Fish box

I found this long slim box awhile ago and thought it could be useful to decorate at some point but I wasn't sure with what. Inspiration hits me at the most ungodly hours sometimes.  Today it was at 5am.  Tripod was outside, it being a very warm night and he decided that there was an cat intruder he should see off.  The sounds of hissing and spitting and growling woke me and I had to get up to sort him out and haul him inside.

Once I get up, I can't go back to sleep, no matter what the time.  So at 5am, armed with coffee and a box sitting in front of me this little capelin appeared on the box.  It is the perfect size and shape for this fish and with the seeming lack of capelin on the beaches this year, it may be all I see of them or it can preserve the one fish that I get!


Tonight I added some colour to it.  I am using watercolour.  On wood you say?  Yes, I like how it stains the wood instead of painting it and gives it an antique feel.  The initial layers are down along with a little silver gild for fishy sheen. Tomorrow I'll add some details and deepen the colours.  The box is 8 1/4 x 2 x 2".

Fish wrapped in newspaper

In my quest for interesting supports for my gyotaku prints, I had an idea of using Japanese language newspapers.  That sent me on a quest to find an accessible newspaper that would fit the bill.  Vancouver Shinpo contacted me and provided me with some back issues of its papers which are perfect for what I want.

I promised them a fish print on their newspaper as a thank you for sending their papers to me.  So tonight I printed a yellowtail flounder on it using Prussian Blue Caligo ink.  Caligo make lovely oil based inks (Safe Wash) that are water soluble, making clean up so much easier.

I know newsprint does not age well and there are a few things I can do to try to preserve it as talked about in this article.  However, I look at this as a temporary and interesting support that should look even better when the paper ages under glass.

Prepping a fish for printing

 

When presented with a challenge you sometimes have to just face it head on and do it. 

That was the case today with me and a sculpin.   I was given a short horn sculpin caught last night and have to say that I found it pretty daunting to consider for printing. These are strange, prehistoric looking fish that most people toss back in horror when they catch one.  The sculpins have a defense mechanism of nasty barbs and spines on their dorsal fins that inflict a very painful sting. Protective gloves and careful handling were a must.

So here I am, faced with this fish.  I figured I'd have a go at printing it and use the opportunity to do a little view of how I prep a fish for printing. 

Fish are covered in slippery mucus.  This helps them glide through the water and protects them against disease.  The sculpin seemed to have an excess of this so the first step was to wash it off.  Salt acts as an abrasive and helps get the mucus off the fish with the help of a scrubbing brush.  Not too roughly as I don't want to break the skin.

Rinsing off the fish under cold water brought back its colours, but another couple of layers of salt and scrubbing were required to get all the mucus off the fish.

Because these fish are voracious feeders, they always have distended stomachs.  That, combined with the large bony head made it a candidate for a sand bed for printing.   This means that the fish is embedded in sand that has been covered with plastic wrap.  It makes the fish more level for printing and allows the fins to be splayed out as they would be when the fish is swimming.

I ink the fish using a brush, then even out the coating of ink with a foam brush or piece of kitchen towel to make sure there isn't too heavy a layer of ink.

Once inked, I insert paper under the tail and fins to get a clean print and prevent any excess ink that was on the film from transferring to the paper.

Next I lightly dampen the paper I'm using and lay it over the fish, molding and patting it so it fits the contours and gives a good print.

Then its the moment of truth and I peel back the paper to see if the print has worked well or not.  There are usually three or four prints taken before I get one that I'm happy with.  Wrinkles in the paper are irrelevant and shouldn't be worried about.  They will be eliminated once the piece is wet or dry mounted later.

Lincoln

I'm nearly back to the point where I can work on some fish printing and painting, having caught up on commissions and sales.  It really is quite a lot of work keeping on top of the non creative side of art, but the benefits let me sleep at night and not worry that I've forgotten something.

Printing keeps me busy, but I also do other pieces to keep my interest level high and to ensure that I don't get too rusty in other techniques.

Elaine of Cedar Knoll Farm has some beautiful horses that I always admire.  One of the horses was frolicking in a new pasture and  the image caught my eye so I asked if I could try my hand at him.  I'm considering a watercolour, but drawing also seems to be pulling me.  I hope to decide tomorrow what direction it will take.   I may not be quick on this, depending on what else I have to accomplish but I wanted to make a start.

Here is the line drawing of the handsome Lincoln.  The shadow patterns from his mane onto his body interested me.  I can see a bit of masking fluid in my future if I go with watercolour.  Or a bit of indenting if I try graphite.  Decisions, decisions...

