new project started today. I'm having fun, and looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I don't know why, but it really amuses me that the saw has a pictogram of a person reading a book. This must be my saw....

ETA - already had to play a round of Digging Through The Vacuum Bag To Find That Piece I Didn't Mean To Suck Up But Did. I hope I don't have to play THAT game again any time soon. Yech.