Illustrations of water features

One of the many things I've been working on of late are a series of illustrations, for a landscaping company, Cempro, to promote their man-made water features on-line. My name was put forward for the job, with others', and I took the opportunity to "run" with it as I am looking to do more illustration work and to stretch my creative wings with new projects. Although I had never done any work of the sort before that combines the use of illustration with photographic images I figured that I had enough skills to set me on my way and I have since honed these skills through the process of doing. 

The task of illustrating gardens harps back to a previous life when I worked for a design company and I would do landscape impressions for people looking to enhance and develop their properties. Something I didn't take into account in quoting for the job was how long it would take to come up with a suitable planting scheme to suit each water feature and style of garden as I wanted the plants to mostly be real and identifiable, not just random indistinguishable greenery. As it turns out it has been a bonus for the client to have identifiable selections of plants - he is confident that it will help to sell his products as it will help people to know how to plant them up. 

Illustration roughs

Before I set my brushes to work, his photographer, Shelley Lewis, had to photograph each of the features with water running through them. She then prepared the files for me as a silhouetted image on a transparent background. I then used her images to work up a rough in pen and wash which I would submit for approval. 

Illustration final - watercolour

I would then go on to create the final image on heavy watercolour paper, starting with the watercolour and finishing with the line work using a pigmented liner.

Illustration final - pen work

The last step was to merge the two images on Photoshop.

Illustration-the merged image

This is still work in progress as I await the next batch of products to work on. It will be some time yet before the images are on-line, presumably on a newly designed website. 

Watch this space. 

Although challenging on several levels, it has also been a thoroughly enjoyable experience, especially getting me working in watercolours again, which I haven't used for a very long time. And, having the excuse to pour over gardening books and to peer into people's gardens to look for inspiration. I also find that I am looking at plants in a totally new light again - as in how I would draw them and render them in watercolour.

My Printmaking Press set-up

It's been a little over 6 months since we (mostly hubby) transformed a rusty old 1908 Ewbank "Little Giant" mangle into a printmaking press, and it has been busy ever since! It's come to my attention that others are interested in what I'm up to in my basement workshop and so I thought I'd share some info about how I have set up my press with minimal outlay, using found and re-purposed bits and bobs.

Detail: "Rockpool ~ Softly Sleeping", Drypoint

Initially, when we finished restoring the mangle, I was working on dry points using plexi-plate, oil-based inks and soaking my paper. The press can be cranked up really tight and I'm really happy with the results.

Woodblock print in progress

Now that I'm working on woodblocks the press needs to be set much lighter. With a small alteration to the spring arrangement on the mangle (ie. a piece of metal pipe inserted to prevent the spring "slopping" from side to side) it has been doing a grand job. I simply count the number  of rotations, or half/quarter rotations of the screw fittings and I have got to know how many turns are needed for which plate and for which blankets, etc.

My "Little Giant" featuring metal rollers, runners and my high tech laminated hardboard bed.  

The bed: As I mentioned in my earlier post on the press I made the executive decision to forgo the use of a laminated plastic bed, or a metal bed, due the cost. Instead I decided to make do with two sheets of hardboard which we laminated together. It's still works just fine and show no signs of wear so... if it ain't broke.... On a side note, while I was on holiday down south I went to an amazing print gallery in Old Cromwell Town called OCTA. The owner has a press set up in the back of the gallery and I noticed his bed is simply a sheet of thick plywood. If it's good enough for him....

Felt underlay from an old upholstered armchair

The blankets... well, we all know how expensive they can be. So again I use what I had to hand: some old felt underlay from an old upholstered chair. It looked too good to throw away and surely I'd find a use for it. Sure enough. I use it as the first layer on top of the tissue placed over my work on the bed.

Main blanket: a foam camping mat!