Slow Herring

Time has gotten away with me this week and there are lots of pieces waiting in my head to go onto paper.  Unfortunately having the available chunks of time to make a start on this is the challenge.

However, this herring is determined to make its presence known to me.  The sleek shape and amazing shine and colours in the fish keep pulling me back to it and giving me inspiration for different media and sizes.

I played around with this simple sketch of the fish in pen, blocking in shapes and values to get an idea of where I'm going with it.  I find more and more how preliminary studies of a subject help me problem solve and save me so much time on a full piece.  I know we often rush ahead, wanting to get into the 'meat' of the piece and sometimes then get stuck in composition or value or colour palette which can all be worked out in a small piece that often has a lot of merit as a painting or drawing in its own right.

Rennies Mill River

Here is another of my 'hidden' rivers from the series that I'm producing of overlooked tributaries to the sea within the city  of St. John's.  Its in soft pastels on Canson paper and measures about 10 x 12 inches.

This is truly an urban section of the river but with a touch of greenspace to it too.  It is flanked on one side by a larger supermarket and carpark, on the other a soccer field. This is part of a larger section of Rennies Mill River which empties into Quidi Vidi Lake then on through a rocky river to the sea.   This section of the river does have  walking trail next to it, but at this time of year is well disguised in green grasses, trees and weeds. 

My view west into this river is from the bridge where the river flows under to the lake.  Quidi Vidi Lake is littered with ducks and many make the high grasses their homes in the summer seeking out shady spots in the heat of the day.

View Larger Map

Wordless Wednesday

 

OK, nearly wordless.  I am up to my neck in fish and prints and commissions, but couldn't resist this little bowl of tiny tomatoes in the sun this evening. The first cherry tomatoes from the greenhouse.  Yummy. I love the contrast in colour with the darkness of the bowl as well as that shadow.

Now I wonder if I can exist on 2 hours of sleep a day...?  I could fit everything in then.  Just about.

 

And a glimpse of a herring caught quite accidentally tonight by the tail.  The iridescence of the scales is beyond amazing on this fish.

...good intentions...

I haven't done a lot of drawing lately and I miss it.  And even when I get a chance to draw, they are more sketches or studies than finished drawings.

I started this little portrait of a whippet and his cat pal. Again, time got the best of me and good intentions to complete it lost and it joined the pile of other good intentions to be finished at a later date.

I loved the expression on the dogs face.  The cat was so unique, all wrinkled and hairless.  Poor thing would freeze here or roast in the summer. However the pose was interesting and I *will* return to this to create a full portrait soon.

This study was done in coloured pencil, Coloursoft, in an 8 x 10 sketchbook.

Skating party

What happens when you have a skate, some ink and some mulberry paper?

You have a skating party!

Sorry for the lines crossing this image.  Its the grouting on the floor tiles and the mulberry paper is quite thin.  Most papers that I use are tissue like and translucent which make them very suitable for gyotaku as they mold around the body of the fish much more easily.

With these initial prints, I'm working out composition to find the best placement for the different fish shapes. These are like printer's proofs in a way, as they give me room to adjust ink amounts and paper used to help obtain a better print.  First time is rarely a keeper with gyotaku, so the benefits of a 70 foot roll of mulberry or rice paper are much appreciated.  I also use newsprint or old newspapers to take initial prints to see how they'll turn out.

Earlier this year, I found some Mermaid or Devil's purses on the beach and sketched them.  These egg cases belong to this creature or a similar version of it. I'm not sure of the exact species of this skate and there are so many types.  I know that smooth, thorny and barndoor skate are all caught off Newfoundland.

Urban rivers

 River - Austin Street East

 pastel   10 x 13

I've made a start on a small series, that may turn into a larger series, of urban rivers. This is the first piece and I've done about half of the second, looking west. 

Each day when I go to work I pass by rivers, most of which I pay no attention to as they've become part of the landscape and almost swallowed up by the sprawl of concrete and buildings that surround them.  But they persist and run through, under and around the city, making their way to the ocean.

I decided to track some of these rivers on their journey.  This view of the river is on Austin Street, looking east.  The river isn't deep and the undergrowth is threatening to take over at this time of year.  Even though this isn't the origin of the river, it was a starting point, simply because I work in the area and pass by it every day.   They'll all be sequenced at a later date to track the water's progress to the sea.

On Google Maps, Street View, you can see the point at which the river flows under the road and on further into the city.

View Larger Map

An idea germinating

I've had an idea floating around in my head for ages and just the other week managed to get some concrete research done on it.

Until I get some basics down on paper, I can't really say more except that it involves water and the city and me in some 'interesting' places.

Here's a hint.

