Printmaking

Woodblock Printing

From its early beginnings in Egypt and China where wooden-carved designs were imprinted into clay and wax to the contemporary images created today, woodcut (woodblock) prints have been used for both symbolic and decorative imagery.  After the Chinese developed a method to create paper during the second century, wood stamp designs gradually evolved into woodblock images. 

As the wood used by artisans increased in size, they were able to make more and more complex and sophisticated designs.  Some of these early images were used for Buddhist religious purposes.  As Buddhism moved into Japan, with it came the woodblock printing knowledge. 

During the 15^th century, as movable type changed the direction of printing, along with it went the woodblock print.   More highly developed images, used primarily in religious books, led the way for artists of that time to further develop woodblock printing into an eloquent artistic expression.  European artists that were leaders in this development included von Leyden of the Netherlands, Titian in Italy and Holbein in Germany.

As the European artists evolved, 17^th century Japanese artisans refined their methods and techniques, adding more detailed subject matter, color, pattern and line.  These elements were to greatly influence later artists like Gauguin, Van Gogh, Lautrec and Whistler.  Each artist combined the Japanese effect with his own style, yielding dramatic results that were widely acclaimed.

Today, woodblock printing is very popular for many reasons.  From the artists’ point of view, it can be a highly detailed, easily reproduced image of their making.  It can be created in series works to do everything from tell stories to illustrate ad art and books/magazines.  The simplicity of the entire operation is such that almost anyone can succeed with printing.  The process takes very few specialized tools, nothing of high cost, and can be financially rewarding as well as personally gratifying.

Tools you would need include a few wood carving knives and/or gouges.  Most of the popular shapes for blades are either curved or “v” pointed tips.  It is possible to use powered grinding tools, but the purist (and the beginning artist) need not buy them.  A small set of interchangeable blades that fit a handle is available at any art material supplier and will last for years. 

Wood selections can range from scrap household lumber to exotics.  Many artists prefer the softness of pine, with its ease of carving, while those who want to do highly ornate carving prefer a harder, tightly grained selection.  Initially, any wood you find is great for practice.  Future experiments might include harder or specialized choices.

Inks used can be either oil- or water-based.  The oil-based inks that are available offer a greater window of time with which to work.  Acrylic/water-based inks dry rapidly, which can be a real asset after the print is completed.  Oil-based inks stay soft and easily smudged for much longer.

Rollers are used to apply the ink to the carved woodblock.  These rollers are made of hard rubber and usually have a comfortable handle to make application of ink simple.  As your skill and involvement in woodblock printing increases, a collection of rollers might be handy.  Inking a large block with a narrow roller is challenging.  Wide rollers for wide woodblocks are much easier.

For a fast-track experience of printing, you can use the same carvers and rollers to create images with blocks of wax.  Carving is easy and oil-based inks will go on evenly.  It will give you the idea, let you have easy success and whet your appetite for more!  See your retailer to view all the printmaking materials available and visit www.graphicchemical.com to see their wide range of tools, materials, equipment and more for all printmakers.

Art Events

Schedules sometimes change, so please confirm events in advance.

Black History Month Celebration (NYC)

The free Brooklyn Museum Target First Saturday event on February 5 celebrates Black History Month and the contributions of African Americans during the thirties, forties and fifties with programs inspired by the exhibition Lorna Simpson:  Gathered.  Begin at 5 p.m. with music, followed by film, book discussion, hands-on art, curator talk, interactive photo project, “Young Voices” talk, dance party and more.  www.brooklynmuseum.org, 718.501.6331.

Impromptu Snowshoe Treks (NY)

The Olana State Historic Site—former home of Frederic Edwin Church in Hudson, NY—invites you to participate in impromptu snowshoe treks with an environmental educator on Olana’s picturesque landscape as well as at other sites in the area.  For more information and to register for the email alert list, contact Jenny Brinker at 518.392.5252, X210 or email jenny@clctrust.org.

Artists on Artists Lecture Series (NYC)

This series is presented by the Dia Art Foundation, 535 West 22^nd St., 5^th Floor, New York, NY.  The schedule is:  “Abraham Cruzvillegas on Robert Smithson on Feb. 14; “Laylah Ali on Joseph Beuys” on March 21; and “Josephine Meckseper on Hanne Darboven” on April 4; all at 6:30 p.m.  www.diaart.org; 212.989.5566.  Admission.

