After reading a review of Derwent Artbars on Vivien Blackburn's blog, I invested in a set. I've used oil pastel before, but these are water soluble and my first thought was that I might use them in making monotypes, either on their own, or as a way of working into prints made more conventionally. I've reproduced a couple of quick doodles below.
This one was made by drawing onto thin cartridge and simply misting the drawing before laying it onto another sheet of cartridge and passing it through the press. I like the granular effect, a little like sprinkling salt into a watercolour wash.
This is a straight transfer onto paper that had been misted first.
Next some collagraph prints in progress. Both of these have a long way to go, although they already have perhaps 5 or 6 layers of ink.
The background to the shapes needs to be lightened further and more texture brought into the 'three toed foot' shape mid-left. Also more colour and texture generally is needed in the other shapes.
This one is an old plate that I gave up on about three years ago. I've come back to it with a little more success I hope. Again more layers of ink needed, there are about 4 or 5 so far, only one of these extends across the whole plate.
Given the way in which these prints are made, with partial inkings using transparent ink like glazes, I can only get 2 or 3 passes through the press done before the paper becomes too dry. It then has to dry out completely before I can re-soak it and start again. I don't expect therefore to finish them before the New Year. I'm desperately working on several new plates so that I can keep working. The aim is to have a set of about 6 to 8 different prints, all with a consistent look and feel and made around the same colour palette. I expect to make no more than 5 from any one single plate, although on past practice some prints may also be made by combining plates into a composite image.
