100 Days Project... for a third time... but not officially....

I have participated twice before, officially. The first time was in 2013 when I did drawings every day - you can view past posts about that project HERE. I kept it super simple and gave myself clear guidelines so there would be no excuse as to why I couldn't complete a drawing a day. My rules were: 1. use only black ballpoint pen - no dithering about what medium to use on any day and nothing is more transportable or accessible. 2. all drawings were to fit within the pages of my little sketchbook. I allowed myself a 1/4 page, a 1/2 page or a full page each day. Some drawings were therefore able to be tiny and would share the page with other drawings so this took away some of the pressure of a blank page staring back at me.

100 Days Project 2013, Toni Hartill

The next time I took part was last year, 2016 - doesn't seem so long ago now that I'm starting a NEW project! Again I kept it simple: Mark making every day - you can read about this project HERE. This time I didn't intend to create one complete image every day, just to create marks every day, ideally part and parcel of my regular arts practice. This could be simply the process of carving into a lino block, drawing, cutting stencil patterns, stitching, printing... anything that created a mark. The one unifying element was that I used paper torn or cut to 15 cm square with the intention of building a "compendium" of mark making that I can continue to add to and refer back to. I could use any medium and I could layer up effects to encourage experimentation and "play." I learnt lots about new ways (for me) of creating marks that have lead directly into my printmaking and I continue to refer back to the project and to add to it - a fab resource.

100 Days Project 2016, Mark Making by Toni Hartill

100 Days Project 2016, Mark Making by Toni Hartill

Each time I have had a primary goal to try to develop a habit, learn and/or hone skills, push myself to try new things and to work harder in my arts practice. I have purposely steered away from creating a finished "product." Personally I battle constantly against the urge to achieve perfection which so often gets in the way of keeping the creative juices truly flowing. Being part of an on-line community is fantastic in many ways but the urge to present a public face, posting images regularly, feels like it still corrals me into "presenting" my progress, and inhibits me from wanting to show the complete stuff-ups I am well capable of creating, but which I can learn oh so much more from. When the opportunity to sign up again came along I was so, so tempted to push the big red button to REGISTER but I'm pleased to say... I resisted!

My intention THIS TIME is to take part entirely on my own terms.

Sketchbooks by Toni Hartill

This time, again, I will simply DRAW. I will use any medium that takes my fancy. I will begin by using a cheap-as-chips spiral bound sketch book but allow myself to wander off into other sketch books I have on the go or on whatever actually takes my fancy. I won't be posting images every day. I won't even post all of my images - so I have no intention of necessarily showing you all of my complete cock-ups, although I might show you the odd one.... I'll post a smattering of images now and then to show progress and, hopefully to keep myself committed to the task. In essence I'm going to (try) to draw like no-one is watching!

Feel free to ask how I'm doing at any stage, your support might be just what keeps me going!

"Kiss Me Before You Go" by Danny Gregory

The final inspiration that decided me to commit (albeit with myself) to taking part was having recently read a gorgeous book called "A Kiss Before You Go" illustrated and written by Danny Gregory. This book is presented as if it is one of his actual sketch books filled with his quirky, delightful images telling the story of events in his life (its a very sad story but it also shows a lot of spirit and hope and captures the minutiae of his life so beautifully.)

"Kiss Me Before You Go" by Danny Gregory

"Kiss Me Before You Go" by Danny Gregory

Take a peak at some of Danny's work HERE. I have long drooled over sketchbooks and workbooks by many artists and long aspired to develop the skills to be able to do this myself.

So, this is it!
I'm going to give it a crack!
Watch this space and I might just share some of it with you.


You can read all about the NZ 100 Days Project here.

Finding the meaning of "practice" in "arts practice".

This year has been a VERY slow start for me in regards to getting back into my studio and creating NEW work. There's always so much going on in a busy family household and somehow things just... keep... getting... in... the.. way.

So, finally I've made a start. And, as I repeatedly find out, the starting is often the hardest part.

Its so hard to decide where to start when there's so many possible projects to take on and so many ideas roaming in my mind that I want to pursue, and in so many different directions. So, I've just started by focusing on technique, in particular linocut, with a view to raising my skills a notch or two... hopefully. As they say, practice makes perfect!

