More MMAG Inktober!

 Cupcake, Arachnid, Howl, Spike and Insightful.

Insightful was impossible, so I went with the synonym of Thoughtful.

 

MMAG Inktober

 Easy, Quake, Music, Balance, Dream, Zest and Joy! Whew!

 

 

 

 

 

Inktober is back!

 It's that time again, Inktober! After a very successful and productive Term 3 studying ink, my Thursday evening class has decided to attempt Inktober this year.

But... we really didn't like the official list this time, so the group put ideas in a hat, we drew out 31 and made our own list! Why not join along? You can send your works to me via the email on the right, or else post onto instagram and tag me #lindaweilfineart

So here is our list!

And my first drawings - note that #1Nail is also #16 Snail! Yes, you can do that if you wish, combine ideas. Just try, if you can, to do a drawing a day, in ink.

(S)Nail on Clairfontaine A5 paper -'Paint on Mixed Media' Recycled paper 250gsm

 

Hut on Hahnemuhle Toned Watercolour paper 200gsm 

 

Watch this blog or my instagram for updates during this month.

Term 4 classes, 2024

 Term 4 already - begining Thursday 3/10/24 at MMAG Monday and 7/10/24 at VAS. My goodness the year has flown! This term I will be concentrating on Textures, Tones and Textiles. Monday evenings at VAS, 4 - 6.30pm, and Thursdays at MMAG, 1.30 - 3.30pm and 7.30 - 9.30pm. Places are limited so book asap.

Take your drawings to the next level, expand beyond the line, discover realistic textures as you learn what to leave in and what to leave out in your drawing. Each week you will approach a different subject and explore how to create textures and realism with graphite. Reference materials will be supplied in the form of either colour photos or 3D objects. 

Subjects will include:

Fabrics and drapery- silks, wools and how the fabric falls over the human form 
Wood and wood textures including bark, sawn wood and flaking paint 
Plastics and metals/shiny objects 
Ropes and fibrous wound materials 
Rocks and natural forms 
Darks, lights, tones and how light and shade affect texture 

'After the Opening' ©Linda Weil

Hahnemulhe paper sample drawings

Inkworks on Hahnemulhe

Last night of term at VAS yesterday. I spent the evening with my class experimenting further with ink. One of my artist friends (thank you Silke) had given me some little 8 x 10cm sample books of Hahnemulhe papers so I twiddled about with these. I really enjoyed the 265gsm Bamboo paper and might grab some larger sheets. The other paper is a 125gsm cotton rag and quite nice, if a bit lightweight.
Both works done with nib pen and Windsor Newton India ink. The first is ink wash over the line work, the second is a Tombo cool grey water based pen over the ink line.
Both drawings are of Crovie, Scotland. A unique village built in the 18c on the ocean's edge, at the base of the cliffs.
#victorianartistsociety
#crovie
#tacitart_314

 

Feeling a bit crabby?

 Further ink work, a class demo from Monday night. Staedtler liner pens with washes done in Sennelier ink- turquoise and and sepia. Additional colours in indigo and red inktense pencils. On St. Cuthberts Mill Saunders watercolour paper 300gsm HP. About an hour.

'Three Little Soldiers' by Linda Weil©

Continuing ink exploration

 ...continuing exploration into working with inks.
Paper: 250gsm Bristol Board, A4 size
Medium: Staedtler pigment liners, .05, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 5.0. Various water colours, quite old tubes of colour I have (some over 40years old!!!). These include Cotam, Winsor Newton, and Art Spectrum.
 

Step One: Black ink drawing state

Step Two: Initial water colour washes using primarily a 'Paynes Grey' mix of Ultramarine, Yellow Ochre and Vermillion. Touches of yellow ochre and greens created with mixes of these colours.

Portsoy, low tide. 2024 by Linda Weil©

Step Three: final. More layers of greys, colours, with 'spatter' technque in the sand. Additional line work to enhance the depth in the stones.

Working in inks is fun - you sort of have to let go and embrace the challenge of knowing you cannot erase!

inky fingers

This term I have been working with my class using ink and ink washes, with a 'boat' subject. To begin I demonstrated the basic Figure 8 method of drawing boats and we drew a series if imaginary crafts using this method. For this technique I like to use a blue pencil to create the initial 'figure 8' and then sketch over the top of this using a 4B graphite. 

 

 Imaginary skiffs using the Figure 8 method

 Students then chose their own boat image from personal references and first drew it in graphite as an accurate tonal rendering. Here is my partially completed drawing:

Inconplete graphite rendering of a small row boat. 300gsm Fabriano hot press paper and graphite pencils

Next we began to experiment with various ink techniques starting with test sheets to understand how to dilute and use washes in inks. My tests were done with Windsor Newton India Ink on hot press paper. It was important to learn how to create smooth and even washes, with miniumal 'cauliflowers'. Tricky to get right and mastering the technique of walking the bead of ink can be diffucult.