18^th Annual Southwest Indian Art Fair (AZ)

Southwest Arizona’s premier Indian art show and market will be held Feb. 19-20 at the Arizona State Museum on the grounds of the University of Arizona in Tucson.  Meet 200 Southwest Native artists, talk with them about their work and learn about the cultural significance that informs, inspires and imbues their work.  Top-quality handmade art includes pottery, Hopi katsina dolls, paintings, jewelry, baskets, rugs, blankets and more.  Native food, music and dance performances round out the two-day celebration.  Admission.  http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/events/swiaf/index.shtml, 520.621.6302.

World Ice Art Championships (AK)

Ice Alaska is in its 22nd year hosting the largest annual ice art competition in the world in Fairbanks, AK.  The World Ice Art Championships, Feb. 22-March 27, are a month-long event involving more than 70 teams from all over the world.  The competitions and accompanying Kids Park attract more than 100 ice artists and approximately 45,000 visitors from Alaska and worldwide.  www.icealaska.com.

Naples International Art & Antiques Fair (FL)

This fair will debut at the new Naples International Pavilion, Feb. 24 – March 1, and will bring 60-70 carefully selected, prestigious art, antique and jewelry dealers of the highest caliber from around the world to Southwest Florida for the first time.  www.niaaf.com, 239.949.5411.

Lunar New Year Festival (NYC)

Visitors of all ages are invited to The Metropolitan Museum of Art on February 5 (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) to enjoy a day-long festival celebrating Chinese arts and culture.  The Museum will ring in the Year of the Rabbit with interactive programs, art-making workshops and lively performances.  Nearly all Lunar New Year programs are free with Museum admission with the exception of the Peking Opera:  Little Red Riding Hood:  212.570.3949, www.metmuseum.org/lunarnewyear.aspx.

Valentine’s Special with Opera Colorado

The Denver Art Museum and Opera Colorado join forces on Feb. 12 beginning at 10 a.m. to present a tag team of visual and performing arts inspired by the classic themes of love, romantic tragedy and fairytales.  During this day-long bash you can tour the DAM’s collections for Valentine’s themes, catch performances and demonstrations by Opera Colorado’s young artists and be ready for a Valentine’s Day dose of the unexpected.  Free with general admission; no reservations needed. www.denverartmuseum.org.

The Art Marketplace

Jack Richeson & Co. – New Studio Soap

Jack’s Linseed Studio Soap may be the world’s best brush cleaner…but it can also be used to clean your hands, floors, work surfaces and just about anything else.  This brush soap is low odor and non-toxic and is made from naturally refined linseed oil and Richeson’s own special blend of natural cleansers.  It contains no harsh chemicals, yet cleans and conditions oil and acrylic brushes.

Instructions for Use

Oil Brushes:

1. Wipe excess oil from your brush on a paper towel.
2. If using oil paint, dip brush in turpentine to loosen oil. Wipe excess on paper towel.
3. Work a small amount of Jack’s Linseed Studio Soap into the brush.  (This process is important for conditioning your bristles as well as loosening the paint.)
4. Wipe the brush back and forth against a bar of soap; rinse in warm water until clean.

Acrylic Brushes (works on dried acrylics):

1. Wet brush well with water and brush soap.
2. Leave soap on wet brush in liquid paste for an hour (less if paint is still wet).
3. Rinse off under water.
4. Repeat as necessary.

See your retailer for Jack’s Linseed Studio Soap, available in 37ml, 4 oz., 8 oz., and 24-37ml Counter/Class Pack.  Visit www.richesonart.com.

A Little Art History

Nabis – A Unique Art Group

The term Nabis (nah bee) is taken from the Hebrew term navi, meaning “prophet.”  A rebellious group of young artists in France took this name during the 1890s, believing that the term suggested the movement was mystical. 

The group of avant-garde Parisian artists led by Paul Serusier had developed a decorative style that was hugely influenced by Paul Gauguin.  Gauguin was in the 1890s what Manet had been in the 1880s:  a mature artist who encouraged new artists to explore ideas and try new things.  The specific Nabis style, which Gauguin had begun to hint at, was considered to be less a part of impressionistic technique and far more decorative.  The use of outlines, flat areas of color and the colors themselves all melded into perfect harmony with this new movement.

The Nabis group considered impressionism to be too emotional, too sensory and concerned only with the visual effects of a moment in time.  Their desire was to direct attention to a style in which line, form and planes of flat color were seen as powerfully moving.  As is the case with many painters, they strove to evoke emotion with their works, to perhaps solicit spiritual responses from the viewer.  And their method of such emotion was a style that was simple and uncomplicated by small detail.

Artists who were part of the Nabis used memory rather than the accepted practice of real life.   A new attitude towards nature brought out what this new movement considered the essence of an object.  Its actual appearance was of less importance than the “spirit” of the scene or item. 