And for the main blanket I use one of those foam camping mats that cost about $9. We already had one, scavenged from the side of the road no doubt. They have so many uses (except for sleeping on!) and everyone should have one in their supplies. (They make a great spatula for applying grout to mosaics and tiling.) Over time, they slowly compress if you are doing lots of prints but they bounce back and if and when it gets too squished, I'll find another.

Inking up: I use a glass plate - an old safety glass window pane. Personally I like to roll up on glass and I simply put a sheet of white paper underneath so I can see the colours clearly for mixing.

To sum up: The mangle cost $125 from a junk shop, the metal tube for the rollers and the runners cost $30. It was going to cost $500 for an engineer to put the metal tube onto the wooden rollers and lathe them but coincidentally our neighbour is a toolmaker and he did them for us out of kindness and generosity! (Bless his little cotton socks!) Metal fittings - nuts and bolts and screw thread rods, and paint cost about $50. The hardboard bed - scraps from an old bed base. Blankets: repurposed from found items. Hours of printmaking: PRICELESS.

It's wonderful having a press here at home so I can work as the mood takes me. I'm currently working on a series of woodblocks in readiness for group shows coming up in the next few months. In between other commitments I can "pop" down to the workshop and "whip" off another colour run and not worry about having to pack everything away in between sessions. I set up a paper cutting and registering table on the bench saw, I have my inking up station on my studio bench and I have a wash up area just out in the carport with a large stainless tub and wooden bench. And I ban hubby from any woodwork projects til my print run is done - dust!

Keep Calm and Press On!

Too easy to procrastinate after a fantastic family holiday hiking the Routeburn Track with our teenage sons, summer in NZ, catching up with friends and family...

So, in order to get back to the printing press after the holiday break I was inspired to have a "play" with the "Keep Calm..." idea. I had just been on holiday to the tourist playground of Queenstown and EVERYWHERE I looked there was merchandise with the "Keep Calm...." slogan with all manner of versions to suit all manner of interests ... but not a version for print makers!

So I thought I'd whip up my own...

The design is drawn onto the MDF with a sharpie marker.

The wood block is cut and ready to print.

I printed two colour and one colour (black) versions onto a whole variety of surfaces including different papers and a selection of fabrics. I experimented with different loadings of ink to achieve variations from sharp, strong colour to more weathered, textural effects. My favourite ones were the more faded, weathered look printed onto canvas or calico. These will be made into "patches" to embellish bags, clothing or personal items. 

So, for a quick, fun, spur-of-the-moment project to get me warmed up and back to work this was a great way to kick start the year. Too often we can get bogged down with worrying about the end product and therefore loose sight of the enjoyment of the process and the opportunity for learning through "play". One of my goals for the year ahead: "Enjoy the journey!"

Illustration - commemorating a recurring funny family event

Every year, on the 1st of January, we celebrate my father-in-law's birthday by going on a tramp (hike) together. In the days leading up to the tramp a decision is made, among the more "experienced" trampers of the family, as to where we will go. While the children were smaller we would choose more "tame" locations but as the years have passed and they are all now teens, we have been able to be a bit more adventurous. 

There is now, however, the consideration of aging knee joints and hip replacements so it is still a requirement to not choose anything too onerous, ie. steep! And so... every year we set off, three generation in tow, to enjoy a day together in the great outdoors. Only hitch is, every year the tramp seems to get steeper and steeper to which my father-in-law replies, sucking his teeth and shaking his head "Schhh.... I don't remember it being this steep Toni!" (I'm the one with the dodgy knees by the way.) 

Well, last year's tramp was the pinnacle of choices, for want of a better word. Two minutes into the walk we found ourselves at the top of a flight of stairs leading down, down, down as far as we could see. As we would be returning to the cars via this same route in reverse, the reaction was instant and universal. Needless to say I felt I simply HAD to record this recurring event for others to share. The scene is in fact entirely made up and yet I think (and the family concurs) that it captures the occasion to a tee! Although I was percolating ideas for some time my final inspiration for the composition came from an old favourite - the Berenstain Bears "The Bear's Picnic". 

