More fishies!

I have been chasing my tail these past few weeks. I was down in London a fortnight ago seeing the Foo Fighters in Milton Keynes....but also used this opportunity to drop of some artwork to a pop up gallery for the first ever CallyFest event on Caledonian Road. I couldn't make the exhibition because of the concert but I am hoping for some pics soon. Anyway I decided to take my herring collagraphs a bit further. The problem is with this printmaking technique, the plates become squashed and therefore lose their detail (well my ones do anyway due to the perishable material I use) Therefore you can't get many prints. So I take my designs into other areas. I thought I would adapt my design for screenprinting. I have been huffing with my Gocco of late as I have tried exposing no less that 3 screens of late and parts haven't exposed properly. This is a bummer as these screens and bulbs have to be ordered from Japan and cost a fortune and once its done its done. I'm not sure what has been going wrong because I'm not doing anything different than I did before. I ordered some new supplies from America (an alternative to Gocco but works just the same) Tried it out on my new design and here are some of the results.

Some cards printed in 2 colours with my trusty Gocco

Close up detail of cards

The design looks cool on manilla card so I have printed up a few as notebook covers

Seagull Linocut

Forgot to post this earlier! Last week I ran a give-away once I got to my first 100 on my facebook page.
This linocut was up for grabs. Think I will do this again as it was good fun and I got a lot of good feedback.

A close up of the lino being cut

Linocut prints ready for shipping up to the North Rock Gallery

"Whit'll we dae wi the Herrings Heed"

So much for thinking this would be easy! I thought I would do some herring collagraphs in keeping with the theme of work I am currently producing for North Rock Gallery. I really enjoyed putting the plates together.

Making one of the herring collagraphs

I decided to try out some new water based ink and try out the relief method of inking up (where the ink is just rollered straight on and printed straight onto dry paper) instead of intaglio (where the ink is pushed into the plate and then wiped off gradually and then printed onto dampened paper). I do prefer the intaglio method, but I don't have the proper inks and drying facilities in my studio so I have to go through to the print workshop in Dunfermline (which is fab by the way!). Sadly it didn't work out as well as I hoped. The colours were peely waaly (wishy washy!) and I just wasn't happy with the outcome.

Herrings ready for printing

So Dunfermline it was. I decided to use my old favourite 'Prussian Blue' and 'Turquoise Lake' as colours. The result again was disappointing as some areas were underwiped and some overwiped leaving the prints patchy in areas. The pressure from the press was also flattening the plates too much and I therefore had to stop or else lose the detail completely.

Collagraphs printed using the intaglio method

So back to the drawing board at the Natty Maid Studio! I decided to use my oil based inks and this did produce a better result.

Although these are collagraphs, I have decided to adapt these for screen so that the herrings can be printed individually or in groups on loads of different things like fabric, notebooks etc.......now for a name!

An eventful week

Well, a lot of good things have been happening this week.

Lloyds TSB have used my image in some publicity material.
It is really good to see it used in context.

Geese image for Art of Nurture used in publicity material

I also got news that I have won an award in conjunction with Forth Valley College.
http://www.scotlandscolleges.ac.uk/business-week/business-week/business-to-college-awards-2011.html
This is very poignant for me in that I began Further Education with the College in 2002 when my youngest started nursery. Little did I know that it would lead to 5 fantastic years at Art School. When I set up on my own, Forth Valley College were there yet again with a funded course to help folks like me make a go of it in the Creative Industries. I cannot thank them enough!

New Linocut

Having seriously huffed with my Gocco....it is not printing at all well, I have moved on to a linocut. Pleased with it so far. Will post the finished result by the end of the week.

Cutting new lino design

New Work for North Rock Gallery

I am very chuffed to have been asked to prepare some work for the North Rock Gallery in Shetland. The are holding an exhibition to run throughout the Tall Ships Event which will be in July. I'm thinking TOURISTS!!!! from all over so this will be a fantastic opportunity to get my work seen.
I don't have very long to do this (less than a fortnight) so I started on new designs yesterday. I have decided to begin with a Gocco design. This is not very large, but it is ideal for cards and the nifty thing is, it can be scanned in once printed and enlarged to be printed on bags etc. That way I am getting the most out of my Gocco as believe me, the screens and bulbs for this little contraption are like gold dust!
Here are some images of my initial sketches and design ready for exposure.

