Mark Making Mess
- Megan Wortley
- Sep 30, 2017
- 9 min read
Mark Making!
Having done this technique of experimenting with different marks before, I knew I would enjoy pushing my experimentation one step further. I know whenever I do this kind of exercise, that I'll learn something more about, patterns, whatever medium I'm working with, and more about the tools I'm using. For this project I used half the page on natural tools and the other with man-made tools. Eight pages for each, and although some of them are not my favourite, I love how much experimenting I did.
For my first page using natural
tools, I decided to start with one of the leaves I had found, printing with the Black water colour based printing ink I began.
On the right-hand side I was printing with the smoother side of the leaf, pressing down on it and then re-coating it in ink. I like how strong a contrast it came out looking.
Comparing it to the white paper background, the image is sharp, more dramatic.
On the left-hand side, I was using the veined rough part of the leaf, I did try using the same technique of coating it in paint and then using it as I would a normal stamp, however this time I was not happy with the look at all, as it did not print very well, and so I began to press down with my fingers in certain places. It came out looking like leafy finger prints.
There is a lot of contrast in this piece, between sharp and smooth, rounded and pointed. I also love the different marks that I was able to make with the two sides of the leaf.
I found the same pattern stemming out from one knot in this plank of wood. Obviously they are not exactly the same, however, the direction and stem of the leaves follow the same path of the lines in the wood. the texture of it is also similar to how the leaf printed. I thought it was interesting in the similarities.
For my second natural tool, I chose the dried butterfly plant. I think this page might be my favourite, as I really love this effect. Again, using the Black printing ink, I dipped the top of the flower in and then twirled it on the page. It has created an effect of something blowing in the
wind, or waves crashing against each other.
It has captured movement in it which I find fascinating.
This photo is not very clear, but I wanted to put it in, it had just started to rain when we were walking outside a few days after creating this page. It shows, in places how the raindrops made a rippling effect on the puddle of water.
I had not been able to see this kind of image in the marks I had made on the page before, but I now can see the same pattern reflected in this work.
My third piece, was made up of two natural tools.
I am not overly happy with this one, but I thought I should include it, to show that things don't always turn out how we want them to in mark making or in any art style.
Firstly, using the stem of a plant, and printing with the same black ink, I found that the plant I had chosen, was so flimsy that it did not print very well, and did not give a clear image of any kind.
Moving on and trying to save it, I then tried and failed to use a different leaf -which was the shape of an arrow head- but it was not printing well for me either and so I decided to leave this piece as is. One thing I like about it, is the stems, in places they look almost like cracked glass. However, I feel like the marks I had originally tried to make, did not come across and so this page for me is unsuccessful.
My fourth page, is again in the black printing ink, however the plant I chose for this was a Thistle weed.
I began this page, without a plan or idea, so having rolled it in the ink I basically decided to experiment with the different ways I could use the Thistle, tapping the edges to create the smaller marks, spinning it on the paper, and dragging it across the page.
There are some nice marks/details here, especially with the smaller circular marks and overall I think this is a good page, I set out to create lots of different kinds of marks and movement, and I have both here.
With this one again, I see trapped movement in places.
For my fifth page, I chose a fern leaf as my print and this time decided to mix my black ink with some of the white water colour printing ink.
I think this might be one of my favourites!
Having coated my fern leaf in the mixed inks, I began printing with it, I found placing a clean piece of paper over the leaf and pressing down on it evenly gave me a cleaner image.
Noting this for future reference I then began layering the prints up. I love this leaf print and the mix of the colours adds a nice smoothing effect.
This is what the original leaf looked like, however I broke off one of its stems rather than using the whole thing.
The natural tool I used for my sixth page was... My finger print!
Starting off with the black ink I dipped it in that once and then printed across the page so there was less and less paint on my finger with each stamp, this created an interesting pattern. Doing the same with the white ink I managed to get a different effect. Having done this a couple of times I then dipped my finger half in the black and then half in the white ink.
I love the different shades of black and white that I got from doing it this way, and there are multiple patterns going on, within each print and together as a whole. I think there is something quite calm about the way it fades out and the colours.
This pattern is for my seventh page. I decided on using the end of the bamboo sticks, mainly because of how uneven they are and because I wanted to see what sort of effect they would give. Having rolled them in the white and black printing ink, I placed them on the page and then rolled it in a see-saw motion. it created this cracked and dry looking effect. I continued layering with this same technique, crisscrossing them to see what would happen.
When we were out and about, I suddenly noticed the cracked pattern of the double yellow lines on the road.
It has had the same cracked effect and I really love it.
I like the marks individually.
