Sunday, September 8, 2013

Experimentation...Face 8 of 29


29 faces


Face 8 of 29 was an experiment.  Here she is:


Hello!

I was inspired by the AMAZING linocuts from Coreopsis (who is also doing the 29 Faces challenge) which you can see HERE.  Coreopsis' work is just fantastic and so detailed.  I swoon over those gorgeous pieces!

I really wanted to try something similar myself, but I don't have any of the equipment (or skill) needed to do an ACTUAL linocut.  So I was looking around the studio (I still feel fancy when I call it 'the studio'...I'm such a dork!)  to see what I had that might work for creating a fake linocut.  

I saw that I had some foam sheets...ok, a lot of foam sheets...I've had them FOREVER and I don't know why I got them at all, other than maybe they were on clearance for really cheap and I thought I'd figure something out for them.  Well, that day finally came!

These plus pen equals fake linocuts.

I just used a ball point pen and drew directly onto the foam to make my girl.  Then I went back over it pressing down pretty hard to make sure there was an indent in the foam...it kind of wanted to pop back up if I didn't press hard enough.  When I was happy with the face, I took my brayer and rolled some acrylic paint onto the foam and then put a piece of cheap copy paper on top and brayered the top of the copy paper to make sure I got good contact with the painted foam.  Then just peeled the paper back to see how the print came out!  I realized I could get three prints before I had to reapply the paint to the foam, and if I spritzed the foam with water after the third print, I could get another print or two that were more inky looking.

Faux linocut girl on the left with some more prints of her in the background

The good thing about this fake linocut technique is that it's very easy!  The supplies are super cheap.  You can pick up several sheets of foam at the Dollar Tree and you've already got a pen at your house, I'm sure!  There's really not a learning curve either, because you're just drawing...you already know how to do that!  I'm kind of wondering if I could use my wood burning stuff and burn images into the foam instead of using the pen.  I kind of think I could get more precise lines that way...either that or burn the house down/die from toxic foam fumes.  Maybe we should research that a little first...

This was a fun experiment...one that I plan on working with some more.  I think this face is cute, but I would like to make one where the outlines are color and the inner spaces are white...that's going to be interesting to try. I really think you could make some cool things for backgrounds using the foam...that may be the direction I head with this technique.  I just don't know what I would do with a bunch of repeated faces...I'll have to think on it a little.

I know my face is no where near as interesting and artistic and amazing as the linocuts that Coreopsis is doing, but I want to say a BIG thank you for the inspiration and for getting me to try something new!  Big squish for you, my friend! <3


16 comments:

  1. Thank you for doing this. It gives me an idea to try. I think it's great how you improvised and got such great results.

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    1. Thanks Ila! I can't wait to see what you create! <3 <3 <3

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  2. Wow--I've inspired someone! This is really great. I never would have thought of just drawing in the foam with a pen. I think it cuts really easily too--you could probably just use an exacto or a utility knife.

    And there's the trick--getting your lines dark instead of white. It sure has been messing with my head. Twice now, I have blithely cut away at a part that's supposed to be dark, with 45 years of automatic thinking--you know, making marks = dark.

    I like how you can get multiple prints here too, and I look forward to seeing what else you're going to be able to do with the foam. Great use for it!

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    1. You really have!!! Thanks so much for the inspiration! I am on the look out for my Xacto knife...I cleaned my studio and have no clue where it is now...I knew exactly where it was when the studio was a mess! :)

      It is hard to wrap my head around dark vs. light when it comes to which line I am supposed to push back! I'm going to keep experimenting and seeing if I can figure things out a little better!

      Thanks again for the inspiration! <3 <3 <3

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  3. That is so cool! I've cut the top off of a couple styrofoam to-go boxed to do the same thing. Just haven't gotten around to it yet. Now *you've* gone and inspired me. :)

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    1. Thank you! It's so much fun! I bet the styrofoam will be easier to work with than the fun foam stuff...the fun foam wants to pop back up after you indent it if you don't push hard enough! I can't wait to see what you create! <3 <3 <3

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  4. Great idea... I've heated foam with my heat tool and then stamped into it. This is better. Be careful.. I don't know about those toxic foam fumes. :)

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    1. Thanks Boo! Did you use the craft foam for heating with your heat tool and stamping into it? I'm intrigued by this...I've got A LOT of foam to work with...and since we're on the NO NEW ART SUPPLIES kick, I have to find fun things to do with what I have that's been lying around forever! ...Seriously, I've had this foam for at least 5 years, never been opened until now! I have a problem!!! :)

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  5. I love that you made up your own way of doing a lino cut. I'm always wanting to do printing but then not having any of the stuff I think I need for it. You creative little thing you! x

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    1. Thanks! I thought the same as you, wanting to do prints but thinking I didn't have the what I needed. And I just thought, "Ok brain, I know you can come up with something!" and surprisingly enough, it did! It's fun, easy, and cheap to do! I know it's not the same as a real lino cut, but it works till I can save my pennies and get the real supplies!

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  6. LOVE her!!! You are such a creative little monkey!
    Hugs Pamikins

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    1. OOH OHH! AAH AHH! That's creative monkey speak for thank you! :)

      It's really fun to do! I think you should try it my Pamikins! Way easier than carving stamps!

      Big squish! <3

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  7. oh cool! I'm going to try it!!! :D wonderful!

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    1. Thank you! I can't wait to see what you create! <3 <3 <3

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