Sunday, October 11, 2015

Linocut in Progress: Still trying to master the blues

When I started this image I did so because I thought it would be fairly straightforward. I've done snow scenes before with reasonable success, and now that I have a press it seemed as though the whole process should go quickly, even with a big print.

I never remember to include my propensity for asking "what if I tweak this just a little more" in my time estimates. Sometimes I think I should try the method used by other successful printmakers: MAKE. A. PLAN.

But as Jennifer at Fuzzy Dragons recently pointed out, it wouldn't be my work without a lot of wandering about trying to decide what's next, so on we go.;-)

Snow scene reduction linocut in progress: Step 4

Oh, look. It's another blue. I think the overall value is getting close, but I still want to suggest some deeper shadows-within-shadows in the foreground. Time to trot out that blended roll that I've been thinking about.

Snow scene linocut in progress: Not exactly what I wanted.


Hmm. Not precisely what I was after. It's a nice blend, but the foreground color is too dark.. too contrast-y. Harsh. Insert mild swear words.

So it was back to yet another solid blue....

Snow scene linocut in progress: Step 5

Okay. This is better. But I still feel like I want to do a little something more in the bottom third. I think what needs to happen now is that I need to take out all the shadow material above the slope that falls from upper left to lower right. THEN I'm going to try a subtle little blend just in the lower third and see what happens. I'm hopeful that once I get all this shadow stuff sorted out the rest of it will go quickly. Might just be wishful thinking, but that's what passes for a plan in these parts.

Onward!

2 comments:

  1. looks lovely at the moment :)reminds me of cold winters

    its kind of a plan, a very loose plan but a plan none the less ;)

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  2. It is amazing how you have a destination in your head, but we don't so you could stop here or even at the previous step and I'd have been happy. I'm so anxious to see the final outcome.

    I plan my watermedia paintings, but often the paint speaks to be while I'm painting and I end up somewhere else. Planning is good, not nothing says that you have to follow it. What you do is incredible so I wouldn't angst about it.

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Linocut in Progress: The Third Act

Time to wrap up this linocut ! And we are wrapping at warp speed (see what I did there?)... because there are deadlines. Exhibition deadline...