Friday 30 September 2011

Colour Layers Silkscreen

Diary- from 21st Sept 2011-27th Sept2011

 21st Sept 2011

I added another colour layer to 'The Emperor'.  I now have 4 colour layers.  The first three I mixed up the colour with a little white, I discovered white acrylic paint is very thick/opaque.  The first three layers I added extra binder medium to allow colours to be translucent.  The last colour I added extra white to obliterate other colours and create contrast light yellow against the darker blue/red/lilac. I showed Caroline the little I know about silkscreen. I captured photos as I went as a record of learning and to evidence my exploration and experimentation.
22nd Sept
Created a powerpoint to outline and reflect on last years research project Feminist Art Theory. Researched Lottie Reiniger and Joseph Beuys at College Library.


The ‘Emperor’ Print is now dry. The layers of colour represent the multilayer’s of a person. 
The self, and how a person perceives themselves, depending on time and place in their lives. 


23rd Sept



Silk-screen is a learned technique  

It is difficult to explain

The doing is a learning outcome.

Tuesday 20 September 2011

Silkscreen exploration using paper cutouts. Print Room Forth Valley College.

Diary- Summary of College work from 14th Sept -20th Sept 2011

14th Sept
Tutor input and encouragement.
with talk about sketch book work.
I updated my sketchbook and added a 3D idea, inspired from my exploration of silkscreen work.
15th Sept
Tutor input and encouragement.
Added a second layer of colour to 'the Emperor' print.

Caroline and I had a fun day exploring silkscreen printing techniques.
We captured photos as we went.  I had an idea for a film,(inspired by first year example Paul showed us in class) so left my camera on capturing 5-6 photos with second between shots for the actual movement of the squeegee printing work.  I love the idea of stop-go animation it holds something special within movement, and wanted to explore this later.  We created lots of mess but prints were clean as we used 'paper fingers'.
A fun Day!!
Uploaded my photos to my laptop at home and created a film late at night
16th Sept
Taylor (mentor) helped me to understand and learn how to upload and what form to use to upload film to blogger, uploaded a test film.
Spend afternoon in Print Room adding another colour layer (red) to 'The Emperor' 3 layers of colour now.
17th Sept
Uploaded photos to my laptop captured in the print room while exploring silkscreen colour layers using paper cutout and thin translucent paint and binder. Created a film which was too long and difficult for my laptop to handle.  Explored Windows Live Movie maker using text and effects.
18th Sept
Open Doors Day Glasgow
I visited the Fairfields Shipyards offices which are being restored.  I captured photos of the day and will enter the photographic competition like last year(got my photo in the
 Brochure 2010)  which will be on line again.
I also moved all my BAD2 work and my many photos into my external hard drive as my lap top is struggling to manage.
20th Sept
I again explored Windows Live Movie maker and created a film exploring silkscreen, but had problems with it as the laptop was having difficulties.  The film had 80 photos, text and effects but was not running well on my laptop.  Discoverd more about timeing, stop go photo work and Live Movvie Maker,  Burned to a disk.












Tuesday 13 September 2011

Diary-a weekly summery of College Learning in last year of Art And Design Degree.

