Logging in the Studio

After a long break from official work, I have two classes to prepare for before we leave again, this time for Prague.

Our near-neighbour has been pruning. Large trees and many logs.The logs ooze resin and the cut logs are just the right surface for some creative designs. With a bit of sandpaper and strong arms we collected about 20 for the studio. I hefted about 10 of them onto tables and then gave up. Luckily Elizabeth is a strong girl and she moved more in.

The students arrived to a log-city and nearly went straight home. Luckily a few gorilla tales and strong coffee kept them indoors and we started planning the designs.

My two granddaughters were with me and I simply love the way children have a no-fuss attitude to creativity and work. When asked 'Would you like to paint on a log?' the immediate response was a short 'Yes'. No fuss. No bother.

We all looked at colour, design, shape. Using paper plates and pencils we created a vague design. Choosing colours was easy. We had acrylic paints. Gouache with acrylic ink as mixer and with a few light marks on the wood we were away.

Some people choose simple designs. Geometric and colourful. Others have grand ideas which will create another dimension to the logs and take a little longer. The granddaughters shared their favourite colours in wedged areas. Everyone created something surprisingly interesting.

Well done all. I look forward to them being placed in the garden for our November exhibition.

 Logging it

 Acrylics for the taking {Thanks Brenda}

 Tina's being created

 Jill's wedges

Rachel and Ashleigh hard at work

New Creative Ideas

Sometimes it is too difficult to do creative work because we think we've run out of ideas. I love Pinterest simply because it has become my digital note-book. The place where I can set up boards with ideas, colors and designs which in turn set off more ideas for more creative ideas and so on.

I also find that when I am doing a commission I tend to plan the design and put off the final 'doing of it' until I create something spontaneous and feel that I can go onto the more serious task of 'work'.

This week in class I researched some other ways of creating interesting pieces which can be used for cards, notes or simply creative images.

Remember always use the best paper and tools you can to create these vignettes, you might create a masterpiece.

 Add a 'chunk' of gold to the middle of a page. Draw light guidelines around the borders. Mix a color. I used a Speedball C3 nib and wrote a quotation around the gold.

 Create an ampersand. Use black using black gouache and black ink as the mixer. Write a quotation in another color.

 Cur up letters using beautiful papers. Stick onto black paper. Add lettering if needed.

Use gouache and a thin ruling pen. Draw a few letters. Add a quotation.

Of course in all of this enjoy yourself using your well-practiced craft. Have fun.

Planning

Planning is so important when creating a piece. In fact we all know that the longest part of any art work it the planning. Testing pen size, color, choosing the hand and dealing with paper and paper size.

This week we have been working on creating space for ourselves on paper, to be less fearful of white paper, large nibs and knowing that leaving space to work around is optimum.

An A3 sheet of paper and handful of large nibs was the choice, together with black gouache and ink to use as the liquid to 'liquify' the  paint. This is in preparation for next lesson's writing on fabric.

Tina's work - lovely swirl and a simple quote create a beautiful image

Suggested homework: practice words depicting Penfriends Calligraphy Studio which will be paintedointo fabric and hung around the courtyard and studio as 'bunting' for the 30th celebrations in November. I'm hoping words like: Create, Laugh, Joy, Smile will be some of the thoughts that pop up - not homework, handwork and hardwork.

A rough thumbnail will be created on paper, using the same size as the intended flag, pen or brush to be used for the final piece, together with color choice and design. 

Look forward to the designs and final flags next week.

Some pieces created today which could easily be adapted into flag designs. 

 Jill's piece

 Ghita's piece

 Jeannette's cryptic quote

 Lyn's work 

Joy's piece

'Homework' by A-MM

You might or might not know that this year I have been teaching calligraphy for thirty years.

I've had much more fun than anyone involved in the 30 year war and certainly have had as much fun as anyone celebrating a thirtieth wedding anniversary, which is pearl. Pearls of wisdom I have learned and have learned much more than I have ever taught. I have {mostly} enjoyed every moment of the classes I have prepared and presented.

Penfriend's Studio celebrations are set for 20 and 21 November with wonderful workshops and surprises planned. So if you are in the area contact me.

The students have been working hard on their creative projects as well as learning new hands. I have been bowled over by their enthusiasm and commitment to the end of year exhibition. Some work in progress has been posted for your enjoyment.

As David and I go away a great deal, I decided that I should create a few small pieces, so that I too will have something for guests to view. Years ago I was fortunate to be able to go to a CLAS workshop held in Winchester and joined a creative workshop presented by Brian Walter. He taught me the joy of working small and cut me a nib from a mapping pen which I still use today.

Here is a taste of what my 'homework' has been over the past few weeks.
The pieces are small and written on those scraps of {good}paper you have in a drawer or folder.

 You Can Tell...

 Everyday

Small Things

I also collect small pieces of decorative paper and never throw away ribbon or bits of gold. I usually write in gouache and in the simplest hand. It's the quote that is important. 

Poetry Pieces Update

It seems that giving instructions and notes about using larger sheets of paper allows students to have a heart-flutter or two. A3 paper is really only double A4 and gives marginally more space to work on. In fact, I often feel that working on A3 gives the artist space to breathe.

Today we stretched paper, created colour swatches and writing samples ready for the writing in the next few days. We used tracing paper to work out ideal placement, so hopefully all is ready to complete some great work.

We have three 'finished' pieces to enjoy. Two on canvas and one on water colour paper. Next time I will add  the the completed poems on good paper, hopefully completed and beautifully executed.

 Brenda's piece

 A-MM: Life is Beautiful on canvas - using acrylic, gouache and Chinese ink

A-MM: Live life Radiantly on canvas. Water colour, gouache, Chinese ink, walnut ink

Studio Notes

Homework is set to enhance the student's creativity or is it simply that the teacher sets homework in the hope that something will ultimately get finished?

The small books that we have been doing are limping along. Mine is complete, most others are not. It seems that if you are working with an end goal in sight - grandchildren's use for example, one has a tendency to finish. I also find that deadlines are good as well as holidays - I mean who wants to return to several unfinished projects?

We have moved on - with half completed books as a challenge. Now we are working with double pencils - two HB pencils taped together - creating beautiful Roman caps which will be coloured, decorated and used as first letters for a Foundational piece of text. We write on washed backgrounds [gouache lightly painted onto water colour paper] with gouache in toning [analogous] colours.

Should be exciting.......until we return to the books which lie limply on the desks waiting to be completed!