It was a "sweet" moment presenting my father-in-law with the framed drawing on his birthday this year and watching his reaction as he slowly registered what he was looking at, then the eruption of hysterical laughter. Priceless! The family tells me I should do a whole series. There is certainly enough material there for inspiration, and no, I don't need them to "create" moments - it comes naturally with this family!

Drypoint Prints - Pohutukawa Leaves

These are prints that I created during a workshop with printmaker Alexis Neal. They were my inspiration for the print I created for the International Print Exchange. These leaves are however 235mm tall while the leaf for the IPE is only 10mm tall.

In the workshop we were learning how to combine a variety of techniques including drypoint, chine colle, colour roll-up and collographs. Initially I created another image and experimented with mixing up and layering the techniques until I had a "feel" for what was possible. I have an aversion to using a rectangular plate so I wanted to create something where the shape of the plate was an intrinsic part of the image. Drawing on my love for the pohutukawa trees that line our coast here in Auckland, NZ, (they provide me with constant inspiration in my artwork), I created this image shaping the plexi-plate with scissors and smoothing off the edges with sandpaper to remove any burrs.

The top two images were inked with one colour, a deep red-purple. The image on the left is printed with a chine colle background of bamboo paper which was cut to the shape of the plate. The right-hand image is printed with a colour roll-up of a sepia tone applied once the plate has been inked up in an intaglio manner. I finished off the print by adding some soft hand colouring to the flower and a gentle wash of colour over the stem and leaves.

The bottom two images are inked up "a la poupee" meaning that more than one colour is used in the inking process, applying a richer red ink to the flower. Both images have then had a colour roll-up applied to the plate and the right-hand image has been completed by adding some soft hand colouring to enhance the image.

A Merry Christmas to you and your kina

My kina Christmas tree that inspired my prints

One of my most precious treasures is my kina Christmas tree that I made many years ago using a selection of kina shells and a tiny dried starfish found while beach combing. It sits atop a piece of driftwood and is accompanied by some dried pohutukawa flowers and a piece of paua.

As Christmas approaches, and with my new press ready and willing, I was inspired to create a simple little drypoint that I could give as gifts and to add to my stock of prints for sale.

I used plexi-plate, cut to the arched shape, and printed it using oil-based Flint inks onto 300g hahnemuhler paper. Initially I just printed them with one colour and a cleanly wiped plate. 

I then experimented with a simple colour roll-up over the inked up plate, wiping highlights clean with a cotton bud.

 Each and every print is different due to slightly different inking and wiping. I didn't want to produce an edition of identical prints, I wanted them all to be special in their own way. This allowed me to experiment and "play" with inking and wiping techniques.

Some of the prints were left as is, straight from the press and some were handcoloured with watercolours and metallic inks.

I can't decide which version of the print I prefer the most. It's always hard to part with work when you have fallen in love with it. 

I hope it means that the recipients will love them too.

Merry Christmas 

and best wishes

for 2014!

Lubi Lids ~ Hats for Kids

As I'm contemplating new directions for my art for the coming year I thought I'd take a trip back down memory lane and create a record of something I used to get up to to fund the ever increasing kindy fees.

Being a home-sewer, through necessity as a poor student and later as a skint parent, I was always making things for my kids including their fleece beanies with appliquéd stars. I would get so many comments from people such as "You should so sell those! I'd buy one!" So, when the kindy fees went up another notch, biting into our ever-stretched household income, I decided I'd see how serious people were about their compliments. 

