Workshop- Monoprint

I wanted to try monoprint for long time, but in the studio it’s almost always busy, so I went to this workshop hosted by east london printmaker.

Host by: Ann Norfield and Fiona Fouhy

This is my result, very quick. Very “material" and painterly.  We used seaweed, plastic wrap, feather, and combination of teared paper to create the shape. Not sure is it suitable to create tangible image, it might look like abstract painting. (it’s pretty rush, so I did not do a good job, however, it’s good to experience though.  )

Aritst Helen Clark from artichoke studio

Monotype by my peer: Sam Heath

Some works that base on tangible object, such as flowers and the self image from a mirror…

Fiona Fouhy shows how she create a scene of forest by simple steps by using smaller rollers. By using one plate, go through the press multiple times to create layers.

It is an interesting approach. I was thinking maybe I could apply it to my current work, but I am not sure now, it seems like the ink dry quickly. I probably still prefer engaging more time on my works.

term5-week4-A phenomenology of whiteness

Lithography-finally done the drawing part, did two drop of acid.

 

Reading Group- A phenomenology of Whiteness

We read the essey about white people, it’s bit hard for me to understand most of it, but there are something interesting(and it’s one of the few content I can understand, there were five asians student in the group, but today just me, I was the only yellow in this group, there’s no black neither.)

“I want to suggest here that whiteness could be understood as “The behind".White bodies are habitual insofar as they “Trail behind actions: They do not get"stressed"in their encounters with objects or others, as their whiteness’goes unnoticed’. "

I am in a facebook group which theme is right-wing politics, they seem like have issue with femilism, ecological group, they think they are a force to shake the balance of our society, therefore, when I come into this paragraph, then I realize they don’t like this probably because they never have to conquer these problem.

We also watched this talk on TED

Can art amend history?

and my peers talk about Tate, which was build by slaves, and Britain museum, showcase the arts were raven from other countries. There are only few percentage of female artist in our art history, (but it definately changed after..Guerrilla Girls?)

We have same problen in my country. One of our formost president “Chiand Kai-Chek" has temple build in Taiwan, and in our childhood, we are taught that he was a great man. However, now new government is trying to change it, to tell us the truth. Althought he had credit building our country, he also killed many inoccent people, which is always ignore in our history.

we can’t erase the history, but we need to understand the truth.

few question for us to think:

47: I would like to give shape to the “amorphous uncomfortable."

2. We have to change the narrative in our heads that doesn’t acknowledge that “segregation now, degregation tomottow, segregation forever" was part of the ideology that reared us and put in place the institution in which we were taught and in which we teach.

Etching-

trying more combination with colour and composition.

 

Term5-week1- multi photopolymer

The first week, I got the inform that one of my print was selected by Atkinson Gallery’s MA show. For this, I spent almost 150 GBP to frame it, hope it can be ready before they come to pick it up, and I will need to write the statement for it.

I made three photopolymer plates last week, I print them seperately with black and on Thursday, I tried to combine them with colours, and I think it’s a new progress.

The first one I took the selfie with my camera, and it has different quality with others. The second one, I did not apply the ink well, however, Kay said it looks interesting for it has chacoal feature on it. The third one, I used to use this photo to draw, but now I reuse it again, I used photoshop to make the people around me even more twisted.

 

multi plates. The left one I use CMY, I was going to do the black but was suggested to stop in here. Another plates I tried to use different colour combination, but it does not look much differences.

I also have a chat with Brain. I told him I am not as experimental like others, I don’t feel like try new media such as filming, schulpture… I am basically still very traditional, before I came to Camberwell, I don’t even consider my photograph is good enough to call art. In my mind, I still like drawing.

