Leaf Printing

In my previous post I described how I started working in my sketchbook inspired by the poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.

Having realised I couldn't work only in oranges and yellows I experimented with which colours would work with yellow.   I used a Gel Press mini to print each colour.  I cut the leaves out of some painted paper.

I did a second page of hexagons using ideas from a Birgit Koopsen video.

Next I tried some leaf printing with the gel plate, but still experimenting with brighter colours.  I have some absolutely gorgeous prints which I have also scanned into my computer.

Then I went back to using stencils.

As yet I have no idea where this is taking me in terms of a textile piece but I'll keep you informed!

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

The Road Not Taken

I am doing a Master Practitioner course with the School of Stitched Textiles.   The tutor suggested I might challenge myself to work with brighter colours than I usually use.  The first module uses a poem and a piece of music of my choice as the inspiration.

For the poem I have chosen The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.

The poem speaks of a yellow wood and my research led me to the fact that this might be birch trees or alder trees.  I was surprised at this as I have visited one of Frost's homes in New England.  Plus the poem was written for Frost's friend Edward Thomas who is English.

However, a piece on the BBC Countryfile programme solved the riddle.  Robert Frost and his family lived in the Cotswolds in England with Edward Thomas and his family living just across the fields.  They obviously walked in English woods.

I decided to concentrate on birch leaves - a decision helped by the fact that we have a silver birch tree at the bottom of our garden with a large sycamore behind it.

I started with some mark making on a large piece of paper.  I was aiming for the two paths diverging in the woods which the marks do represent but also look like branches and twigs.

I had a go at monoprinting with tree stencils designed by Valerie Sjodin.  Taking up the challenge to work in brighter colours I started with yellow and oranges.

Before I tore these up I scanned them into my computer and printed out smaller versions of the prints.   I collaged them into my sketchbook.

Then I moved on to using leaves.  I'll show you those in my next post.

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

Practising Gratitude

Thank you to all of you who have followed along with my 21 days of gratitude practice.  I have enjoyed hosting the series.

I hope you have developed a gratitude practice.   Today is Thanksgiving in the US which is why November has developed into the month when we talk nore about being grateful.  However I believe it is a lifestyle we should embrace all year round.

Thank you for joining me during the last 3 weeks.  I shall now return to my usual twice per week blogging. 

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice