We seem to have been away so often this year and it has all been such fun. However, we're now home for a while. Although I relish all the travel and know how lucky we are to be able to do it, to be in my workroom with time for things artistic and textile is a different sort of pleasure - and one I miss greatly when it's not a significant part of my life. I crave the peace and tranquility it brings me - and the life-giving sense of well-being.
I have returned to the making-a-mark-a-day that I found so beneficial earlier in the year. I have a new sketch book - about 8 inches square as before - and I'm posting here some of the first two days' small experiments with a wide bamboo dip-pen, water and some black Quink ink.
Onto several strips of cartridge paper, I dropped water from a large brush or painted it on with a wide sponge. I then drew the charged bamboo pen over the paper and through the pools and stripes of water. The ink spread and the colours bled. Black Quink ink always separates interestingly and this time was no exception. It is a favourite of mine.
I then cropped and rotated some small sections. In the first three shown here, I drew the pen through pools of water ...
... and in the last two, through sponge-painted water stripes taken right across the page.
I'm feeling more 'tuned in' already, but I'll continue with this mark-making. It is very calming and seems to bring many new thoughts to mind.
une harmonie et en même temps..un rythme diabolique :))))
ReplyDeleteEh bien! Je pense qu'il y a une créature à droite - une amibe, peut-être?
DeleteReally wonderful work! Hugs.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear - thanks for your comments. I'm having fun again!
DeleteThis looks fun! what does a bamboo dip pen look like??
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed fun - no end product, no need to achieve realism - just experimenting to see what happens.
DeleteThe pens are used in calligraphy and photos can be found in profusion and an amazing array of shapes by googling 'bamboo dip-pens'. Looking this up has made me aware of the variations. I may even order a few more!
I'e had fun googling bamboo pens! I thought I'd buy one first and then maybe try making one??? where did you get yours from? they seem to vary considerably in price!
DeleteI bought mine from my local art shop in Cirencester - an excellent, well-stocked emporium with very helpful staff - but if you don't happen to live in Gloucestershire, I guess that's not much help to you!
DeleteThat black/blue/brown combination that Quink produces is marvellous, n'est pas? It's rather like using a handful of pens at once. It looks a lovely way to settle back into a creative mindset.
ReplyDeleteQuink and the colours produced is something of a miracle ... Unexpected every time and what I need right now to help me return ... now what, I wonder?
DeleteWhat gorgeous 'marks'! Those colors are stunning - never knew about Black Quink ink before, but am inspired to get my hands on some... I can see why it's helped ease you so happily back into the studio!
ReplyDeleteLisa, I will own that photography seems to intensify the colours somewhat - especially the blues which tend to dull down as they dry. To me, that matters not at all, but to a purist and to anyone wanting to work solely on paper it might. I'm of the opinion that I should use all the aids / media that help me to obtain a certain effect. I have yet to try out how well this directly works on fabric, although I've printed my photographs of ink drawings onto fabric. Watch this space for further experiments!
DeleteI rather think Quink is only available in the UK, where it can be bought in blue, blue-black, red and green in addition to the black I used here. The red and green are hard to find and I think that the black is by far the most useful in producing interesting effects. Details can be found on Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quink and it is available on Amazon as well as other sites on Google. I hope this helps.