I did some experimental works back in my college period, I made some installation, made something mix-media, chemical involved stuff. However, my parents asked me do I still need them? all the time. They seems like something oppupied the spaces, pollut the environment, what is the value of them? These experience probably streghten the idea to make “commercial works". I have problem to be experimental, it just difficult for me. However I totally agreed what Jo told me, and I know it will be more difficult to have so much support to my creativity after graduation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Term4-week9-feedback tutorial

Etching: I had spend whole day printing another layer of colour on this print. 10 editions in total. Paul seemed like this painting, he encouraged me to print another layer on this panting. He said don’t worry to spend lot’s of time on a painting, he said he spend months to do a painting, too. It indeed takes lot’s of time to do a print, time on set up, thinking the colour, also the clean up. Next Thursday will be the end of this term, hope I can start another new drawing, so it can be etched during the break and ready for print for next term.

Feedback tutorial:

It’s a tutorial for my first term, only passing the first term, I can continue the second term. I was bit afraid that I can’t make it, but my tutors are very nice and encouraging.

Also, I have my marking criteria sheet. Most of my marks are in C, and two are B. (The marks range from F-A, A is the highest, E and F  is fail) These two B are technical Competence and Collaborative or/and  Independent Professional Working.

Others are research, analysis, subject knowledege, experimentation, communication and presentation, personal and professional development.

two main points are:

1. need to speak more in group cript. I told them I am too afraid to say something stupid, I always have something in mind but I can’t speak as good as everyone else. Jo told me she said stupid things too… :p I don’t really believe it, but I really need to fix this part.
2. Don’t risk and explore enough.  Yes unlike everyone else, some is trying photography, some is trying video work, some is trying sculpture… I am basically always in the print studio. For one part, I think the print studio outside school will be very expensive, so I want to use the print facility as much as possible, but maybe it restrais me a lot. At the same time, in the first unit, I worked on the weekend, maybe it’s one reason that cause the achievement slowly.

About feeback from research paper:

It is suggested to look at photographs “in the flesh", having googled, still not sure what it is, will check with Jo. Because the artists I was mentioned in the research paper are all C20 surrealist artists, I could put more this perspective in it. (but at the beginning I was not sure which artists to put in, I was start with the idea, maybe it makes things more difficult) Leora also suggested me to look at conjoined twins. It is quite disturbing, but worth checking out.

Overall, I am bit happy I am survived, hope I can try harder (not get procrastinated again) in following challanging!!

The text below are the feedback from Jo and Leora:

General comments and advice on how to improve your work in the future

In your Project Proposal (and your body of work ) you articulate well the underlying themes of the double, the uncanny and self-portrait. However new words: self-acceptance, disconnection, doubt in relation to identity, which seems somewhat contradictory. Also there is a sense that you are challenged to find a convincing path forward with the work. The ideas you present as ‘end product’ are really more versions of the work achieved already. We feel there could be more potential to explore and develop another phase dealing with photography/drawing and the double, you’re not at the end yet, there is time to explore and expand the imagery.

You have experimented technically, in intaglio, lithography, photography and drawing and have achieved some technically advanced images. There is a sense that you are starting to explore the relationship between photography and drawing in an image. Perhaps the mirror can actually start to play a part in image development/presentation e.g. printing on mirror, glass? When you do contribute in crits it is appreciated and you give valuable comment, but we would like to hear more from you, you will gain in confidence and others will benefit.

Your wordpress file shows you reflecting and critically analyzing your practice, relating to artworks, tutorials and the course in general. You show that you understand your weaknesses, and now need to gain momentum and confidence to push the work to its full potential. You could spend time now thinking about the reflection/double and work in both the work and its presentation to push these themes. Keywords: strangeness, narrative, reflection, observation, double

Research paper Well informed research issue; you have identified and presented a broad range of research material to build your narrative. Did you see the photographs ‘in the flesh?’ It would have been interesting to know how they functioned as physical objects on a wall rather than digital images. It would have been good to narrow down the title a bit to explain that we were looking at the photographic works of two C20 surrealist artists (one influenced by the other) and some contextual research and analysis from this perspective might have added to your paper.