Big and little fish

I haven't abandoned you all, just been very very busy with work and people and networking and fish.  And little time left over for art creation.  This is one of the few times that I haven't produced anything for days and I feel the need to do so desperately.  But it may have to wait another day or two until life slows down a little more.

This print at the top of this page is from a winter flounder that was given to me a week or two ago.  The skin texture on this fish is amazing and as rough as sandpaper.  Flounder or flatfish always interest me, one, because they're easier to print and two, because they're just such odd creatures with eyes and mouth slewed to one side. 

When I print fish, I do a few test pieces first on inexpensive paper to see how they turn out and what needs adjustment before moving on.  Then I print on my intended paper and add colour to see how it behaves on that paper.  I make several prints on this paper to allow a margin for error as it may take 3 or 4 prints and enhancements before I get a piece that I approve of.

My networking did pay off and I was given a lovely cooler of frozen fish today that I will look forward to starting to print this weekend.  There are a variety of flounder in it as well as capelin, herring, arctic char, whole crab, sea cucumber and a gigantic Atlantic salmon.  I never thought I could get excited about fish, but its happened.  I've had to commandeer a little freezer in the barn to accommodate the fish and others that will be added to them as and when they arrive through the food fishery that starts on the 24th.

A lot of work was tempered with a little play this week and I went out on a whale tour boat.  Capelin are swarming the bays now and with them, come the humpback whales. The day was fine and warm, but the wind made the water a bit choppy heading out to Gull Island.  The whales were there feeding, were friendly and were very close.  Here's one that floated on his back next to the boat, waving his long flukes in the air and slapping them on the water from time to time.  He was beautiful.  And provided more inspiration for a painting. 

I guess a whale is too big to print, but a bit of that fluke might fit... Then he turned over and dived down under the boat, leaving a whale footprint behind. The footprint is a flat surface of water left by the force of the water made by the whale's tale when diving.  You can follow the path of the whale by its 'footprint'.  Such amazing creatures.

Banana kiss finished

I've finally found a little time to complete this watercolour.  Am I happy with it?  Not 100%.  There are passages that I like and there are passages that I consider overworked, but I'm not able to invest any more time in it right now and have to move on.  I do like the challenge of working with folded and wrapped paper items.  It satisfies the detail freak in me. :)

I have long had a dislike of the up close views of images on a computer screen and feel that all pieces benefit from being displayed from an appropriate distance as they would be in reality.  The option of inspecting a piece more closely is here as well as a more traditional view.

This is watercolour done on 200lb Arches paper and measures about 22" x 15".

Salt cod

Herring study 1

As and when I get fish, I'm printing them.  One of the challenges of this project is actually getting my hands on whole fish here.  Its a lot more difficult that I imagined it would be.   There is lots of fish in stores but its usually filleted with occasional whole fish found.  So I'm venturing further afield into the commercial fishery world and hope that I'll have more luck there even if it means some lengthy trips to get them.

The recreational food fishery begins on July 24 which means for a few weeks people can fish for ground fish but are limited in numbers caught daily and all ground fish are counted as part of the catch.  In 1992, the federal government put a moratorium on the northern cod industry in the province, throwing 30,000 fishermen out of work and making it impossible for people to catch a fish for food.

Today, a local lobster fisherman brought a classic Newfoundland staple - salt cod.  These are cod that were caught in the previous season, salted and dried and are a cultural icon of the province.  Salting and drying cod was the only method of preserving it many years ago and today the tradition remains in some smaller communities.  Its also a throwback to the Portugese connection too, where bacalao is a staple food.  The Portugese have had a strong fishing relationship with Newfoundland for hundreds of years.

I will keep a couple for eating and the other, now soaking in water to rehydrate, will turn into a print.

The birth of an art piece

I have ideas for a new piece going around in my head and I like to work out those ideas as studies and little thumbnails, as what's in my head and what comes out on paper usually needs a lot of adjustment.

It usually starts with sketches like the first shown and little notes doodled on any paper that is handy.  It then translates to tracing paper, then to the final form that it will take, whether enlarged, reduced, watercolour, oil, etc.

I rather like a little online drawing tool called Harmony.  Its so handy to quickly sketch out ideas using a mouse which is what I've done here.  I did this in colour then resaved it as a jpeg file then emailed it to myself, as I'd done this at lunchtime.  However, the file mysteriously changed colour and went very  black.  I'm not sure why.  So I redid it and have something similar here.

 I do have a graphic tablet and pen, but just can't be bothered to haul it out so used the mouse to draw this.  The pen would give me a lot more control but the mouse isn't bad for roughing things in.

