Tag: evolution of an idea

Using a grid as a foundation for a painting is a default process for me.  I love that grids can break down a larger surface into smaller assignments.  Wanting to move toward interpreting inspiration with paint, I started with a gesso and acrylic background, plotted my lines, then started stamping with handcut circles and squares.  My intention was to introduce my carvings of landforms but I ended up sticking with just the basic shapes and felt myself moving toward moon phases.  Sometimes you start out with a plan, but once you are immersed in the process another opportunity reveals itself.  Since I painted several backgrounds on accordion folded substrates I can use one to go in the direction that is unplanned and the other to go with the original idea.  It's all good – nothing is wasted when you are open to discovery.

When testing out some ideas I will often make some quick collages with remnants from my studio table.  I showed you some grid studies using paper punches and security envelopes (HERE), and with the leftovers I went organic, cutting free-form shapes….again, land shows its influence.

These posts are a little out of order as I showed you my white on black drawings since the article is out – those were actually done after the security envelope collages.  

(This time I made sure my signature was embedded over the image.  Last time it was marked just over the photo and someone cut it off before posting to tumblr.  While it's nice to be noticed, it's not so nice to have your graphic altered and name removed.  The image was then pinned to pinterest without my signature and it's off and running with links back to the tumblr post, not me.  It's a good lesson to always mark your work so as the originator, you are findable.)

After doing some idea sketches I will pause where I am to test out some options.  For instance, I showed you some drawings (here), which I combined through layers in photoshop with a background painting. A few manipulations (layer option: screen) as part of the investigation to determine if I should introduce color are shown below.  Turns out I really liked trying one of my simple sketches on black paper with white pen. So I took that information and ran with it.

Results of that part of the process will be next. 

I am both architect + artist.  So often I cling to the linear approach.  I crave order.  But I am also drawn to the organic. Using my manipulatives (here), like the sand garden with a rake, has been a motivator to veer off the grid.  In an effort to try to be looser, I fed myself with additional aerial visuals.  I can't stop visiting Google maps for a bird's eye view of land.  I have always loved looking at cities this way, but now I'm obsessed with investigating natural forms.  I showed you my collections of images where the central pivot irrigation systems were rampant (here), now check these out….meandering, terraced, winding…ooh!  This time we are hovering over Wisconsin.  

As the ideas evolve, I'm branching out in several areas of study.  More to follow.  Thanks for coming along.

Can't stop.  Kind of cheating with pattern-making, no pens required.  No carving or ink pads.  Studying how the simple shapes of a circle and a square interact and behave when they aren't a solid color.  Security envelopes, which I can never discard, are an easy material to manipulate.  Thin enough to punch out then attach with a gluestick.  

Very therapeutic, especially when paired with my zen music.  Relaxing.  Enjoyable.  Addictive.  Always lessons in composition as you consider the markings, the color, direction, shape, balance of dark/light and positive/negative.  I'm off to complete a few more spreads.  I bet you'll be looking at your incoming bills differently now 🙂

This is still part of my Evolution of an Idea series – illustrating how curiosity about certain concepts can take you in unexpected directions.  The work we do in our journals can be just plain fun, or purposely expressive, or may inform future work.

p.s.  for those of you who are going to call me out or tease me for using blue, couldn't be helped…it's how the envelopes arrived.  I almost took artistic license and photoshopped to teal.  

Last time I showed you some of my research and sketches….the intention was to start painting, to see where the fresh perspective and forming ideas would take me.  However, I couldn't find solid blocks of time to paint so I spent little blocks of time carving more stamps.  Test prints go into my journal.  

On an evening walk I came upon the decaying leaf.  I can't even see anything up close anymore without glasses so I love that I can zoom in with my camera for a magnified view.  The skeleton veins look like maps, don't you think?  The thicker ones could be rivers…the smaller ones might be divisions of farmland?