Your accompany your theoretical survey and subsequent examination of images with a sensitive and thoughtful observation and analysis. More depth and more complex speculation could be a way to build on this research, but nonetheless this is well achieved and will serve to support the development of your practice.

You draw on a very good relevant range of subject reference. The paper is well communicated and presented in a straightforward way.You have demonstrated self-direction and professional completion of research paper that contextualises and underpins your practice. Well done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Term4-week8-group exhibition

This term is going to the end soon. This week we have our group exhibition in high holborn.

Unit 2 brief

Time flies, it’s going to be two terms left. Basicly what we need to do for the next two terms are similiar to unit one, the main point will be the graduate show. In my opinion, the first unit feels like it’s making us get used to think critically, get on the routine and create our own system. I am regret that I should not work in the first unit, for I should put more effor and time on it. I could have done better. I was not talking much in the group crit, I should be more brave; also I should put more time in presentation as well. Anyway, unit 2 is fresh start, I hope I can do well this time!

Etching

The comparison of the digital photo and the etching print. It overall will look darker.

It’s my first time to print the 55cm print. I did 2 prints, the result is fine.  My body and the phone on my hand has very strong contrast.

Group show

On Wednessday, I brought 3 of my latest print, but due to the small space, I only put on one. I was curious to see how my underground series put on together, however, everyone agree it is better just exhibit one, and because this one is larger, it won.

 

Brain might probably think I am so careless, I did not wait until it is dry… because I just really want to see how it looks on the wall. Althought it can considered a big print, it still look small on the wall. I also have a shit cutting skill. I am still thinking maybe I can cut them round, maybe it will look better in a round frame. Jo asked me to enter works for Atkinson Gallery, I entered 4 photopolymer (although I only ready about 2), I don’t know the result yet, but if I got that chance, I will need to frame them, and it is about 100 pound to frame each one.

MA Printmaking Group Show

 

Talk: Paul Wardski

He was in a residency in Portugue, he found this book in a local library, and started to do arts about it. He seems wrote some poem, and quickly did some releaf prints on it.

 

 

 

Term4-week7

Assessment

This term is a very intense, all for this assessment. For the first three term, I still worked in market on the weekend, but I quit before this term, for I think it’s better spend all my energy in it. I am already very slow on get used to everything, there is no time to waste anymore.

I forgot to present one of the important evidence, which are the photographs I took for my resource. It is also not my nature to show others, however, it is still a stupid mistake, but… what have done it’s done.

Having briefly look at everyone’s works, I quite impressed what Ellen’s does, she indeed explore quite a lot. I need to think what make my pace so slow.

Etching

Discussing with Brian about photopolymer plate. I ordered 3 photopolymer platesm but it’s wrong size, (It should be 47 cm, but at the beginning Hexio gave the wrong size, I asked them to redo it. However this time, I measured the wrong one and ordered the wrong one ) So… unfortunately, we decided to make a big one and see how is it going.

3 wrong size photopolymers acetate: 80 pounds

photosensitive plate: 115 poinds (for they onlt have very large plate lager than 50×60)

At the sametime I need to buy bigger paper, too.

We explosed the photopolymer today, it is indeed more troublesome than smaller plate. Before it, we needed to figure out the border, for the print mark shows.

I tried to trim my previous plate into round plate. Brain said I probably is the first one to trim the photopolymer plate into round, so the printmake disappear. Afterward making sure it is possible, we decided the border.

Probably I am always learning and doing this technical things, that’s why it is so slow.

Brain mentioned a previous student was using special technique to make her works (some sort of old style photography)four colour plates, it takes lot’s of time, too. “It’s almost uneccesary" Brain said"she could use digital print, it made no much differences"

I don’t want this happen to me, too. If making this plate taking much more time, I will give up other bigger accetate, and reorder smaller plates, and try to speed up for this series.

Brian said my works remind him photo gravure and victorian vignette.

