5x7 inch monoprint on Khadi paperI have so many things I want to do, and while I have as many minutes available to me as anyone else, I don't seem to have the energy to get them all done as quickly as I'd like. While I have been doing at least some art every day, other springtime tasks are staring me in the face. I wanted to get flowers to my family graves before Memorial Day. I wanted to get the bedding plants I bought at the FFA sale last week in the ground before they all died. I wanted to get going on the deck, since about half the stain peeled up over the long wet winter. I might have gotten to some of this earlier, but was being cautious as my eye healed after my April 21 detached retina. I actually got most of this accomplished, but all my energy drained right out of my body, and all I could do was sit and stare.
I have art projects in mind too. The Beloit Riverfront Park plein air event is coming up at the beginning of June, and I am trying to get used to painting with watercolor outside. Sun and bugs are the least of my problems. Finding available water, figuring out what I absolutely need and can still physically carry, dealing with wind, are all daily challenges. I know I don't paint water all that well, and so I'm reading books, doing exercises on that subject. I'm considering trying to monoprint outside, and I keep playing with papers. On Friday, when we took part of the day to drive to Madison and attend BratFest, I went to my favorite art supply store on State Street, and found a pack of papers that I finally tried tonight. It's called Khandi papers, "handmade paper from the Khadi mill in South India. This paper is made from recycled cotton rag." (www.khadi.com) I bought a package of 20 9x12 inches sheets, and it cost $13 and change. The paper is lovely, nubby, cream colored, with a nice deckle. I was able to do a 5x7" print on the paper and it took the watercolor beautifully. The paper dried nice and flat, and is ready to frame. Can I print outside? I'll find out tomorrow, if the weather dries out. I have had some success with Arches, but the paper holds too much water and I have trouble making it dry flat - an it's expensive. Illustration board works well, but it doesn't look as classy as this lighter weight cream colored paper. Maybe I'll try both.
I have art projects in mind too. The Beloit Riverfront Park plein air event is coming up at the beginning of June, and I am trying to get used to painting with watercolor outside. Sun and bugs are the least of my problems. Finding available water, figuring out what I absolutely need and can still physically carry, dealing with wind, are all daily challenges. I know I don't paint water all that well, and so I'm reading books, doing exercises on that subject. I'm considering trying to monoprint outside, and I keep playing with papers. On Friday, when we took part of the day to drive to Madison and attend BratFest, I went to my favorite art supply store on State Street, and found a pack of papers that I finally tried tonight. It's called Khandi papers, "handmade paper from the Khadi mill in South India. This paper is made from recycled cotton rag." (www.khadi.com) I bought a package of 20 9x12 inches sheets, and it cost $13 and change. The paper is lovely, nubby, cream colored, with a nice deckle. I was able to do a 5x7" print on the paper and it took the watercolor beautifully. The paper dried nice and flat, and is ready to frame. Can I print outside? I'll find out tomorrow, if the weather dries out. I have had some success with Arches, but the paper holds too much water and I have trouble making it dry flat - an it's expensive. Illustration board works well, but it doesn't look as classy as this lighter weight cream colored paper. Maybe I'll try both.
1 comment:
First of all, I didn't know there was an art supply store in Madison! I don't get there very often but it is only 85 miles from here.....I see a road trip coming up.
Sounds like you are one busy lady and doing fun things too. Glad to hear the eye is healed up. We should have a deck painting party as mine needs to be done also. Must be Wisconsin!
One of these days we need to get together before the summer is gone.
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