This new artistic freedom was practiced first by Paul Serusier (1863-1927) in landscapes that he claimed symbolized this essence rather than reality.  Others to follow were Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947), Maurice Denis (1870-1943), Paul Ranson (1864-1909), Edouard Vuillard (1868-1940) and Felix Vallotton (1865-1925).  These painters formed the group in 1892 and, while in it, each painter had a role to play.  They often met in the studio of Paul Ranson where they experimented with the supernatural world of magic and often included rituals.  Their works included images of Parisian life and imaginary, mythological subjects.  But what really cemented them together was their unified contempt for naturalism.  All natural subjects were transformed into decorative compositions having little to do with anything natural.

Because of the changes the Nabis group made in natural images, the movement held something in common with Art Nouveau and Symbolism.  Both of these movements paralleled the advance of the Nabis group.   The “rebels” in this movement also worked in printmaking, poster design, book illustration, textiles, furniture and set design.  These were less than “artistic” endeavors at this time.   Their break from fine art initiated the beginning of decorative arts.  The movement has been credited as the beginning of what was later dubbed Modernism.

As the group progressed they began to advocate that a work of art was the end product and the visual expression of an artist’s interpretation of nature was personal symbolism.  This opened the door for the development of 20^th century abstraction.  They began non-representational art with the style they adapted from Gauguin and led it through a decade of progressive painting techniques, which held to the goal of integrating art into daily life.  With the variety of media they explored, their dramatic style adaptation and resistance of representational subjects, the scene was set for further extension of style: abstraction. 

Nabis melded into what was classified as Modernism and Abstraction, while it paralleled Art Nouveau and Symbolism.  But it began with this group of avant-garde artists that led the way, resisting the accepted order of the day to follow their own spiritual and magical world.

Art Competitions & Opportunities

SHIFT—An International Juried Exhibition by Artists with Disabilities
Terrace Gallery – John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, D.C.
June 3 - 30

VSA, The International Organization of Arts and Disability, has issued a Call for Entries to artists ages 18 and older who have a physical, cognitive, or mental disability.  Artists are invited to share a moment in time when a shift in their landscape or a transformation occurred—it may be personal or professional, mental or physical, internal or external.  Submissions must be original work completed in the last five years and after the onset of disability.  Eligible media include, but are not limited to: 2 and 3D art (painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking), craft (jewelry, textile, glass), digital art, installation and time-based media (video, film).  Deadline: March 11. www.vsarts.org/shift.

—32nd Annual National Competition for Figurative Sculpture
Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, Old Lyme, CT
June 13 – 17

Fifteen competitors will be selected from an applicant pool of the most talented emerging figurative sculptors throughout the U.S.  Applicants must be aged 18-39 and be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. The competition has two parts:  The Figure Modeling Competition and the Dexter Jones Award.   For the Competition, a field of 15 finalists and three alternates must successfully sculpt a 30 – 36” model of a full-length figure from life in 28 hours over a five-day period.  Prizes of $5,000, $1,500, $750, and $350 will be awarded as well as the Gloria Medal.  The Dexter Jones Award for $5,000 is given to an emerging sculptor for the best work of sculpture in bas relief.  Stipends will be available to assist competitors with travel expenses.  Deadline:  March 24.  www.sculpturecompetition.info.

NEA – ART WORKS
Grants for Arts Projects Guidelines

The Grants for Arts Projects categories are the NEA’s primary funding opportunities for organizations.  Categories:  Art Works supports the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts and the strengthening of communities through the arts.  Grants range from $10,000 to $100,000.  Upcoming Deadlines:  March 10 and August 11.  Challenge America Fast Track supports projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations.  Grants are for $10,000.  Deadline:  May 26.  Project guidelines for these and Our Town grants are posted on www.arts.gov. 

Airbrush

Cutting Tools/Implements for the Airbrush Artist

If there’s a procedure that the airbrush artist does often, it’s cutting—stencils, frisket, vinyl, acetate, etc.  In some airbrush applications there can be much cutting, and a designated space in which to complete this task is important.  A flat table 3’x3’ or 4’x4’ is ideal as a base for the cutting area.  Also, a sheet of plywood—smooth on one side—would suffice. 

