Chapter 8 - String Prints

3.8.1
Using my trusty map of Devon I copied the following

I deliberately made my string block fairly small so that I could get several prints across and down on each page.
3.8.2
a)  & b)  both done with oil pastels, then water paint wash on different weight papers

c) this one was done with black and silver crayon which gives a sharper line I think

d) no water paint wash on this one

e) & f) done on quite thin papers

g) page from old atlas

h) I wonder why this reminds me of a leaping hare when looked at in portrait?

3.8.3
Although I lined up one side of my 'made up' map for the second block, in retrospect I would like to have made it so both sides could have 'joined up' which would have been fun.
a) Done on kraft paper. I did in fact give it a deepish brown wash but of course it didn't show up

b) I liked this one. It doesn't show up but the paint wash has a slight sparkle which is very pretty. I tried scrunching up the paper first to see what effect it would have. Answer, not a lot!

c) yes, why use one colour paint wash, when you can use three. I like it.

d) I used both white and then gold acrylic on this page and was a bit disappointed with the end result, though it does in fact look much nicer than the scan shows.

An extra. Being thrifty (Scots mum) I never waste the paint I have squeezed out so I just paint up papers for future use. This is a piece a paper painted weeks ago and I have used up the gold metallic acrylic paint on it with one of the string prints only.

Well that was a great Blue Peter chapter, thank you.

Chapter 7 Drawing the landscape

3.7.1
I hadn't realised how many hundreds of drawings by Van Gogh there were. From my very large library book I choose this one of a country lane. Using the central lines when copying is very helpful.

3.7.2
I have so many pictures of Brentor Church from different angles though this is similar to one I have used before. I very much enjoyed doing this drawing.

3.7.3
Different angle this time. The rock really is very very big from here! I'm a little disappointed with this one. It helped leaving it for a day or so and then doing more to it, but still....

If Van Gogh had lived in Tavistock I am sure he would have had a great time with this church!

Edited version of 3.6.1

I didn't like the original version of this at all and at Viv's suggestion tried to improve it.  I first of all gave it a wash (not quite under the tap) with a weak solution of bleach which lightened it, rinsed that off and then eventually used some metallic rub-ons to brighten it up a bit.  I was looking for my Treasure Gold, but perhaps that would have been a bit much if I had found it.  Anyway it is now allowed to stay in my sketchbook and not get ripped out.

Chapter 6 - Torn Paper Lines

HAPPY NEW YEAR


3.6.1.
I tore up an assortment of papers in various colours and types and stuck them in my sketchbook. The ink wash I used was too dark though.  It almost completely obliterates the newspaper and the rest of the pieces don't show up very well either.  Just shows that I should have tried it on a spare piece of paper first!!! Not a very cheerful first page of the new year.

Make Viewfinders. Since I haven't seen my old ones for ages I was very happy to make these.

3.6.2.
Collage landscape.   Charmouth Beach
Partly because of the size,   (4 1/2" x 5 3/4") I wasn't sure if I should have put more detail in or not. The perspective doesn't look very good as the sea on the left looks odd but I was reasonable happy with the colours.

E.A.  Brentor Church, Dartmoor.
These next three pictures are even smaller as I decided that I wanted to put them together on one page of my sketchbook.  The papers are again all different weights and sources including a bit of fluffy paper I made from Kozo bark. Yes I could see these as a trio of textile pictures and yes I DO LOVE Brentor Church.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

                                      Textile picture of 12th century church at Brentor, Devon

CHAPTER 5 - Spaces Make Lines

3.5.1
Trying to do something a bit different, the second one down with small triangles on top, didn't quite work out as the white triangles got a bit distorted. I like the five circular ones that look a bit like Easter eggs best.

There is lots of scope when using different shapes - I think the bottom one with a fairly straight line looks the strongest.

3.5.2
Why do I like to make things tricky for myself! I was attempting to make secondary lines in between the main lines in the cut outs.  I can't believe this took an hour.  Still I do like it, and the colours certainly are contrasting.

E.A.
All these lovely fuchsia blossoms were on the ground after the violent winds we had a couple of days ago and looked much prettier than the slates that came off the roof.

Now I have to go and start my littlest grandson's 1st Birthday card - where has that year gone.

CHAPTER 4 - Printed Lines

Ink Pad and Mark Makers
The first thing I did was make an ink pad, using a very small plastic box plus felt and silk paint. I was a complete revelation to me that one could use silk paint successfully and I had never thought of making my own stamp pad. Here is is with a small selection of my mark making tools.

3.4.1
The top line is the mini pink & yellow rubber shown above. I bought a set of 6 just because I thought they would be interesting for printing.

The lower half of the next page is done with my much loved Koh-i-Nor graphite stick

This blue page is, top half done with one piece of dense foam that I saved when new glass windows were installed and there were loads of them stuck to the glass. Bottom half is yet another mini rubber with an interesting dent in it.

These green ones are above mentioned bit of foam and the lower half the tap swirler.

Purple and green are done with four bits of window foam stuck unevenly together.

3.4.2
The first one was good fun to do.

Having made my dinky little stamp pad, I didn't get around to using it 'til this last bit. I love the fuchsia colour and think I will probably make quite a few more in interesting colours instead of buying them.

Another very interesting chapter!