New beginnings

Thanks to the Pikaland Bootcamp I am now online and have set up a blog!
I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone - I'm very excited to share my work and connect with like minded people.

For my first post I wanted to share a bit about myself and my work. I usually work with paper, constructing 3D pieces, collage, printmaking onto or making artists books. Recently I’ve been exploring compositions using transparent coloured shapes using a light box. I am very interested in movement and want to draw your eye in and around my work. It is as much about the process as the end result – I like a hands on approach using trial and error. A lot of mock ups are made during the process until I have found the right materials to use.

I really hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoy creating it  - here is a sneak preview of my how I create my work.

The themes I've been working on have been about light reflection and movement in dance. Based on drawing and research on the theme I cut out shapes from coloured OHP acetate and arrange on the light box. I take lots and lots of photos of as many different compositions as possible with the range of shapes. Because of the transparency the overlapping of shapes creates new colours and depths of tone.

Next I use Photoshop to enhance the best images and correct the yellow cast from the light box.

The image is then printed out onto a smooth gloss paper, and cut again around the shapes using a scalpel. I mount it onto 350gsm ivory watercolour paper using 3M Photomount Spray adhesive. I really enjoy the contrast between the smooth raised print and the textured heavy paper.

 

I have framed this using a light wooden box frame with no glass. 

The work is raised up from the mount using two layers of foam board.