I didn't tell hubby what I was up to when I was found sitting on the lounge floor amongst a pile of fleece scraps. He was used to me always making stuff anyway and I thought if I told him he might pour cold-water on my hair-brained scheme. I had enough scraps to start by making an assortment of 40 beanies of various designs, colours and sizes. I figured that I didn't need to spend any money initially because I had heaps of scraps of fleece and a whole assortment of felt scraps squirrelled away from various craft projects. If people showed an interest and actually bought my beanies, then I'd buy fabric as required however, because a beanie takes such a small amount of fabric it wasn't going to need to be a big outlay. The biggest cost would be in time. And actually, having to sit still in the evenings to hand-stitch the appliquéd designs was a good way to get me to slow down a little. It's a very therapeutic past-time, as I'm sure lots of other crafty people will agree.

Initially I would take my carrier bag of hats along to coffee groups. Sales were promising and comments were always very encouraging so I thought I'd step up the action and booked a stall at the Titirangi Market for a once-a -month spot. It took a bit of effort but the whole family got involved on the day and again there was little needed outlay. I'd been given a folding pergola, we made a folding table by cutting an old door in half and hingeing it, and for windy days, we had a collection of milk bottles that we filled with water to stop the pergola blowing away.

Sales went well, earning me enough to pay for more than a few kindy sessions and a bit more besides. Over time I had repeat customers and my range grew to include adult sizes too. It was so satisfying to have such delighted, and delightful, customers. The beanie with the skull and cross bones was particularly popular with men! It was fun coming up with ideas for new designs. I also branched out a little and made a small collection of dress up hoods, some pixie hats (or Robin Hood hats depending on your point of view) and soft brimmed hats for those of us who look a little too bleak in a beanie.

Lubi-Lids kept me busy for a good couple of years and it was so much fun meeting other creative and entrepreneurial people at the markets. As my kids got older, my focus changed to new pursuits and I guess, as cheap imports were becoming more available, it was hard to keep prices competitive and to not rip myself off in the process. This was well before the internet and on-line market places were mainstream such as felt.co.nz. It was also prior to the current "Hand made" renaissance and comments like "I could get a hat at the Warehouse for cheaper than that" were quite laughable. (I priced my hats initially at $8 then rose to $12 for the simple beanies. The more complicated designs such as the Pukeko, the Gecko and the Frog with the spiraling tongue were a little more, to reflect the extra time involved but still my profits were

marginal.) I realised I needed to make a decision whether it was time to either rev up the production or to move on to other things when I was approached by a Kiwi who was visiting from the UK. She was sourcing NZ stock for a market in London and wanted to place an order of 20 hats, ready for delivery within the week, and could I give her a wholesale price?!

Yeah, nah, actually, nice compliment, sort of, but it was time to move on.

IMPressive IV - Selected Annual Print Exhibition, Nathan Homestead, Manurewa, South Auckland.

It was great to hear I had had three pieces of my printmaking work selected for the IMPressive IV Print Exhibition at Nathan Homestead. It runs from October 24th until November 17th, 2013.

The theme of this year's exhibition is Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, The Great Ocean of Kiwa (Kiwa is the ancestor and divine guardian of the far reaching ocean known universally as the Pacific.) A range of print practices are presented by a variety of artists' works that celebrate Aotearoa / New Zealand's affinity with the sea.

I gratefully acknowledge Nathan Homestead for providing the opportunity to exhibit alongside other more experienced printmakers and for the professional presentation of the exhibition. It was a treat to see my work so nicely presented.

My three works hanging in their own wee space.

"Ebb and Flow"
Woodblock on Voile

"Rockpool - Biding Time" - Drypoint
"Reveal" - Gelatine Monoprint

Wall label of works 

IPE- International Print Exchange - Green Door Printmaking Studio

My edition of 10 prints ready to send to the UK. Drypoint on shaped plate.
I wanted to create a small piece of NZ to send out into the world
hence the Pohutukawa flower/ leaf. 

As a result of a link that printmaker Aine Scannell shared on G+ I set myself the challenge of taking part in Green Door Printmaking Studio's International Print Exchange this year. It was a challenge for me because I am relatively new to printmaking, I had never completed a full edition of prints and, as there were some fairly strict requirements, I felt it would be a good exercise to jump start my printmaking practice. 

