Category: Acrylics

Adventures in Collagraphy

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I started with a photo I took a few weeks ago of a Junco. From there, I created a simplified sketch, then I created a collagraph where I cut out my images and layered different areas with more cutouts. Up until this point, I had a great time.

After the paper cutting ended, the frustration began. My goal was to create some cards using the Gelli plate, but nothing quite worked. The acrylic paint was too thick and the ink was too sticky. I tried rolling the paint directly on the image and using the back side of a spoon to rub the print.

Although I think the prints are interesting, it was quite a struggle, and I think I’ll turn back to my pens, pencils, and sketchbook for a while.

Fifteen Years Blogging

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How many can claim a fifteen-year old blog? Happy anniversary to this little corner of the web where I’ve documented all the arts and crafts I’ve obsessed about since 2006. Even with that strong blogging habit, at some point over the past year I slowed down on blog posts and increased Instagram posts. Instagram is easy and popular, and it’s all too easy to forget about writing. Recently, I decided I missed keeping up this ancient blog and it needed an update—and perhaps Instagram needs to go away. Long story short, you cannot control reels on your feed, and I found many objectionable.

So, here’s an update on the ol’ blog. I’ve not been as artsy lately, but I’ve still managed several sketchbook sketches…

Caran d’Ache Neocolor II
Mars Lumograph Black pencils
Pen and ink on gray paper
More pen and ink, plus some water soluble graphite
Acrylic markers, Inktense, and Neocolor II

I also sketched this large landscape using Derivan Liquid Pencil tinted with blue and yellow.

Graphite, liquid pencil, Mars Lumograph Black, and Conte Pierre Noir. This measures about 14”x21”

A quick pen and ink landscape…

And a still life on Pastelmat.

Neocolor II and Pablo colored pencils

Here’s the question: Will this little blog still be here in another fifteen years?

Birds on Claybord

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I followed the same process as my other Claybords by using an acrylic background, colored pencils for all the drawing, and scratchboard techniques for highlights and details for these two 6″x6″ pieces.

I’ve become fascinated with sketching birds, so I’m making an effort to learn more about them. Artist and naturalist John Muir Laws has numerous lectures on nature journaling, and I’d recommend them to anyone who wants to improve drawing animals, trees, insects, etc.

Some very, very fast equines (and goats).