Process:1. PLANNING:
In order to start an effective piece, there needs to be plenty of planning involved. For a print, the main source of planning were sketches. I made sure to draw at least five sketches, therefore I'd have more of a choice rather than a trial and error experience. For the first sketches, I went for a fantasy theme. I wanted to incorporate some sort of malicious design, because when I look at block prints they just resemble some sort of darkness. However, I also wanted to have a theme of which I could relate to. That was my culture. It took me a while to think of the game, "La Loteria". Once I did, I knew right away that I wanted to do the sun. It just seemed to have the right amount of detail to be displayed through a block print. Although I was originally set with the idea, I needed to do more than that. I couldn't just settle as easily. I thought of the sun and the aztec calendar was the first thing that came to mind. I knew that it needed to be an addition to my piece. It would add that tone that I wanted, and make the print a powerful piece. MY SKETCHES: 2. START CARVING
Once, I had picked my sketch, I made sure to copy it into my piece of linoleum. I made sure to make everything a proportionate as possible and for it to be the right size so that my details wouldn't be a pain to carve. After coping down my sketch, I chose the carving tools that I was going to use. I made sure to pick out a tool for the outside, and for the medium as well as small details. Then, it was time to carve. Carving my design was quite difficult since there were a lot of curves, and circular details. When I got done carving with the detail I carved the outside, which was a lot easier. However, there were times when I would carve too deep and make holes into my linoleum piece so I taped them from the back so when I did my prints it wouldn't create a mess. MY CARVING OUTCOME: 3. CREATE PRINTS:
When creating a print for a block print, it can be pretty easy if executed correctly. The first trials will be quite hard. Especially if you don't know for how long to put pressure with the baren onto the print so that it could actually show up. After several times of printing, and re carving all the little pieces that kept showing up, I got the perfect print! MY PROCESS PRINTS: |
"El Sol"
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For this piece, I was able to incorporate my culture as well as a part of my childhood. When I was young, I was very into playing this game named "La Loteria" with all of my family. (You can get background, and historical information if you click on the "Loteria Series" tab above under "Art/Visual Art Journal".) The game consists of different cards with different symbols and picture in each, as well as their name. When thinking of an inspiration, that came into mind and I really wanted to reinvent one of the symbols. In order to create my own version I incorporated my culture through the Aztec Calendar. In the indigenous Mexican culture the Aztec Calendar is the representative of the God of the Sun, which was who they mainly worshipped. I simply put two and two together to be able to make a piece that incorporated a little bit of both. The calendar is known for its incredible detail, but since this was a block print, I knew that it was not going to be possible to carve the detail with the tools we were provided with. However, I wanted to make sure that my design still resembled the calendar as well as the playing card.
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MEANING OF PIECE:
Throughout most of my planning and printing process, I had difficulty trying to figure out what I exactly wanted to do with my piece and what theme I wanted to incorporate into it. Due to the relativity to the game, "La Loteria", I knew that I was displaying a bit of my childhood. Within this, a part of my culture is also displayed, but in literal terms, my piece is the design of a sun. One of which could be interpreted into many different things. For example, one may think of the sun as something powerful, and strong, just like the Aztecs. However, there are people that see the sun as inspiration, "a light that never goes out". It's a matter of how one wants to think of it. I personally feel as the sun is both a sign of perseverance as well as strength. A person, just like the sun can shine on forever, however it's rare for one to do so. Life is filled with several obstacles that can make one dull, but it's all a matter of continuing a fight.
REFLECTION:
After the completion of my piece, I was originally very upset with the outcome. The only way that I would feel better was by thinking that there will be more projects to come in which I would do a better job. However, I don't think I ever gave this block print a chance for me to even like it. I would only look at the mistakes I made and what I could've done better. Like the outlining of the border being off due to carving mistakes, and some of the ink missing within the design due to more carving mistakes. Once I was done with the entire series of both my prints, I was able to look at the print with new eyes. I actually appreciated what it did and looked at what I liked. For example, the nose of the face, as well as the positioning of it, and the way that I was able to combine both components into one successful piece. Although there are parts that I'm still not too sure about, I know that it's going to be like that with most projects and I need to admire what I got going on because I did work hard for it to happen.
Tools:
- Linoleum (what I carved to create the print)
- Carving Tools (wide and round tip for outside carving, medium and square tip for detail around the circle, and small triangular tip for smallest detail)
- Ink (water base)
- Brayer (used to put ink onto the carving)
- Baren (used to transfer ink into the paper)