29th August  2011 
I enrolled at College and received my timetable which consists of two full days and a half day.
31 August 
I received a choice of 4 Briefs and Module Handbook.  the first learning outcome covers 7weeks resulting in a final piece. and PDP Brief.  All the Tutors have been very kind and encouraging. 
1st September
Started my sketch book and decided (with the use of mind maps)  on the Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale Brief 'The Emperors New Clothes'. Started work on P.D.P. Had advice and learning/encouragement from Paul Thompson. 
2nd September
Researched Fairy Tale using Penguin Classics and Psychology books.  Researched Hans Christian Anderson(H.C.A.) discovering his lesser-known cut-outs.
I was very influenced by his work and thinking.
4th September
I was influenced by H.C.A, stencil, paper work and his use of the psychologically hidden message.I was influenced by Elena Diadenko-Hunter and her use of mixed media and faces/text" The outside looking in". I thought up the idea of using paper stencil cut-outs to create a layered silkscreen print or series of prints using colour ( black n which looked to be about bigotry rather then vanity)  I traced my sketch work in newsprint for stencilling the design.  I was aiming a persons layered personality and psychological motivations outlined in the Tale using fresh cut and colour printing in layers.  
5th September
I thought up the idea of creating a see through suit.  This suit would be visible with text and the words would be outlining the greed/power/vanity/position in society adult motivations. talked tutors (dot Isabella) and was encouraged to get started in experiment especially to add to my printing visual diary started last year.
7th September
Created a blog-spot using Blogger.  I did this myself in the College Library taking about an hour, and letting the blogger 'take my hand' and guide me. Paul and Linsey said Blogger was probably the easiest to follow) Learning curve.
8th September
Printed off research H.C.A at College Library. Caroline and I helped each other to fix up our blog-spot.Learning curve. 
9th September
Had a meeting with Learning Support which resulted in getting mentor support for software I am using to help with dyslexia problems to get through the course. I see Taylor on Friday 11.30am.  I worked from 12am to 3pm in the print room alone. I asked two questions (Trevor and Catherine King) about masking off unwanted print area on  silk screen. I printed off 10 prints but I took time to get going, very rusty and un-confident at the moment in the print room.  I hope to add colour layers over the next week or so, as drying time is needed in-between. Learning curve. 
11September
Updated sketch book and bought a journal for P.D.P which I have written up in full and hope to do daily from now on, creating a weekly summery for my blog-spot.Created a slide show  for my blogger but I forgot to save as you go and lost it on the 2nd last slide.  I was so fed up with myself about this 2hours lost and nothing to show for it!! So just uploaded photos instead, adding text. this was a learning curve.


14th September 
Visited the 103 Trongate print Gallery and The Lighthouse Gallery which were very interesting. Print room looks great to join and sell work from, added to P.D.P.  


The most important thing I learned this week was how to create a blog-spot. The masking off of unprinted areas on the silkscreen mesh and the importance of removing parcel tape if used the same day to avoid damage to screen.




















   








  

Sunday 11 September 2011

Exploring silk-screen using paper-cut-outs.

Working towards an artwork using the theme 'the Emperors New clothes'
Preparing for Silkscreen
Paper cut-outs


Sketch book concepts 



Masking out with parcel tape

Cut paper first with clean hands

mix paint and binder

register for printing

 load screen with first pull and back to start, uplift paper stencil which will stick to underside of screen and mask off unwanted print area.
print a proof to start 
and fix with paper to mask off any leakage of paint any place this is not wanted.
I had to fix a line at the bottom of my first print.

Re-register if necessary 

use paper 'fingers' to keep prints clean

Stack to dry off overnight

Fill up the screen with the first pull of the squeegee 

Move the squeegee at an angle with firm pressurecarry a long bead of ink/paint and carrier along over the 'open' printing stencil area



Dry of for 3hours or better overnight if painting with more  colour layers

 filling up screen:- hold off  the paper with a roll of parcel tape under screen frame, and or, you'r tummy pressed close to the screen frame to hold off paper then lower frame and print by pulling over printable area with squeegee and ink.




Paper stencil only good for around 25 prints, once finished for the day, the stencil is ready for the bin.

clean everything with washing up liquid 

Shower screen

remove parcel tape the same day to avoid glue sticking to screen.  If gummed tape is used this can stay on and be re-used

Dry off before re-use

Use an apron to stay clean paint can be toxic be careful of splashing into eyes while cleaning everything up. Next time all is then ready for you. 
the medium of paper is versatile look up Hans Christian Andersen's Paper-cut-outs. 

Wednesday 7 September 2011

New blogger- I am rather mesmerised with all the choices facing me!!

First time blogger!!   This is a Hans Christian Anderson's 'Cut out' It explains exactly how I feel even though it was created in the 1850's.  His Fairy Tales are fantastic but so is his lesser known 'cut-outs' definately TIMELESS.