It can and will change a lot between the initial concept and the final piece.  Some people don't like to work out composition or values or colour and just jump right into a piece.  I guess I'm methodical in some ways by wanting and needing to know my path and what I will take with me on the way.  I like making my mistakes early and learning from them.  Preferably not on an expensive sheet of paper!

I can do anything?

I completed a commissioned portrait which is now shipped off to its new owner.

This was done in coloured pencil on a softer Rives paper.  The image was from a photo of perhaps 1960s in black and white which I coloured based on a childhood photo that was supplied.  I wanted a grainier final image that would give a bit of sense of age to the piece and I think that worked.

There is always a heart in mouth moment while waiting for a client to approve a piece.  We always fear the worst, don't we?  I believe all artists have a degree of self doubt that clings and makes us wonder about our abilities to produce.  Is it a form of self protection, to brace ourselves for the worst possible outcome - that someone actually would voice our innermost fears?  Or is it engrained humility coming from years of parents and society telling you that you should not show your abilities to the world and be boastful?

These days parents go to other extremes and constantly tell children they can do anything, be anything, conquer the world.  That is fine to a degree, but in this little video clip, I wonder how much pumping up this child has on a daily basis and how hard the fall will be when she realizes at some point, likely outside the family unit, that she actually can't do everything she wants to do.  Reality and research shows that too much positive reinforcement for every little thing a child does or produces in life is as damaging as negativity in response to their activities.

I am the first to say that a person can achieve what they want, provided they are willing to put in the effort - the 10,000 hours.  I deal a lot with youth in my job and have found that they are frequently bound up in the 'I can do anything' mode but are not willing or able to put in the work to achieve it.  It is, in fact, the parents who often deal with the ins and outs that the youth should be.  Confused? I know I am.  The message that is sent is 'you can do anything you like, but I'll take care of the parts you don't enjoy'. 

Banana kiss update

I've added some more layers to this painting and am at risk of turning it to mud.  The freshness that I started with seems to disappear and my hand chooses the wrong colour or the wrong value of colour and so on and so on.

I had this same issue when adding a watercolour tint to a fish print that I did this weekend. Its a bit like that nursery rhyme: "when she was good, she was very very good and when she was bad, she was horrid".   Painting and drawing seem to follow the same way.  Some days it flows effortlessly, some days its not worth going into the studio as things do not turn to gold but to sawdust.

I will leave this piece for a few days then go back and see what I can salvage.  I keep trying to analyse why I can't produce what I want to produce sometimes, but I know that its simply how it is and I must learn to go with the flow.  The muse will return and finish the image for me.

Little things

Often the smallest things provide the most challenge and the most pleasure. I had been printing some capelin and used one to print onto some rough, hand made paper.  The image here of the print is the pertty much actual size.  Some people surprised to see that capelin are quite small, delicate looking fish, so my past painting at 12 x 36 was a stretch.

I was using some of the Caligo inks that I received today and both reviving some old lino cut plates as well as adding more printed leaves to my collection.  This is Indian paper and measures 3 x 4 inches.  I've been using it to print a little series of leaves from the garden, mostly herb, but some trees as well. 

Today it was marshmallow.  Yes, this is the original marshmallow, a far distant cousin from that sweet, white, spongy confection found in stores.  Marshmallow roots as well as leaves are used to sooth sore throats, as well being quite good for inflammation and used commonly in handmade skin care creams.  I love the leaves, not so much for their form, but texture.  They feel like velvet.  The little white flowers are fairly innocuous but the plant is a keeper in my garden.

These, or something similar, may well make their way into my Etsy store as affordable, original prints.

The morning after the night before

This is the result of staying out all night, picking fights with black cats and a very hot day.  Boy, Tripod sure was a cranky boy today.  At least in the moments he wasn't comotose...

See?  I could even get photos of him without him waking up and glaring at me or stomping off in disgust.

 While he slept, the ducks explored a bucket of water.  BD, the Muscovy, doesn't like sunshine directly on him and he doesn't like water.   So he puts his beak in the water then flaps his wings furiously as if he was totally submerged in the water, going through preening motions.  He's always been this way and at 9.5 years, he's not going to change.  Lucky, the Pekin, simply watches BD and waits his turn then virtually dives into the bucket, splashing water everywhere.

More explorations

This is a glimpse into a piece I'm exploring using gyotaku.  This brook trout is my guinea pig for a variety of compositions, techniques and washi papers.  I will also be using some prints to test wet mounting.  This is the method of backing the painting with another similar sheet of paper to strengthen it in preparation for framing.  It also eliminates any wrinkles that occur during the printing and colouring process.  I will be using wheat paste as the 'glue' and am hoping that this won't disturb the print or watercolour on the painting.  If it does, I guess dry mounting will be the other option, though more expensive.

