in the studio : June 2012

Last week I finally got back into the studio. I wasn't feeling like I would be productive but, something happened and I began experimenting with a new drawing that in a relative of the sounding series. I'm not sure this is the language for the whole series but I have found some new interactions that need more investigation.  I only made one drawing. It took me more than 8 hours. Will I make more or make something different? Not sure yet.

The first draw of white matte undercoat.

I used a plastic putty knife to drag a thin layer a skin of sorts in a long stripe. The sheet is Yupo. That means anything applied to the surface must air dry. That can take a considerable amount of time. I was pleased with the variation of the white paint. The translucency is  perfect for the metaphor of sounding.

The first green lines of the grid. Depth. Time.

My work always involves a grid to mark space/time.  This drawing is about the relationship to earth and sky. I selected a moss green pencil to create the first lines in the grid. The pencil glides across the surface quickly. I had to slow the draw to be sure to leave a mark. The first part of the grid took about 45 - 60 seconds to draw each line. It was quiet. I could only hear my breath.

 

Another divider of time. White lines sliding across the surface.

The second series of horizontal lines were drawn to bisect the space enclosed by the green lines. The white pencil slid across the surface so fast that I had to draw them even slower than the green lines. It took three times as lone at least. When these were completed I took a lunch break and hung the sheet to look at it from a distance and consider how I would make the next marks. It became clear that these drawing would only have a horizontal grid. No vertical lines the next series of marks would define the spaces without any boundaries.

I had purchased some new acrylic ink in New Paltz, NY a couple weeks ago and with the intent to use it in a series of drawings about earth and sky. I took out several possible tools to draw with the ink. I made several tests and all of them made large blobs. Without a porous substrate  I would need to put as little ink on the surface as possible. I had two choices; a technical pen or a dipping pen.

 

Marks using a new acrylic ink drawn with a sharp dipping pen.

Each tiny circle is drawn with a dipping pen. The marks were made until the ink ran out. The sharpness and inflexibility of the pen demands a light touch to draw a circle. Often a complete circle could not be drawn without the center filling in. These are like wormholes in wood. Strange little marks that test the depth from the surface and from the previous mark. Each circle is like a scratch.

 

Detail. A bit off focus.

Sorry this is out of focus. You get the idea though about the variation of the marks. They create a surprising sound and pattern when viewed from different distances. I fell in love with several of the marks.

 

The ink marks were drawn from left to right — top to bottom. Western language.

A view to see the variation of marks. Each mark is made in reference to the marks above and to the left. I skip spaces where the grid doesn't leave room for a mark to be made.

 

Final.

The final drawing. It's hanging in the studio waiting for me to look at it again.