For my eighth page I used drawing ink, and a straw. I began blowing the Drawing Ink across the page in different directions. I like the crazy free effect that this technique gives you. At first, I liked the fact, they looked like trees blowing in the wind, but continuing to add more ink it became a bit crazier and although the effect is interesting, I wasn’t happy with the end result. I think if I had gone in with different colours it would have improved the page/pattern.
This paint splatter on the wall outside is such a cool look, as well as the spiky effect from the impact of a paintball or whatever it was that made this pattern. It has captured the movement of the moment and is more of the look I was going for.
This was a study on Natural tools, and Man Made tools. Having shown you what I learnt from my Natural tools, let's get into the process I went through with the Man Made tools.
Having done my first half in only White, and Black watercolour printing ink, I thought adding an additional colour to my pallet would be interesting for my second half. I decided on a normal blue paint, and began.
Going into my first Man Made tools I added a blue paint to my pallet. Taking the Styrofoam which was in the shape of an 'S' I dipped it in the different colours on my pallet and I used it as a stamp, but I joined each print together, creating multiple shades along this wavy line. Then dragging the pigment down the page with my pallet knife it became this dripping, almost watery effect if it had been smoother and less harsh. I like the contrast of the broken line to the continuing bumpy line.
For the majority of these eight pages I am experimenting with colours and seeing what shapes I can make with the tools I find. For my tenth page, and second man made tool I chose a pallet knife. I made multiple rectangular and hour glass shapes. I like abstract painting and a pallet knife is a great way to create abstract shapes and colour mixes. I added different paints onto different parts of the pallet knife, giving a varied look.
This is another way of creating the pattern I did in my ninth piece using the Styrofoam, but this time using a pallet knife. I used the printing ink and scraped it across the page in a curving motion. I liked how this made the paint flow together with the different colours the look of it reminds me of pipes. I like the way this technique has affected the colours as they mix together.
My twelfth piece does not really have a pattern to it, but from experimenting with different ways
to use this tool I can very easily see how a pattern could be created with this. I used clothing size tags to make a different diamond and outlined effect. I like how some of them are overlapping and I think I would go in that direction if I was to create this into a continuation patterns. I really enjoyed making this one, and experimenting with using the tags in different ways.
There are squares everywhere, and the patterns vary, here are just some of the square patterns that I found.
The base pattern of the thirteenth page is the use of bubble wrap as a stamp. I love the look that this creates, however a lot of the colour on my pallet at the point I was using this was the white ink and a little blue, because of this I did not get the contrast I had been expecting. I then went on to outline certain sections of the pattern and even added more square shapes to see what that did but by that point it looked too busy. the original pattern I liked, but it did not come or look how I had wanted it to, and so, I didn't enjoy this one very much.
The kind of pattern that bubble-wrap makes is definitely reflected in this picture of the path.
I was not sure what to do for my fourteenth page, and then I found the bamboo pens and wanted to try and create a pattern with that. Using the drawing ink and the bamboo pens I drew diagonal lines on the page. while it was still wet I took the pallet knife and scrapped across the page to the right-hand corner, pulling the pigment with me. Although it overlapped in places, it reminded me of a skyline, of skyscrapers and the sort of pattern you might find on material. wanting to do the same in the opposite direction I then added blue paint with the pallet knife. This gave an interesting effect but think I would like the black images to be cleaner and more precise with the blue for the back ground, again creating the continuation of a pattern.
My fifteenth page turned out looking like an hour glass, or two flowers, with their petals reaching for each other. For this I used a fork and the pallet knife, with the black, and white watercolour printing ink, and a little of the blue paint. Using the fork I dragged the paint into a figure of eight and then used the pallet knife to scrap it away leaving the flowing effect. I enjoyed making this one but I found the fork more difficult to use than I had expected, and it did not give the look I had expected. Mainly because it could not carry a lot of paint.
And finally, for my last page I used a jar, drawing ink, washing up liquid and a straw. I made the bubbled pattern by blowing through the straw into the mixture of ink and washing up liquid. The bubbles grew until they were higher than the jar the mixture had been in. Before they flattened down I placed the paper on top and then pulled it off. I did this multiple times, until I got the finished effect. I did not expect it to turn out the way it did and I like the way they kind of blur into each other but still build on the page. This is the kind of pattern that will not be the same twice, and I love the detailed marks that are in this piece.
Bubbles and raindrops, they look pretty similar. This is a photo of a metal poll with raindrops on it, the random placement is very similar to the page on bubbles.
Over all I am really happy with how this first exercise went. I really like the marks I was able to make and had a lot of fun doing it. It will be nice to see how I will be able to include some of them into my later projects.
Marks and Patterns are everywhere, since this exercise I have started to notice them more around me.
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