Feeling Blue

New year, new projects. Well, actually, a lot of old projects that need finishing. Lots of shows and exhibits ahead in 2013 and I plan (key word, Val, remember it) to be prepared for them. I'll reveal a few sneak peeks as things are progressing. Kind of like watching paint peel from a wall. It's more to motivate me than anything else.
  In the meantime I was working on a little book celebrating the colour blue in all its rich moodiness by cutting illustration board into 5 inch squares and doing a series of mini print/paintings. (Now this image was upright when I loaded it. Sigh.......). BTW I made this book cover from a granola box and crumpled paper bag. You can't get more low tech.

 No great art, just exercises to keep me creating on a daily basis even when I am having artist's block. Unfortunately the putting together of the book itself is proving to outwit me with its' stupid, annoying technical skills and my weak wrists (a hole punch through 1/8 inch thick board requires the strength of the Hulk, or at least someone who is not me). Auurrrrrrgh, in Hulk voice.

 So here is just a sampling of each square.

I sprayed acrylic ink through a bit of lace here then splattered water to let it run.

 Just pen and ink over layers of random paint with a bit of stenciling. Actually this snail is a bit boring. I need to jazz him up a bit.

 More of the same technique, with some tissue collaged on top.

 Sometimes after scanning I try the negative image and find the colours more appealing.

 I literally sprayed paint around dime store plastic lizards then filled them in with ink.

 The albino version........

 Sometimes I just slap things together from my drawer of abandoned bits.

 Just some freestyle flowers in a non-waterproof marker, hence the bleed. Plus the negative version which would make a cool fabric print.

 Jeri's dog Gator. I did this as a reduction lino print and this was one of the test pages that I just added bubble wrap stamping onto. Jeri has her own copy.

 Here's the actual lace I used as a stencil. This time I soaked it in ink and glued it down.

 My feather painting. Looks like a New Mexico landscape.

 You can actually see the marks on the left edge where I attempted to punch holes before my wrists threatened to crumble into dust. Back to the ice pick, I guess.