Teatime...

[LindasPencils]

I recently purchased a copy of Carne Griffiths book 'The Organic Painter'. This amazing artist mixes teas, coffee, herbal teas, wines/alcohol, salt, wax resist, stamps, ink -anything- to create a mark on the page. Check his fantastic work out here: https://www.carnegriffiths.com/

So his book kicked start an entire term with my Thursday class of experimental drawings using anything and everything! I was able to purchase bulk ($1 a cm) offcuts of Waterford 300gsm cold press paper 38 x 13.5cm and we went to town!

first we did test sheets and experiments:

Teatime 2.jpg

Using a variety of different mediums

Teatime 1.jpg

and created stamps using white poly material (white erasers)

teatime stamps small.jpg

and painted, drew, salted, stamped away! Here are 16 or so of mine that I consider 'finished':

teatime finals small.jpg

these used a variety of things: teas for background washes (English breakfast, Dilma black, Cranberry, Rosehip, Saffron, Tumeric), Inks (Sennelier Sepia and Turquoise), Wax candle for resist drawing, Salt, Breadcrumbs, Wine (very sticky cheap Muscatto, a mistake), Gin, Scotch (too expensive), Windsor Newton watercolour markers, Faber Castel water colour sticks, Adel pens, dip pens, stamps.... and other stuff I may have forgotten.

Personally I like the 'cypress' versions best. Althought the sea stamps and jellies I like too.

teatime cypress small.jpg

the one on the right I completed this morning.

This is lots of fun and you can be as painterly loose or drawing tight as you like! Check out Griffiths book and have a play.
Linda Weil

[Laurene]

This does look like a lot of fun Linda. I'm especially drawn to the the sea life series.

I used to play a game with my nieces when they were little. One person would draw something - anything - a squiggle was fine. Then the others would see who would be first to make something out of the squiggle. The younger they were, the more fun it was. I was amazed at their creativity. As we grow older we're so afraid of drawing something silly or of making a mistake that no one wants to play this sort of game. What you're doing here looks like a terrific way of loosening up.

[Mike Sibley]

I used to play a game with my nieces when they were little. One person would draw something - anything - a squiggle was fine. Then the others would see who would be first to make something out of the squiggle.

Apologies for being slightly off-topic but... My old art master at school - Mike Burton - did something very similar. He called them Scribblegrams.

He'd have one of us scribble lines on the blackboard and then the rest of us would see what we could make of it, or find in it. I always thought it was a wonderful way to get us thinking creatively - and I still do.

Needless to say, I find your experiments to be as wonderful in the same vein, Linda. I'm assuming little is planned and spontaneity rules the day?

[LindasPencils]

Needless to say, I find your experiments to be as wonderful in the same vein, Linda. I'm assuming little is planned and spontaneity rules the day?

That is correct Mike - wash in some tints using teas and things, maybe sprinkle with salt or turn the wet page to get drips or whatever - then go with the flow. ( see what I did there )

Once the initial washes are dried, step back and think what it inspires you - do you see something in the cloudy shapes? Or maybe you just want to use it as a background for building up stencils and stamps.

Speaking of, making the stamps is fun. You just need a white eraser and a sharp xacto knife - and care!

Laurene - that sounds like what our famous Mr. Squiggle did - kids would send in their squiggles and he would turn them into a picture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdmsE-Bff7k The puppeteer who worked Mr Squiggle was amazing - not only did he have to manipulate the strings to get Squig to draw, he was viewing the original drawing in a mirror from above so had to draw upside down and backwards as well!

[Laurene]

Well, talk about a universal experience! From England to Australia to Canada!! I really enjoyed that Youtube of Mr. Squiggle Linda. I really can't imagine how he managed to do that show after show.

I like the idea of what you're doing LInda. I'll have to try it myself!

[LindasPencils]

I like the idea of what you're doing LInda. I'll have to try it myself!

Treat yourself to a copy of Carne's book for Christmas - I guarantee you will be inspired! I am going to try/use plastic wrap scrunched over a wet ink was background next.

...but first have to prepare canvassas for upcoming invitational...! How the heck do you draw on canvas? This will be interesting... watch this space, (will probably use inks)...