Lino cut planning by Toni Hartill

I'm currently working on a couple of lino cut projects. In both cases I have quite adventurous ideas although I doubt I have the skills yet to pull them off. Only way to find out is to begin tinkering, testing out if my ideas are possible in practice. Lino cut seems so straight forward... in theory. In practice however, I have so many questions:

• how do you successfully and accurately transfer your image to the lino? 
• which pens won't bleed through into your ink when you print?
• how do you accurately transfer your image to multiple blocks of lino so they will all register when printed?
• which registration technique will work for me?
• how do I ensure a clean print every time?
• how fine can I cut the lino without it being too fragile?
• do I need to let each layer of ink dry before printing the next layer?
• which papers are better for printing lino?
• how can I fine-tune the pressure of the press til its just right?
• .....

Carving begins.                                                  THartill

Through trial and error, ie. lots of PRACTICE, I've begun to make some headway into answering some of my many questions.When things go wrong I consider it to be the journey I have to travel in order to learn the stuff I need to know to move forward to the next step. If I didn't try these things I couldn't put them behind me and move on. (A lot like life I guess).

The trick is REMEMBERING next time what NOT to do. Ha! so, again through past experience of testing out some processes, making mistakes, putting it aside til another day then thinking hmmm... what did I do last time? you think you'll remember but, in my case I could never remember clearly enough not to make the same mistakes.

Studio Journal - a big cookbook of recipes       THartill

So NOW I keep a Studio Journal - its like a big cookbook of all my trials and tribulations, what worked, more importantly, what didn't, what I plan to try next, what I've learnt, etc...  also its where I keep all my colour swatches and recipes for colour mixing for each project. THIS, in itself, has saved me so much time!

Colour swatch records                                            THartill

I also regularly write notes to myself for future reference. 

If only I remembered to go back and read them!

So if you want my 2c bit of advice: 

keep a Studio Journal, you won't regret it.

So what have I learnt in my recent foray into lino cut?

Cutting a paper mask is a MUST for clean edges!

A paper mask is a MUST.                                            THartill

Take the time to properly set up a registration system that works for you.

I made my own pin and tab system and it worked a treat (and cost me nothing!)

Registration technique.                                 THartill

Paper positioned on registration pins using tabs.                THartill

Constantly print proofs as you go to keep checking your cutting, test colour choices, press settings, that the registration is working or what you need to do to fix it...

Testing layers, registration, colours.            THartill

Be kind to your tools!

RIP dear dremel.

I managed to KILL MY DREMEL! 

I'm gutted! I guess it did do many, many, many hours for me but... still...sob

(My family is quietly celebrating as I, apparently (?!) make such a raquet 

when I'm working on my lino... tsk! such nonsense!) 

So, first task accomplished. 

It hasn't turned out quite as I was anticipating (mainly because I realized I had taken on a much more ambitious goal than I was prepared to put in the time for. I was planning on a couple more layers of colours but.... nah, I've learnt lots and I don't think the print warrants that many more hours that it would require. I'm mooooving on.) 

                                                  

Lino cut by Toni Hartill

So, right now, in my arts practice, 

PRACTICE is what I need and what I am focusing on. 

And hopefully, if I can manage all the other distractions around me 

I plan to do lots of it.

Thanks for visiting, 

your feedback is always welcome :)

I went for a walk and what did I see....

I recently took advantage of some late summer sun and took a stroll along the beach at Piha on Auckland's wild west coast, although it wasn't so much "wild and woolly" on this day, more like the 60's definition of wild as in freakazoidally gorgeous! One whiff of the sea air, wherever I am, and my mind clears, I breathe deeper and slower and my eyes are on stalks looking, looking, looking everywhere - so much beauty, so much colour... patterns, shapes, reflections....  

and I got to thinking...  

my family gave up walking with me as I wouldn't, couldn't keep up, keep in pace, keep engaged with the conversation - so much to see, so many bright shiny things to distract me, to make me dart off, duck low to catch the light, back track to see... what WAS that thingy I just saw, ooooh look at that pattern in the sand, oh wow! bubbles going in circles! oh my! look at the colour of the sea, AGAIN! 

So, yes I got to thinking...    

there's often criticism that people should stop seeing the world through their devices and look at what's actually in front of them in the real world, in the here and now. And yes, I totally agree especially when I see people constantly stopping to take selfies in front of this, in front of that. And I was feeling self-conscious about repeatedly stopping to take photos. Then, the more I looked, for the right angle to capture a particular reflection, a glint of light, a pattern, a detail, the more I looked for more to see. I realized that in looking for things to catch my eye, I looked harder and closer and perhaps I saw more. I know I saw more than if I had just simply walked down the beach discussing the news of the day! 

Here's a mere snippet of the smorgasbord of "yum!" I saw on my walk: