MilkweedSize: 18 cm x 15 cm
Medium: Linoleum on rubber Date: September 2019 Exhibition Text: I created this piece to display a sense of peace that I feel within myself through the symbolism of the milkweed plant. I chose this specific plant because it is a plant that I tend the most in my garden, and it brings me piece of mind and calmness when I need it. For the background, I incorporated the techniques and styles of Vincent van Gogh with his use of short brushstrokes and spirals. |
Inspiration
"Starry Night" by Van Gogh (1884)
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Following the inspiration of Vincent van Gogh, I incorporated his use of short and visible strokes throughout my piece. He uses this method and technique in many of his paintings, however I used "Starry Night" as my inspiration as the viewer can clearly see his use of spiraling created with his strokes in the night sky. I wanted to incorporate the spiraling groups of strokes into my piece because I feel it gives it a sense of balance between the background and the milkweed, as well as the four corners of the piece altogether
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"Showy Milkweed Art Print" by Sheila Murray (2016)
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Because I cannot create a milkweed plant by memory, I had to follow the guiding of other printing artists. I specifically appreciated this piece by artist Sheila Murray due to the fact that it is, too, a block print and a sufficient image of what I wanted my milkweed plant to look like. To me, it creates a sense of elegance and peace which is exactly what I wanted for my piece. Most importantly, it gave me insight on what my milkweed plant may look like using the methods of block printing.
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Planning Sketches
For the planning sketch that I stuck with, it had the same concept as the original, however the milkweed would be colored in completely with only the significant outlines of the plant being carved out. Looking at the planning sketch, it seemed as if the darkness of the plant would have a significant contrast to the white background, however I had to keep in mind that the background would be mainly black rather than white such as in the sketch. I ended up creating my piece based around this sketch because the visuals of it appealed to me more than the white colored sketch. Also, due to the very detailed outlines within the plant, it seemed easier and more effective to carve only those detailed outlines rather than work around them.
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My original planning sketch consisted of the Van Gogh inspired background with the spiraling strokes and a fully carved milkweed plant. By carving the entire plant, the print would come out white. I was leaning towards this idea, however I realized that this would mean avoiding the fine lines of the plant's outlining. Knowing that this would be difficult and would probably not turn out as nice and precise as I would like, I decided not to go with this sketch.
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Process
Once the image was transferred, I was able to begin carving the thin outlines of the milkweed. I completed the more fine details such as the flowers and the buds first with the finest blade, then worked down to the more spaced out parts of the piece using a wider blade. I made sure to carve the outlines of the leaves so the image would be clear against the background.
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Once I had completed the plant, it was time to carve out the background. For this, I used the widest blade in order to create a pattern that would be easier to see later on. I made sure that they were short strokes and that they were curved, such as those of Van Gogh. I used the same technique of short and curved strokes when it came to the spirals, I just curved them more.
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For the final part of the process, I would use water soluble ink to roll an ink roller in. Once the roller was covered with enough ink, I would then roll it onto the rubber, covering everything with ink except for the carved parts. I would then carefully center a sheet of paper over the rubber and press down using a barren. Once the pressing process was over, I had my finished product.
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Experimentation
I had to experiment with multiple prints for the final part of the process. The photo above is of the very first print I created that turned out spotty. This was because I had not applied enough ink onto the rubber, which I made sure to change throughout the next few trials. Other obstacles I came across were not pressing hard enough for the print to come out cleanly.
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For the background, I experimented with my blade use. I switched between the medium sized blade and the largest for a bit before deciding that the largest blade did the best job. It allowed for deeper cuts and a more recognizable comparison with Van Gogh's work.
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