(Well, it worked! I've just had my first group print exhibition, have another print in a national NZ printmaking exhibition and next year is filling up with exhibition bookings.)

The prints were due to arrive in the UK by the end of August and we received our exchanged prints just a couple of weeks later, beautifully packaged and presented. 

The package arrived beautifully presented: screen printed box,  sealed with a sticker,
inside: a little badge, a personalised booklet (containing info about our exchanged
prints and where our prints went, a list of all the artist who took part
and information about which print processes were used), and the prints were
in a printed envelope, wrapped in acid free tissue (provided by each artist.)

A record of the prints I received. Prints came from Taiwan, UK and USA.

Clock-wise from top left: "Urban Landscape" by Hyun-Jin Kim, Taiwan;
"Fungi" by Chrissy Stangroom, UK; "Jordan" by Nancy Power, UK; "Happy Tails" by Benjamin Gross, USA.

Clock-wise from top left: "Elephants Dream" by Harriet Brigdale, UK;
"Mr Goose & his friends" by Kirsty Taylor, UK;
"Complicated Shadows" by Diane Sandall, USA;
"Dream Ride" by Eleonora Amici, UK.

These are the artists who received my prints, in the UK, USA and Australia.

Although it cost a bit to put it all together and post from the opposite side of the world, receiving the beautiful prints and seeing my print on-line in the exhibition (on the other side of the world), it was so worth it.

The print exhibition. (That's my print, second from the right on the bottom row.)

Thank you Green Door Studio!!

Exhibition Poster

Group Exhibition - Waitakere Printers Ink in The Barrel Store

The Barrel Store

Eight printmakers from the community arts group WaitakerePrinters Ink exhibited their artworks at the refurbished Barrel Store at Corbans Estate Arts Centre last weekend. 

Based at Corbans Estate in Henderson, Waitakere Printers Ink was set up in 2010 by artist Ruby Oakley with funding from Creative Communities.  After participating in two summer schools at the Arts Centre she recognised there was a need for somewhere for keen printmakers to meet and to have access to a quality printmaking press, a specialist piece of equipment few artists can afford.

Membership comprises of a diverse mix of like-minded people from all over Auckland. On average six to eight members gather each month to use the facilities in a supportive environment of shared interest.

This year’s exhibition showcased the work of Alicia Poultney, Diane Charraz, Lorraine Vickery, Lynn Bryant, Ruby Oakley, ToniHartill Tracy Singer and Val Cuthbert. A wide variety of printmaking techniques was on display including, but not limited to, drypoint, etching, lino cut, wood block, chine colle, collograph, solarplate, screenpint, lithography and monoprint techniques.

A key goal of the group is to promote printmaking as an art form. Each of the artists have their own unique perspective yet they all share the excitement that printmaking provides. Although hard work it was an entirely fun experience and a great chance to get to know each other better. As a result of how well the event ran, we are already making bookings for several exhibitions next year!

The exhibition opened on Thursday 3^rd October, and was open daily until Sunday 6^th October.

Visit the Waitakere Printers Ink Facebook page to stay in touch with further events and to view more of their work.

The blank canvas at 9am on set-up day

One difficulty with the venue is the lack of lighting
but we solved this with borrowed spots.

A slideshow of more of our work, and of our print group
in action, ran throughout the exhibition.

 "Between the Tides" series - THartill gelatine monoprints

Rockpools - "Softly Sleeping" and "Biding Time"
- THartill drypoints

 "In and out of the Garden"
-  THartill gelatine monoprints

 "Beneath the Tides" series - THartill drypoint, chine colle,
collage, hand colouring, mixed media.

"Remains",  "Residue" and "Fragments"- THartill drypoint,
chine colle with mixed media

"Ebb and Flow" - THartill woodblock prints on voile,
4 metres long