A Day for Backgrounds

My virtual workshop started with testing color mixes, then ways to lay down backgrounds and beginning motifs for printing. Both scrapers and rollers are put to the task, and now I've got some layers to start adding to tomorrow. Nice crew to work with, and always happy to get back to printing.
 

Colors of Santa Fe

The MISA workshop started today with beautiful  colors that surround this region. We're fine-tuning scraping and rubbings on cotton cloth using thickened dyes. Exhausted, yes, but willing to return to do more? Hell yes. Wait till you see what happens in Bar Harbor this September.
 

New Glue Gun

Before I head to Tahoe next month I wanted to try out a cordless (!!) glue gun and see it it would help there. I figured we wouldn't be tethered to the cord, so who knows what mischief we'd get into. So, here are a few I've tried as well as the rubbings on fabric below.  

 

Go Big, No Bigger

My guest artist is making a board for rubbing. Here Ariane wields a hot melt glue gun on a rather large heavy paper board. I didn't even have to suggest she make it large. It'll add the texture she is looking for in her equally large prints. 
 

You Rub Me the Right Way

Never underestimate a good rubbing. It can give a white background character, break up a dull flat plane, and behave like a charcoal drawn line. Just one way to strike. We're at the Genesee Yacht Club and surrounded by giant boats now drydocked waiting to sail.
 

Last Day to Check

Review time we saved for the last afternoon. We circled back to the finer points of rubbing, screen printing, and color additions. And there were more things to revisit. The last day is always the best time to check the mechanics before driving down the highway.

Tools of the Trade

Sometimes all you need for storage is a simple clothesline. Who invented that? I've got a scarf holder, some tyvek stencils, snow fence, and a large fun foam sheet. I use them all for some kind of mark making at some point. Maybe tomorrow will be my print day. It's all waiting for me.

Simple Tools for Complex Marks

Aside from screening and monoprinting, I love to use raised surfaces for rubbings when I print. All I need is some base -- cardboard, foam board, poster board (thanks, Bob!) -- and some hot melt glue or sticky fun foam. There's no end to how to print, good thing I'm not going anywhere!
 

The Writing is On the Wall

Or the writing is at least on the fabric. A rubbing made from a board with hot glue "writing" waits for me to use. As do another hundred great prints. Maybe it's design wall time. And yes, I've tidied up from whipping fabric around from Take Two's class. 
 

The End of the Day

The day's end should have a glorious sunset, at least. But today was constant drizzly rain. Fine here, as I was in the studio teaching all day. This is what was on my table and hanging up on the line. We did stencils, rubbing, and a ton of scraping color. More tomorrow.