Sonoran desert at dusk |
Title: Sonoran Desert at dusk
9"x12" Black ink and linoleum block on paper October 2023 This piece was my first exposure to the block print medium. I found it challenging and fun to experiment with finding the most efficient way to carve accurately and precisely. Through this project, I have discovered the therapeutic nature of carving and printing. |
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Artistic InspirationThe inspiration for this project is originally based on a dream I had where I ended up walking through the Sonoran desert in the late evening, just before the last light left the sky. The tall saguaro cacti arched over me as I walked between them, and I spoke to a small scorpion about the meaning of the dream. I decided to implement parts of the dream in various ways. For example, the time of day represented in the sky resembles that of the NS Ultra album cover by Destroy Lonely.
In the final product, I included stars in the sky that are oversized and cartoonish. For this, I drew inspiration for Matisse's Icarus. I felt like it was effective in giving the print a more playful tone, although my stars were not as abstract and organic.
PlanningOnce I was happy with the planning sketch, I recreated it to match the scale of the linoleum. Then, I covered the backside of the paper with graphite so that I could trace the sketch onto the canvas. The result of this was very successful, although there were some spots that I missed while tracing.
ProcessTo the right are images of the first couple prints. I struggled finding the right amount of ink, which made a lot of difference between prints. As you can see, even the smallest changes in amount of ink and application can cause large changes in the final product. The only way I could create the perfect print was through extensive trial and error. By the time I made a perfect print, I had already created 19 previous ones. The actual process of applying ink to the linoleum and transferring it to paper did not take very long, so it was easy to quickly create a large array of prints, each with their own minor imperfections. The final print I settled on was near perfect because I applied a fairly small amount of ink, and used a circular motion with the block printing baren to insure all parts of the print had even pressure.
CritiqueSimilarities:
The Matisse painting I used as artistic inspiration is similar to my work because of the simple use of color that Matisse uses. His simple palette of bright colors makes the piece pop, and although I was only able to use black and white, I had the same goal of simplicity. It also implements the simplicity through blocky shapes, which definitely represent that of a block print. My piece is also similar to the album cover because it draws inspiration from the mood of the piece. This is created by the sky, which mimics the time of day in my block print. Dusk represents serenity, because as the last light of the day fades from the sky, one might feel isolated and introspective. The album cover represents this well because the only figure is small and distant, and my piece represents the solitude you would feel in the desert at night. ReflectionOverall, I am extremely satisfied with the final product of this project. Before I began printing, I was fairly concerned that the linoleum carving would be inaccurate or not functional, and I would not have time to restart a new one. However, while it took multiple attempts to get a perfect print, the block print itself did its job very well. I am proud of my work because I was able to master a new medium that I was unfamiliar with, and explore the techniques required to make a clean print.
Bibliography
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Next, I progressed into the more detailed sections of the carving. For example, I intended to represent the spines on a cactus with vertical lines, similar to the linear organization of the spines on a real cactus. This meant that I had to carve carefully in between the lines, using a skinnier attachment on the carving tool. In this step, I also carved the stars in the sky, and added some additional ones to fill in the space better. I chose to leave the dried bush towards the right side uncarved, so that it would contrast the other desert flora.
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The photo to the left shows the final carving. My final steps included the stars, the dusk part of the sky, and small corrections. I was nervous going into my first print, because I would have to restart the whole carving if it was messed up. However, after the first couple prints, I was confident that the carving job was good.
Differences:
Icarus by Matisse is different from my composition because of its medium. Although it resembles the style of a simple block print, it was created in the Pochoir style, which uses stencils to layer simple shapes of different colors.
Likewise, my piece is different from the album cover because of medium. The style represented is photography, which greatly contrasts that of block print. Because of the medium, it has elements of gradient and blending, which I was unable to incorporate in my art using the tools provided. I attempted to create gradient using small incisions on the edge of the dusk colored sky, but it would be impossible to mimic it to the degree that is represented by photography.
Icarus by Matisse is different from my composition because of its medium. Although it resembles the style of a simple block print, it was created in the Pochoir style, which uses stencils to layer simple shapes of different colors.
Likewise, my piece is different from the album cover because of medium. The style represented is photography, which greatly contrasts that of block print. Because of the medium, it has elements of gradient and blending, which I was unable to incorporate in my art using the tools provided. I attempted to create gradient using small incisions on the edge of the dusk colored sky, but it would be impossible to mimic it to the degree that is represented by photography.
ACT Questions
- Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
- What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
- What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
- What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
- What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?