Title: Empty
Size: 30cm x 23 cm Medium: linoleum print Exhibition Text This piece emphasizes my personal relationship with jewelry. Wearing lots of jewelry each day is how I express myself and it is important to me since most of my pieces come from family and friends. In this artwork, all of the spots where I typically have jewelry on are disconnected from my body to show how I feel empty without it. |
Artist Inspiration
Artist in Focus: Erhard Ratdolt
Ratdolt was a printer from the 15th century in Austria. He primarily printed textbooks for new advancements within the science world which took him to Venice, where printing was much more popular. I was inspired by this textbook page from him because of the intrigue pattern around the border of the page. I made my own pattern around the border of my artwork but did not replicate the pattern exactly just followed some of the same shapes and movements. People are still unsure how exactly he placed all of these diagrams within these textbooks but we do know that he was one of the first to print books relating to modern science. |
Planning
I started my planning process by tracing the size of the linoleum block on a piece of paper and then measuring 1 and a half inches from the outside around to create the border. Then the inside image I made a grid since I was using a reference photo and did not want the proportions to be off. I drew myself out by following the grid and then circled anywhere where I saw changes in shadows and highlights. The hardest part was making the border pattern since I wanted there to be enough going on while still looking neat.
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Then I took a larger sharpie and drew in any area that was going to remain black so I could get a good sense of what I needed to carve to be white. I was going to use dashes for shadows that were not dark enough to be completely black but I thought that it would ruin the cartoon style I was trying to achieve.
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Process
Once I got done with the hands and face, I got to work on the shirt which although had a lot of folds, was mainly larger spaces so I switched the tool I was using for a larger blade. This part was much easier since I could get sections done a lot faster and not have to worry about ramming over lines I was not supposed to.
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Then once I finished everything on my person, I started on the background. I thought that this part was going to be a lot quicker but it still took me a significant amount of time. I first outlined the subject and then worked my way out towards the border. I had spots where I pushed the chisel down too hard into the linoleum so I got a whole completely through the block.
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This was the printing process where I took a metal sheet and globed water based ink down. I then took a brayer and spread the ink evenly over the tray until it made a sticky sound when I rolled the brayer. Then I took the brayer and rolled it over the linoleum block and made sure to cover everywhere. Then I laid a piece of paper over it carefully and pressed down so the ink touched the paper. This process got me to my final print.
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Experimentation
I was working on creating the border pattern in the beginning of this process but did not know what I wanted to do exactly. This was my first attempt at recreating something similar to my inspiration but I knew that I was not going to use this in my final piece because I felt like it did not fit my inspiration as much as I wanted it too.
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Critique
Similarities:
The biggest similarity is with the border since they make up the piece as a whole. This draws the attention of the audience and towards the outside of the piece and the shapes are a like in the way that there is a large circle on the bottom center that branches out with curves. |
Differences:
The most major difference is how the inside of the border is not text but rather an image too. The artist inspiration only prints diagrams to be used within textbooks so he has the border stand by itself but I wanted the border to be part of the artwork as a whole. |
Reflection
I really enjoy making block prints and I want to continue making more in the future. The material is relaxing to work with since I can see all of the details come to life with each carve but one downside is actually trying to start the piece. It can be very difficult to tell how the end product is going to look so the planning was a really important step to get the best vision possible before starting. The printing process is difficult as well but each time I do it, I feel like I get more and more advanced with how I lay the ink and what I need to do to make the block print clean in all areas.
ACT Questions
ACT
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
The inspiration drastically changed by artwork since I had a vision of what I wanted to show within my art but I did not know how to show it in a visibly appealing way but my inspiration guided me.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Even something as mundane as a science textbook can be presented as a work of art as long as the person publishing cares about what they are making.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Printing linoleum blocks can be a lot easier when you understand the types of blades that should be used within certain scenarios. Also that printing is not always for making art but to make all kinds of literary work.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
The theme of my inspiration is improving the availability of modern science while also making the audience engaged with beautiful diagrams.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
Even when art does not come out as the way the artist originally intended it be, it does not decrease in value in any way.
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
The inspiration drastically changed by artwork since I had a vision of what I wanted to show within my art but I did not know how to show it in a visibly appealing way but my inspiration guided me.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Even something as mundane as a science textbook can be presented as a work of art as long as the person publishing cares about what they are making.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Printing linoleum blocks can be a lot easier when you understand the types of blades that should be used within certain scenarios. Also that printing is not always for making art but to make all kinds of literary work.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
The theme of my inspiration is improving the availability of modern science while also making the audience engaged with beautiful diagrams.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
Even when art does not come out as the way the artist originally intended it be, it does not decrease in value in any way.
MLA citation
https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.32826.html
https://art.thewalters.org/detail/27105/elementa-geometriae/
https://art.thewalters.org/detail/27105/elementa-geometriae/