Sketchbook work and gocco design

 I am going for a sea/coastal theme....yes...birds again. Anyone would think I'm a bird fanatic, but I have just grown to love drawing them these past few months. Similar to the pigeon, the gull is seen as a bloomin pest. So I have decided to prettify it!

I purchased my Gocco last year. I don't have many screens left so I am almost scared to used it at times, as if it goes wrong its a bummer. Anyway, I am trying this seagull design out in the hope that it works.

Gocco Design ready to be exposed

The design exposed onto the screen

You can see where the image as been burnt on to the screen. This is where the ink will go through, just like in the normal screenprinting process. Here's hoping it is successful! I will post the outcome if it is!

GEESE!

I was starting to panic there as I was having trouble getting into my account. All fixed now though!
The trip up to the Bonhoga for the Progressions exhibition was enjoyable. I had a lot of interest in how I create my images and most couldn't believe it was out of any old junk. The trip back was dire! Force 8 gales and I have not inherited my Grandfather's (Daa Gibbie) sailor gene....I'll say no more!
Anyway here are some pics of the work both on display and close up.

Work on Display in Shetland

Haven (collagraph)

Tenderfeet (Collagraph)

Gathering (Collagraph)

Passage (Collagraph)

Bags for Sale!

I have some stuff for sale in my Folksy shop already and these are two new pieces I have been meaning to showcase. I would like to know what folks think so your comments would be appreciated.

Hand printed using Red Permaset Ink

Close up of detail

Hand printed using purple Permaset fabric ink

Close up of detail

It's nice up North

Yes, in the words of John Shuttleworth it is 'nice up North'
I am setting off for a trip to my Homeland on Thursday to attend the Progressions Exhibition Opening. Here is a pic of one of the pieces that will be shown.

" Gathering"

 I will post the others once I return.
Can't wait as this is the longest stretch I have spent away from Shetland and I am feeling it. I am hoping to get a whole load of visual fodder when I am up there. May have left it too late, but I want to have a new body of small prints (linocuts, wood engravings and screenprints) with a Shetland theme in time for the Tall Ships which will be happening up there in late July. There will be a lot of tourists and potential to get some Natty Maid work sold and taken afar. So I best get a move on.

Preparation for Progressions Exhibition Bonhoga, Shetland

I was lucky enough to win the prize for Best Print at the Shetland Open Exhibition at the Bonhoga last year. As a result, I now have the opportunity to participate in the Winner's Exhibition at the same venue in May 2011. Entitled Progressions, this exhibition will include work by John Carolan, Claire Laurenson, Jayne Kelly and Amy Irvine.

I am not going to post my work until after the opening, but I did think it would be a good idea to share some images of the work being done. Because I have been looking at geese, I thought this subject matter would fit in well with the Exhibition title. Anyway here are some pics of me making a mess!

Work in Progress

Ok, so 2 weeks ago, I was getting prepared to go down to the National Finals of the Art of Nurture Competition (Courtesy of Lloyds TSB) This was a great opportunity to follow a live brief and have a chance to showcase work. A very swish do at the V&A....didn't get any further but glad to get as far as I did.
Anyhoo...I am really into collagraphs just now and so I came up with an image of geese in flight and this is what I submitted. I am still fumbling my way through which materials are the most effective to use but I was really pleased with how this turned out considering it was experimental. 
I added more to the print for the actual entry but here is a view of the basic image.

Image used for Art of Nurture

My First post ever!

I have been meaning to do this for ages! A while ago, blogs were something I used to shy away from. Now that several months have passed since I started out as Natty Maid it seems like perfect sense to start my own, if anything so that I can look back and learn from what I have done.

The past few months have been a learning curve for me.
It is very daunting to set up your own business and even more so in the Creative Industries. Everyone has so much advice and it is easy to become overwhelmed with trying to find out where you fit in, in terms of media and style. And while all the hard work is going on behind the scenes trying to establish, experiment and develop ideas/designs - there is probably very little to be shown in terms of product in the early stages. Again, for a new artist this can be a very difficult time riddled with self doubt which is not helped by 'can't you get a "real" job?' comments. In 5 years from now, I do not know how successful I will be but one thing I do know, is that in the time from here until then I am going to have a blooming good shot at it. I aim to keep this blog going in order to document the highs and lows of someone who discovered the artworld later in life and who is going to make the most of lost time! 

Some of my wares