Litho

Paul taught me how to use off-set printer last week, today I spend whole day print edition.

One girl in the studio asked me am I the one also do the photopolymer plate? and she asked me is it part of my project, how do I relate them together?

For me they are no relation. I did this painting was just thinking to just paint something :p and also learn and familiar lithograph. I felt bit risky if I paint formally and fail.

Term4-week5-research presentation

These term is quite exhausting, but I think I learn a lot.

Etching

I asked Brain last week, what size the lagest of the photopolymer can we do? I asked just out of curiosity, I have no vivid plan about it. He came out an idea, because he was going to do a big photopolymer plate, he suggested me he can help me to buy one from intaglio, and he can dive the plates to school. He said he will try to etch the photopolymer plate himself, if he success, then I can do it. If not, I can still use that plates, just cut them into two small plates. I thought why not? it’s just need to cost a lot :p

During the weekend, I was thinking about this, and checking my photograph. I came out this idea… I photoshoped my photos together with CMYK, so far there is no K(black) yet, it might be interesting to try these combination. Therefore, I think maybe it’s better to print in the same size. However, Brain encouraged me to print big plate, he said we might need to ask Jo’s opinion about this 4 plates print, he thinks it might be difficult, and because I found out I am tired of Mezzotint, he probably think I might give up because the difficulty….? …. i really don’t know if this will be the right choice.

On thursday, had a very short talk with Jo about this idea.

Thursday was intense day, we had research presentation, exhibition visiting, and later I had a English booked tutorial, had a very short talk with Jo. Afterward I was just too tired to stay in the studio.

Jo asked me if I want to change to colour from black and white? to be honest, I am just curious how it will happen, I have no specificly what “style" it should be. While I was painting portrait in watercolour, I always make it colourful. However, since she asked me about the colour, maybe it really expresses different sensation, even conception.

Jo suggested me, maybe I don’t need to use most of them by plates, I can try to combine digital print and plates. Brain seemed like become extremely busy comparing to last few weeks, therefore it seems like it will really become a complicated project. I thought it can be just like what I do in two plates print, register, just change plates, but seems like maybe I am too innocent.

Research paper presentation

It was really a nightmare for me to do the presentation, I could not really express the whole main point in 10 minutes, however, it was good to listen to other classmates’ share, althought I don’t think I really understand them, I tried to make note of them, but I forgot to save the file, such an idiot I am. Having no idea why some classmates did not participate. I like Ellen’s work, very poetic and sense of darkness, and she also looked at Uncanny as well. Maybe I am the only one who did not know about this before.

Lithograph

Because I am kind of need to wait Brian’s result, I printed my pegion today.

 

It has been over two months that I did this drawing. I sort of forgot is there ink on it or the pen marks. Anyway, I needed to risk, I used white spirit to wipe out the mark, and then the water. It was right, just very tapid, I printed over 10 times to get it ready for the second etch. I did the second etch until it looked dark enought in the another day, but I noticed that the grey tone is disappeared. It is very risky to do lithograph for me, more risky than making etching plate, I love both of them, and I think I can make good picture of it, but we only have two more term, maybe I should focus on just one media.

Not sure what to continue. I have another photos of dead pegion I took few days ago, it was totally explode. I also want to try to combine it with monotype, but I have not tried it yet.

 

 

Term4-week3-tutorial with Jo

Tutorial with Jo

Jo checked reflective journal, work, and research paper is going on. In group crit I showed everyone my two plates print. About the drawing, I can’t say I am happy with it. I have a feeling that I want to draw something, but I don’t know what. I did some random mark on it, I felt a bit uneasy about it, for I am always plan well what I am going to paint. I always have vision about what I want to paint, but not this time, it really seems like the photograph is strong enough. Maybe I should separate the photo and the drawing, but before it, I think I will keep trying different combination.

