Some Random Arts

[AvecAloes]

So, I used to do a lot of art. Not as much anymore, which leads me to be a little disappointed with myself, so I'm just going to have to stop procrastinating and get back on it. That said, most of the things I'll be posting early on in this thread are going to be old. I mean, from when I was in college, perhaps even high school (if I'm feeling so ambitious as to put stuff up from that long ago). Still, I like what I've done, I like sharing (although I do tend to get cold fee sometimes, so even making this thread has been an exercise in putting myself out there), and I hope that just doing this spurs me on to start making more.

Most of these initial pieces are prints that I've made, although most of the work that I've done was either charcoal or oils, but I absolutely loved the printmaking class that I took in college.

Actually, speaking of highschool, I actually had this one handy - this was the first print I ever made, using a silkscreen (2004). The original prints I made were just in black and white, but then we got to mess around with color. The ink was a little heavy on one side, you can see where it came through too much and kind of mucked up the lines, but I still like this particular print.


I did this one in 2007 in a basic 2D design class. I instantly fell in love with printmaking again, which prompted me to take a whole printmaking class in 2008.



This print is one of my absolute favorites. This was made during the printmaking class I took, using linoleum blocks which we would carve into, then ink and run through a printing press.


Same print, different paper.


This one is from 2005, and it's charcoal/conte. One of my personal favorites.

 

[Celes Chere]

Really awesome stuff. I think the last one is particularly gorgeous. ♥

 

[AvecAloes]

Thank you!

 

[Octo]

These are awesome, when I did my degree we did a few sessions in the print room, but everything I did just looked shite You've definitely got the knack for it. You've inspired me to go back and dig out the good stuff I did way back when......if I can find it!

 

[AvecAloes]

I hope you can find it, I'd love to see it!

 

[AvecAloes]

I found pictures of two other pieces - another print and a still life that I did for my grandma last Christmas. I apologize for the wonky angle of the pictures of the still life, I didn't think to take a proper picture of it when I finished it, and now it's several hours away at her house

This series of three prints was our first assignment in my printmaking class. We had to choose an object, then carve the image out of the linoleum block so it would print as a negative contour lines, then the opposite, then one that showed depth. Another one of my personal favorites.


As I said before, I did this for my grandma. It was the first time I'd done a painting in...2 or 3 years, I believe.

 

[AvecAloes]

I've decided that I'd really like to do more prints, and upon finding one last small linoleum block amongst my printmaking materials, I immediately threw down a rough sketch of an idea of what I'd like to do next. I'm not sure exactly what direction I'd like to take this, but I'm thinking of going in a stylized direction rather than realistic. Not quite as pronounced as my prints of the plants and their bulbs, but perhaps something along those lines. Thoughts?

 

[Tennyo]

Oh these are very lovely.

 

[AvecAloes]

Thanks so much!

 

[Lelouch]

Prints~! have you ever used a rubber sole or something anyway, i really admire the carves~ since.. carving for me is really a pain, considering i've also been printing lately. nonetheless, your works are wesome

 

[AvecAloes]

I've never used rubber, but I have used linoleum, wood blocks, metal, and silkscreen. The only part I really minded about carving were all the times my tool slipped and of course jammed into my fingers, haha. That is painful! Thank you for the compliment, do you have any pictures of your prints?

 

[AvecAloes]

And now, after several sketches of various techniques, the carving process begins.

 

[Octo]

See what I like about prints is that even the lino itself looks good. I want to get some tools and have a go myself now.

 

[AvecAloes]

See what I like about prints is that even the lino itself looks good. I want to get some tools and have a go myself now.

I agree! I kept all of my linoleum blocks and to be honest, I'd display them as well of I could. And please please do make something, then post!!

 

[Octo]

I'll try, I dunno where I'm going to get some lino from. They used to provide it all at uni, and I'm pretty sure the people at the hardware shop will hate me if I try and buy a tiny strip

Do you have access to a press or do you just do it by hand?

 

[AvecAloes]

Well, right now I don't have access to one, but I'll be taking a class at my old university in the Spring, and I plan on sneaking into the art building to use theirs, which is how I made the other linoleum prints I posted. So I'm going to carve it now, then impatiently sit on it for two months before I actually get to print it, but I'm on such a print making kick right now that I can't stop as for linoleum, are there any art supply stores near you? They might also carry it in reasonable sizes

 

[AvecAloes]

Ok, I'm making progress here. The leaves are pretty much done (except for perhaps some minor tweaks here and there) so most of what remains now is to carve out the background, which is arguably the most dangerous part for my hands as that's when my tools tend to slip the most I'm really excited about this, and really want to see it printed, but that's not going to be able to happen until late January at the earliest, so for now I'll just have to practice patience (of which I have so, so little), finish carving, and start planning my next project.

 

[AvecAloes]

Ok, finally an update. I finished the carving today, and did two test prints:

The one on the left was my first test, and it had too much ink. The second one had not quite enough in some places, and some residual excess from the first print. I stopped there for today, cleaned off the lino, and will probably carve a little deeper in some sections before printing again, but hey! Art! I'll take better pictures when I make better prints

 

[Octo]

These are really pretty Avec, you should do a series of them.

 

[Tennyo]

I actually really like those two prints. The imperfections are what give them charm.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Yeah, they're both pretty neat, imo.

 

[AvecAloes]

Thanks, guys! My plans for the day include doing a little more carving and them some more printing this afternoon. I'll post more pictures soon! Then I guess I'll have to start thinking about what I'd like to do next

 

[HylianMogget]

Very nice stuff; I agree with Octo, some sort of series would be neat.

 

[AvecAloes]

Ok, this has actually been finished for quite some time now, but:

Spoiler: printed, matted, and hanging on Force's kitchen wall

Now I'm trying to come up with ideas for what to do next.

 

[AvecAloes]

So, this has been my head canon for what happens when you sleep in a tent in FFIX for a few years now, and I finally decided to put it on paper: