Monarda added To Queen Anne's Lace & Wildflowers Print

Water mixable oil paint printed on handmade gampi

This week I drew an image of Monarda that would fit over the Queen Anne's Lace and Wildflowers linoleum print. The first print was created using watersoluble colored pencils for a botanical drawing-type look.  The transfer wasn't quite what I had hoped. It appears like the Monarda is behind the Queen Anne's Lace. I had wanted it to be on top.  Next I used water mixable oil paints and the image was a bit darker, yet not quite the effect I wanted to achieve.  I am thinking that I will try a silkscreen version of this design next.

What are your thoughts?

Queen Anne's Lace & Wildflowers

Continuing with where I left off with the post, Transitioning, here is what I've done so far with that initial drawing on the linoleum.

coloring in what is to be removed

the finished block

applying ink

I plan to overprint these with drawings of monarda, echinacea, goldenrod and other wildflowers.

Punica ornamentum aureolis

I was asked to donate one of my prints to the 2nd WPKN Artfest Auction to be held during the annual City-Wide Open Studios in New Haven. At first I thought of donating one of the drypoint etchings/chin colle prints I did of the blueberry drawing for last year's Blueberry Summer silkscreen. Since I donated one of these silkscreens to last year's auction, I decided against it. Instead, I chose to revisit the linoleum block I made for an earlier print, Punica ornamentum. I have wanted to use this block again. I carved out the background lines that created the original prints, mixed up a maroon ink and hand printed on several different handmade papers. Deciding on the one printed on flax paper, I added gold acrylic paint to accent parts of the design. Next I looked through previously printed papers intended for backgrounds and collage and found a lace print I made from a collograph on my handmade gampi.

In keeping with the concept of giving this a fictitious botanical name, I made this a variety of the original. This is entitled Punica ornamentum aureolis meaning Golden Ornamental Pomegranate.

Prints for a Print Exchange

I am organizing a Print Exchange. This session's theme is Black and White. The hardest part for me, usually, is settling on a design. I have so many ideas that it is hard to settle on just one! Was looking at old manuscripts of Persian gardens and saw one that had pomegranate trees in fruit. I love the shape of pomegranates, so decided to use this in my design. I am also working with traditional textile designs in my artwork, so incorporated some made up paisleys for this.

print on gampi paper that I made this summer















The lino block


The drawing



Printing on various papers








creating a layered design