Experiments with Copper Sulphate on Aluminium

The kind of darkness where darker things are hiding, etching by minu

After a chat with Basia Smolnicki at Inverlochy about copper sulphat etching, I googled the topic and found this sentence on nontoxicprint.com:

“The characteristic of aluminum is the crystalline structure within the metal, which is revealed by the copper sulfate’s action. This means there is no need for aquatinting to get solid color or lighter tints of any hue.”

In short: no more messing around with powdered resin or spray colour! I had to try this!

Last week I had all the materials together and started on a test etch. It works! So I went on and etched my first aluminium sheet. Now, I won’t tell you how I did it… seeing that I did everything wrong ^_^; however, it still worked (kind of).

I’ll do it the right way next time and take some pictures of the process ^_^…

Exciting!


Sneak Peak – New Art Toys

Raccoon new work by minu

I am working on artwork for a group exhibition in a couple of weeks. I usually hate these fake photo effects, however, in this case it supports the story.

It took me weeks of trial and error to find a way to turn the “Afternoon Tea” prints into toys. This is the first one that kind of works, I still need way more practice with the joints… the raccoon is my first “traditionally joined” toy, meaning you can turn the head and move the arms. I am still not 100% happy with the toy. But after spending countless hours in the studio – and loads of money on parts and  fabric – and wanting to give up around 1000 times in the last 3 weeks I feel like this could go somewhere nice…

… and it would be boring to do things one actually knows how to do anyway…

would it not?


Hey there! Not so short! Ouch…

Hey there! Not so short! Ouch...

Manicure for a new Viech ^_^… You should not have pity with them, but with me. I always get an earful from the little monsters… and I wont get into the details of dental work!

I started to prewash the plush fabric. Since the manufacture changed a year ago the cotton pile is denser, softer and “fluffier”. I can see that other toymaker might prefer this but it doses not work with the Schlaf, the Viech or the Bear. With the pre-washing the fabric is back its old slight scruffy look and feel! One worry less ^_^…


New Work in Progress

Time to get back to some printmaking ^_^…

New Work in Progress

… First proof on brown paper …

New Work in Progress

… Woodcut plate in progress …

New Work in Progress

… The sketch …


Head On Show – Work in Progress, Part 2

Monday was Set-up day… some of us did not get much sleep in the days before the show ^_^…

That was the first time I actually saw the bear standing up… The foot claws and the leaves were still in the making.

The bear is growing up …

The little shadow box in the making…


Head On Show – Work in Progress, Part 1

This is work for the Head on group show. I am a bit frantic because I am seriously running out of time, but in between panic attacks it is actually fun. For this show I pick up the ‘awoke’ series. This is ‘The Bringer of Dreams’. I am working on one of the little boxes I did for the NZ Art Show and a 2.2m installation.

Awoke Box No.1 in progress

Awoke: The Bringer of Dreams, Box, Work in Progress

Awoke Box No.1 in progress

Awoke: The Bringer of Dreams, Box, Work in Progress

Awoke Installation No.1 in progress

Awoke: The Bringer of Dreams, Installation, Work in Progress

Keep the fingers crossed for me that this is actually going to work out all right!


New Zealand Art Show 2010 – Work in Progress, Part 4

Tomorrow is set-up for the show. Puh! I did not manage to get everything done, but I at least wanted to get one of the boxes ready for the show ^_^…

Shadow Box, Detail – Work in Progress

Shadow Box – Work in Progress


New Zealand Art Show 2010 – Work in Progress, Part 3

I am slowly getting there … ^_^… this is one of the Acrylic Painting in progress.

Work in Progress, Acrylic Painting, ‘Fragile Shadow’ Preview

Work in Progress, Acrylic Painting, ‘Fragile Shadow’ Preview


Failure and Achievement*)

Failure

I failed… actually I failed quite a lot in the last months. I tried a thousand things and only a couple turned out the ‘right way’.

Achievement

I achieved something … between all the failure some things turned so well that I think: ‘I made this? Erm… can’t be somebody else must have made that one!’

Creativity

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED talk ‘On Nurturing Creativity’.

I am blessed – and cursed – with a ‘creative genius’ in form of a capricious, evil spirited night demon with a plural personality in form of a self-deceiving, day-time will-o’-the-wisp. I do not complain, they fit.

Calling

My artwork is a response to an inner calling in a very literal sense, all these creatures live in my head and call to be put on paper. They want their stories told. If I fail, I fail them. They come back and complain: ‘Nope that is not me. I do not look like this. I do not feel like this. Nope, THIS IS NOT SAYING ANYTHING!’ Believe me, they know how to speak in capital letters.

Thank you

Why do I write this post? I am not sure, I have things to do and make, but I wanted to say ‘thank you’ to my little demon for the ‘Badger’ print. He is very happy with his portrait and there is one call less in my head.

Thank you.

*) I never needed a footnote on a header before ^_^… I was thinking about naming this article ‘Failure and Success’, but in today’s western society you can’t talk about ‘failure’ or ‘success’. Like failure is non-existent or just happens to other people. I will use the word failure. I like the sound.

The word ‘success’ on the other hand is so bound to monetary success, that I refuse to use it. The thesaurus offered achievement (noun): something completed successfully, a goal reached. Sounds about right.


New Zealand Art Show 2010 – Work in Progress, Part 2

Afternoon Tea – The Badger, Preview

Next to the ‘Fragile Shadow’ works, new ‘Afternoon Tea’ prints will be part of my wall at the New Zealand Art Show 2010 as well. This one is the badger and my favorite so far ^_^…

Afternoon Tea – The Badger, Preview Detail


New Zealand Art Show 2010 – Work in Progress

Note a couple of weeks later: These totally did not work the way I imagined them. They look totally wrong to me. I will work on the idea, but these will go in the bin ^_^.  See my little note on ‘Failure and Achievement ‘.

Stitch. Stitch.. Stitch… Stitch….

NZArtShow - Work in Progress

I am busy and a bit frantic to get my artwork ready for the show.

NZArtShow - Work in Progress

Work in Progress – mixed media artwork – Drypoint etching and stitching.

NZArtShow - Work in Progress

Work in Progress – mixed media artwork – Drypoint etching and stitching.

Stitch. Stitch.. Stitch… Stitch….

I think you get the picture ^_^…


The Visitor’s Friend

First proof - Detail
The Visitor’s Friend (working title) – first proof

She accompanied me to the print studio today. She said she wanted a portrait with her best friend. I said: ‘Fine, where is he?’ She said: ‘Why, he is standing behind me!’…



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