Jo suggested me to use black paper, for she thinks the drawing looks like day time, incompatible with the photograph. She showed me one of the formal student’s work: there are house, mountain, and some mysterious stuff- is that garbage in the water? It also remind me the ancient Chinese painting“Along the River During the Qingming Festival”but negative version.

She also says my drawing is narrative, and narrative is actually story. She recommend me to look at “Paula Rego”. The few things I know about her is she is from Portugue, and the etching is inspired by the fairytale, she also made dolls herself and draw them. There is first year student “Liorah Tchiprout” remined me of her.

Studio

Trying out the colour and sequence of my two plates print.

I told Jo that I kind of like this effect, Brian said it’s more like monoprint. I always want to try monoprint, but I have not found the time; also, I found out my lithograph dead pigeon is put in the recycle lime stone area, I felt a bit unhappy about it for I have not even print it, maybe there is simply no space. I really need to find time to do it, but now seems like most of time I am doing this two-plate print. Brain helped me a lot for these days not many students are using the studio, I almost feel like it’s one to one.

Research paper

Except spending a bit time on studio, most of the time I am in libraries. It is funny when the deadline is coming, there is more inspiration and efficiency.

Diary of 23 June-Cyanotype workshop

I went to a workshop of cyanotype, and here are the result:

and the host is an artist : Chloe McCarrick, a young photographer.

I knew about cyanotype through this artist : Rosie Emerson

Although they have their own trait, they still have many similarity such as classical feminime image, flowers, collage. Also remind me of Helen Chadwick.

It’s like photogram, but I like this more than it. The first reason is I don’t need a machine to do it, and the cost is less. The Second, it could make a fluid feeling.

Since I have a negative from the Hexio, I think I will try to use this technique to do it 🙂

 

 

 

 

Diary of 21 June-photopolymer preparing

note to order acete from Hexio:

Dear Steve

please can I have a black and white transparent positive from this image.

Please make it 150 Lpi, half tone dot, with the dot coverage reduced to 85% = black.

Please adjust with a shallow curve and add the crop marks outside the image.

Please make the image (same size as last one. measure the last image size)

best regards

Bee

Before talking about what happen today

I had a dream, about an elegant classmate I have making a significant installation work in a room, which is hug and colourful (but it’s not really her style), and next scene is I standing in front of an empty litho stone, this stone is almost as tall as me, and in dream, I probably is worried how do I carry it home.

Probably this is the anxiety represented in dream.

Morning we have artist talk from Victoria Ahrens, and my tutorial with Jo.

She said my photopolymer look strong enough, probably no need to draw on it. :p If I drew it, better not too emphasized. I am still thinking what to draw, so I can think about it.

And I told her about the failure of my lithography of my dead pigeon, she encouraged me to redo it, and said it’s fine to make mistakes.

Bran helped me continue to do the photopolymer today

I finaly ready the zinc plate yesterday, so today’s mission is transfer the picture on polymer to zinc plate.

By doing this, I can see the picture on zinc plates, so I can understand the range and where to draw.

1. Made a grey ink (whatever colour, as long as it’s visible on hardground)
2. the usual way to apply ink on the polymer, I used the roller from another room, put the plate on warm iron (the one usually for softground), and rolled the roller on a glass palatte. Trying to push the ink for the first layer, and later using newsprint paper to thinner the ink, but Bran said the white ink is bit dry, he felt it’s not easy to move the newsprint. We tried it on the magnet plate.
3. The photopolymer is placed on the press, the paper cover over it, went through the press. Let the press stuck the edge of the paper and revealed the paper.
4. Used the Iron cube to centre the location.
5. Replace the polymer by zinc plate, went through the press again, so the image will transfer to the zinc plate.

Something went wrong here. The paper somehow stuck on the plate, Bran said could be too much press or the ink was too dry, we put the plate on a sink try to melt and try to clean the paper on it. It look like it’s snowing in the painting.

Later I tried to practice printing litho, it seems like successful. Practice makes perfect 😛

 

 

 

 

 

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