I used a measured dilution method with distilled water and the WN ink. With an eyedropper I dripped 20 drops of water and then one drop of ink for the first tint. Progressively the tints were: 20 to 1, 20 to 5, 20 to 10, 20 to 15, 20 to 20, solid black.

 

First tests were a bit blobby.

Although I mucked up the first strip and had to repeat it, these tests were better.

Students were also encouraged to try out their fineliner and dip pens to learn how to create various textures using hatching, crosshatching and stippling. I use a work sheet I found on the internet for samples. Worksheet

Finally were were ready to start our boat drawing ink! Using the same boat created in graphite, this image is transferred to a sheet of 300gsm hot press paper. Some decisions had to be made by each student; to add ink tints or not? To add the tints first, or after fineliner pens (taking care to test if the fineliners were waterproof). Which fineliner pens to use and how to use them.

I choose to begin with ink wash and then add fineliner pens. Again I used the WN india ink and once the wash was dry I drew with Stadtler Pigment Liner 308, these pens are permanent and waterproof on paper when dry, good metal tips and a nice range of sizes.

Personally, I am not too happy with my result. My first attempt at washes was miserable and I began again. Here is the completed second attempt and I am still not very happy with it. But now I am thinking I might just try drawing the boat and features first, THEN adding a ink wash - maybe try a sepia ink rather than the india ink. Not sure, but it is fun to experiment.

Practice drawng #2, more or less complete. Although I like the background and the wall, I think that the boat is too fussy and tight. I think I will try again.

Practice drawing #3, washes only. Meh. It got a bit out of hand and the lake area bled too much. I rushed it and I'm still not happy. So I will try again.

When I have done my next attempt I will show that, happy or not! Moral of this lesson? It's just a piecd of paper... and practice, practice, and even more practice!

Ack. Socials!

 Okay people, after many requests I have dipped my toe into the world of social media beyond this blog. 

Ack. 

Let's see how this goes, but you can now follow me on instagram!! Click on the link to follow me. Tell your friends, etc. 

'tis a brave new world we live in.

ATW and the The Kate Derum and Irene Davies International Tapestry Awards

 The Australian Tapestry Workshop (ATW)

The Kate Derum and Irene Davies International Tapestry Award exhibition showcases the 2024 award finalists - this year 137 finalists were selected, representing over 16 countries. Winners will be announced at the opening Wednesday 31 July at 5.30-7.30pm.

I was lucky to  preview this wonderful display of tapstry textile art yesterday and can highly recommend you go see it. I felt that the overall standard of the works was very high. I mean, I don't really know much about tapestry apart from a general interest, but I was delighted to see the variety of techniques, weaving styles, knots and such. Interesting shapes and forms as well as build up of textures and raised areas. Colours and tones, mixing of textures and materials other than fabric, intersting shapes and forms were enjoyable to see and I spent a good hour trying to absorb it all.

Part of the ATW exhbition gallery display at 262 Park St, South Melbourne

A beautiful tapestry piece on display by Sue Weil (no relation, but a friend)
title: A Changing Landscape, 12" x 12" . You can see more of Sue's work HERE

Since its establishment in 1976 the ATW has built a worldwide reputation for the creation of contemporary tapestries in collaboration with living artists and architects. They have produced over 500 tapestries which han in significant public and private collections nationally and internationally. 

The ATW features a large workshop where you can observe ATW master weavers at work and look into the colour laboratory where the yarns are custom dyed for production. Currently on the large looms is an impressive work, "Welcome to Country - now you see me: seeing the invisible", by the artists Maree Clarke and Mitch Mahoney. The design of this work incorporates microscopic images of river reeds from the Maribynong River and skeletal drawings of local native flora and fauna. Destined for the New Footscray Hospital, the tapestry will take a team of 10 weavers around 12 months on two looms to create the piece. The weaving team will draw from the ATW's palette of over 360 coloured yarns sourced from Victorian farms and dyed on site.

Weavers in action at ATW on "Welcome to Country - now you see me"

I would encourage you to go visit this fascinating workshop, watch the weavers in action, admire the works in the Kate Durham/Irene Davies Award and enjoy this fabulous art space. Located in South Melbourne in the old Patross knitting mill factory on 262 Park Street South Melbourne. There is plenty of street parking available, or at the South Melbourne Market.

The ATW is open to the public Tuesdays - Fridays 10am - 5pm
Exhibition Dates: Thursday 1 August - Friday 18 October, 2024.
Opening Celebrations: Wednesday 31 July, 5.30-7.30PM.
www.austapestry.com.au

And if you become inspired there is also a shop offering a range of products from yarns, artworks for sale, detailed publications, magazines and a range of weaving supplies - from bobbins to looms - suitable for all skills and age groups.