On this wooden surface it’s good to have a cutting mat.  Artool Cutting Mats are made of three-ply high tech polymer material that is constructed with a self-healing surface.  This holds up to repeated usage with sharp instruments such as stencil knives, box cutters, razor blades, etc.  The mats even self-heal when used with a rotary cutter.  There are calibrated inch grid lines printed on the cutting mats to make cutting straight lines convenient.  If the mat should become bent or distorted, simply heat it in direct sunlight or in hot water until it becomes pliable; then lay it on a flat surface to dry.  Artool Cutting Mats are available in Green/Black and Translucent in a variety of sizes from 8.5” x 12” to 24” x 36”.  Or you might choose to put some color in your life with Artool HOT MATZ in your choice of six hot colors (purple/pink, blue/green, red/orange) and two handy sizes (8.5” x 11” and 12” x 18”).  These are usable on both sides and calibrated in inches.

Cutting instruments utilized in airbrush technique depend mostly on the types of materials being cut.  When working on standard frisket film or a sheet of 5 mil acetate, a stencil knife with a #11 blade will suffice.  The blades are easily replaced when dull and are available in packets of up to 100.  A swivel knife is another type of cutting tool with a rotating head that holds a cutting blade.  The blade can be exactly the same as the one used in the stencil knife.  The rotating head enables you to cut curved lines that flow. 

To aid you in cutting straight edges safely, you may wish to use a cutting rail.  Artool’s patented Cutting Rail has a raised-edge design that prevents sharp blades from injuring your fingers.  The non-slip backing locks onto any surface for extra protection and safety.  You can cut sign vinyl, paper, board, frisket or even textiles in a much safer manner.

Airbrush artists make stencils, templates, hand-held masks and friskets with a variety of materials.  For paper surfaces, frisket film is usually used.  It has a low-tack adhesive backing, is very thin and easy to cut and can be removed from the paper surface without tearing. 

Artool’s Art Mask works very similar to frisket film but is designed for gessoed/prepared surfaces where stronger adhesion is required.  This works well on Ampersand’s Gessobord and Claybord   (www.ampersandart.com) and on gessoed canvas, as well.

Another handy tool for cutting purposes is a T-square.  If you work really large, consider a sheetrock square with an arm that is 4’ long.  This is available in hardware stores and some art supply stores.

Again, it’s helpful to have a special area for cutting stencils or mats or paper to size.  A designated space with tools and materials nearby will make this aspect of creating art more efficient.

ArtPourri

New Works for Philadelphia – The Philadelphia Museum of Art has announced that it has acquired, through several gifts and a purchase agreement with the Aperture Foundation, the core collection of photographs by Paul Strand, one of the pre-eminent photographers of the 20^th century.  The entire acquisition comprises more than 3,000 prints and lantern slides and, together with other photos by Strand already owned by the museum, will make the museum the world’s most important repository for the study of Strand’s work.  A major retrospective is scheduled for 2014.

New Postal Stamps – The U.S. Postal Service has announced the 2011 commemorative stamp program.  The Lunar New Year:  Year of the Rabbit stamp is the fourth of 12 stamps in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series.  Kumquats, fruit such as those depicted in the stamp art, are given as gifts and eaten for luck at this time of renewed hope for the future.  Art director Ethel Kessler worked on the series with illustrator Kam Mak.  The illustration was originally created using oil paints on panel.  The design incorporates the intricate paper-cut design of a rabbit and the Chinese character—drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun—for “Rabbit.”

Online Project Debuts – The Norman Rockwell Museum has announced the online debut of ProjectNORMAN (New Online Rockwell Media Art & Archive Network), the public interface of its ongoing digitization efforts. Visitors to the Museum’s website, www.nrm.org, will be able to look through thousands of Norman Rockwell’s reference photos, preliminary sketches and paintings, and other items from the Museum’s art and archival collections.

Portrait on View – Chuck Close’s masterful portrait Fanny/Fingerpainting (1985) has returned to the National Gallery of Art East Building’s modern and contemporary galleries.  Showing the grandmother of the artist’s wife, this is one of the largest examples of the finger painting technique that Close developed in the mid-1980s.

Auction News – At Swann Galleries, two rare posters by the Art Nouveau artist Privat Livemont recently set records:  Bitter Oriental (1897) brought $10,200, while Rajah (1900) sold for $9,000.  Christie’s New York Latin American Art Fall Sale totaled $23.3 million.  Works by Diego Rivera, Fernando Botero, Rufino Tamayo and Beatriz Milhazes realized top prices, and 14 world auction records were achieved.

Gift for the Met – A landmark gift of $10 million to The Metropolitan Museum of Art by Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch will support the creation of a major exhibition space within its Costume Institute.  Beginning in 2012, this gift will allow the museum to proceed with the complete renovation of its costume-related exhibition galleries.

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 21, No. 4 — February 2011