Unfinished larger work that features mostly inked mylar inserts with some quick brayer accents.
I posted a brand new Monotype that features brush work, something I haven’t done in a while. I’ve also been experimenting with mylar inserts and stencils. I cut simple shapes out of mylar, ink them, and lay them into the image, which in these examples is often made with a brayer (ink roller). This creates a hard edged, graphic, somewhat cartoon or designerly look.
I try to contrast that with the brayer effects which tend to be more painterly and soft edged, though I also use the edges of the mylar as a stencil for other harder-edged lines. In some cases, soft, almost watercolor-like ghost images from the earlier prints are layered with the darker, harder edged inks in a second “drop”, or run through the press.
These are mostly small (12×16″) studies that I hope to refine and use in larger prints. Let me know what you think. I try to answer each comment, though it sometimes takes a little while.
Mostly brayer (roller) effects with some mylar inserts laid in.Combines a ghost image with insert/stencil effects and brayer work.Color study, mostly brayer work. Ghost of this appears in a later imageDarker imagery printed on top of ghost image, combining brayer and insert/stencil effectsA ghost image, created mostly with the brayer (roller).
Welcome to JoeHigginsMonotypes.com. It’s taken a while longer to get up and running than I anticipated. This is partly due to a wicked busy schedule, and partly due to just not being savvy enough to navigate WordPress’ rather clunky, but undeniably cost-effective software.
As you see, the site is a rather skeletal affair right now. But I’ll add more each week, including a “Contact me” form, some downloadable publicity materials, many more pictures, and eventually, a way to actually buy them.
The main obstacle to going live has been importing my Blogger blog “Squishtoid” into this site. It actually turned out to be easier than say, changing font sizes, a frustrating fact that has to do with the fact that WordPress software is free and open source. “Free” means no money for the fancy, drag and drop, WYSIWYG software that one can buy from Adobe, etc. “Open Source” means anyone can create related software. The software widget for importing another blog turned out to be easy to use. The software for easily changing the look and feel of one’s site, not so much.
But eventually, even the most tech-challenged artist can learn the basics, and the pickiest of design geeks can learn… to accept the glitches and things that one cannot change. I will go more into detail on the process for those who may want to venture into it when I’m closer to a finished product, with a bit more perspective. Suffice it to say, if I can do it, anyone can. And in less than 4 months, probably.
May is a very busy month for me, so how many more wings I’ll be adding on to my humble home (page) right now I can’t say. But I will definitely try to keep you up to date on shows, workshops and studio doings here. And the blog is searchable, so many images and rambling thoughts are available there. In June and July, I’ll get back to site construction.
“Still Life in Perspective”, Monotype, 2013, 15×21″. This is my most recent monotype, it’s not even dry yet. I’ve spent the last three years telling workshop students to put away their paint brushes, then suddenly got the urge to use a paint brush. I’ll hear about this.