I'm experimenting with a variety of Japanese papers until I find the ones that best suit my need and the needs of gyotaku.  These papers are so different from the usual art papers.  They're light, with tissue-like qualities in some, denser in others.  Some are machine produced and some hand made. Some have sizing, some not.  They range from $1.25 a sheet to $15 a sheet.  (I haven't dared print the $15 sheet yet).  The most expensive sheet of paper I've seen is $190 for a 32" x 72" sheet.  It is gold Fusuma and  I don't think that's in my budget and even if it were, I'd be holding my breath the whole time I was using it, waiting for something to go wrong.

As I experiment, I find out more and more about the potential of gyotaku simply by the printing and enhancing process.  There are endless options available to me in terms of enhancement. and the print technique is like unveiling a new gift each time I peel it off the fish.

The prints stand alone without any additions except painting an eye. The paper can act as the showcase using the colour as part of the piece or natural paper can be used which allows for additional enhancement of colour, backgrounds, shadowing, etc.   Enhancing with watercolour on paper that is very lightweight is fraught with problems.  Water spreads out uncontrollably but I'm now able to get more control by knowing what mediums hold in the water, just how much pressure to use on the paper and where exactly it will spread.

I thought coloured pencils may be useful, but find a sharpened point is death to lightweight paper.  It pierces it easily or pills the surface if I rub a blunter pencil over it.  I think watercolour will be my medium of choice, and great care taken with it.  Pastel can work if very lightly applied as I want to print to show through clearly and have the colour tint it.

I am in the process of creating the content for a gyotaku workshop which will be held in March 2011 in St. John's.  More details on that once content and venue are finalized.  All I can tell you is that it will be a one day workshop that will enable participants to go home with a number of beautiful fish prints and a lot of knowledge.

Brook trout

Brook trout

9 x 12  graphite

A friend provided me with some local brook trout which I gratefully accepted.  Two were scheduled for the freezer for a later date and one to work with now.  This is a life (or should that be death) sketch of the fish.  

The coloration in this fish is quite appealing and an intimate view of fish reveals a lot of detail that we miss in most other dealings we have with them.  They are quite exquisite in form and engineering.  The colours and patterning is complex and perfectly designed for their environment.

I'm sure this sounds odd to many.  Its just a fish they say.  When was the last time you really looked at a fish?  Try it.  You'll be amazed.

Banana kiss update

I've been working on several pieces at once, as I usually do, as well as putting together a new artist statement.  There are so many things going on in my head, if one could see inside it would consist of many rooms all filled with activity and new projects being plunked down on the table in each room sometimes before the first has even gotten underway.

And for me, that's pretty much the norm.  I sometimes wonder if other creative people's mind work similarly, then another thought comes in and moves the first away for later.

Last night and early this morning I started adding some colour to the drawing that I did on Sunday.  Its fairly basic values right now but will start getting some form soon.  This is the banana flavour of this brand of candy, not a flavour I like and the colour of the candy inside the wrapper is about the same colour as the wrapper itself.  An unwrapped candy is yet another piece in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, I'm still printing fish as and when I get them.  Later this month the food fishery starts so I will be able to access some whole cod.  Yes, on this island, we receive permission from the government for a week or two a year to go catch a fish that has been one of the world's staples for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.  No, I won't get into that debate now.  Its long and heated.

I also have a side series of fish images in oils on fairly large canvasses.  One down, two or three to go.  I will be setting a date and venue for the workshop I have planned for gyotaku in the spring.  Yes it seems a long way off, but time flies by and I want to have the basics in place so its one less thing to think about.

Drawing

 
We're all guilty of it at one time or another.  We push ahead, wanting to move into what we believe is the better place.  A place more interesting or one that will enable us to do what we enjoy more or to fulfil more quickly the vision that is in our heads.

For those that know me, they'll know that I mean the drawing.  For me, the underdrawing of a painting, especially watercolour or a portrait is a crucial element.  It is the backbone of the piece and without it, the chances of achieving that vision in my head usually fail.

Of course there are loose impressionistic pieces that can become something wonderful with the right brushstrokes and colour values under experienced hands.  But I need that groundwork to guide me, especially in complex pieces such as this one.

I spent most of this afternoon creating the drawing for a new painting.  Its another Purity Kisses piece, that chewy candy that is produced here.  I think part of the appeal for me is the drawing.  I love the complexity of the folds and lettering and how it bends and distorts as the paper folds over itself.

This is on 200lb watercolour paper and measures 15 x 22.