I have a new hobby. One I’m not exactly great at
(which is a bit of an understatement) but one
which I love all the same… printmaking.
This studio is currently one of my favourite places.
A little haven of niceness.
I may have a creative job
(I’m an advertising copywriter by day)
but it’s to looming and multiple deadlines…
so it comes with a fair amount of stress.
{Ok, so it’s not like being a doctor
or running a nuclear facility…
but the way my stomach gets tied
in knots sometimes you’d think it was!}
So this place… and doing something where it’s ok to fail…
well, that’s pretty relaxing to me.
See that horses sign?
It’s for clothes horses from when
it was a public wash house…
not actual horses as I first thought!
The very first print I made was a collagraph –
basically a collage you then put ink on to.
It has to be said I enjoyed making my little collage
and then didn’t really like the resultant print!
Therapeutic all the same!
I also tried wood cutting… which is bloody hard!
{And even harder if you insanely decide you
want to carve circles into a piece of wood!!}
I did a little homage to my Polaroid 1000…
which came out not too bad I think.
The thing I liked best of all (weirdly) was dry point…
where you etch into metal the design you want to print.
Above is my first attempt…
a sort of 60s-esque New York-ish skyline.
I’m planning to do a much better version of this now
that my teacher has revealed I don’t have to do it all free hand…
but then I kind of like that I did it all that way.
And next? Well, I think I’ll do a proper screen printing course…
and maybe finally make my ‘create no nuisance’ print.
******
So what about you all? Is there something you love to do
that you’re not great at? I think the nice thing about
having a hobby you’re bad at is that, well,
maybe one day you’ll be good at it.
Or that’s what I tell myself!
what a lovely post! Where is that amazing place?
Good for you! Printing is hard, but full of happy accidents (and not so happy ones). Better than deadlines anyway…
Your Polaroid one is brilliant! What a great hobby 🙂
When I was leaving uni I had to decide if I was going to go into Graphic design or civil engineering… quite different I know. I decided to go into engineering because I always hated doing anything artistic with a deadline, I felt it just sucked ALL the fun out of doing it, which I never wanted to happen with graphics or drawing. So now I desperately find as many ways of being arty as possible…
Sorry for the essay of a comment 😛
Love the essay of a comment 🙂 Yeah deadlines do sort of remove the fun bit… Think that’s why it’s so nice to do crafty stuff in your spare time. (My other half choose between doing art and risk management so I know what you mean about that too!) 🙂
I LOVE these little prints. I remember doing lino printing at school and really loving it. I’m useless at knitting, but find it so therapeutic and love how portable it is. I need to take lessons so I can knit a successful scarf I think! x
Sarah Armstrong recently posted..Magpie Resolutions
Sarah, I’ve been attempting to re-learn to knit too… and yup, not really good at that either but you’re right it’s so therapeutic! I did a lesson where we knitted a hat… it’s not perfect but pretty impressive that I actually knitted a hat! 😉
I really want to try some screen printing but have no idea where to go–maybe its time to figure it out.
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This is so exciting! Love seeing these studio shots and the great things you’re experimenting with 🙂 Kx
Kylie recently posted..Our Creative Spaces: Finished Ripple Blanket
Will the create no nuisance be available for public sale!?!
anna and the ring recently posted..a brave new world
Oh maybe Anna… I guess we’ll see how the first batch turns out and then if people happened to be lovely/insane enough to buy them that would be rather nice!
not bad at all lady! i think it’s wonderful you’re doing it. when my fellas are both at school i plan to take many many courses. i’m sure you will get better and better and better! x
Good effort! It’s something I’ve always wanted to try but never got a chance to. My friend does amazing ones, maybe they’ll give you some inspiration! http://tworedtrees.co.uk/our-sellers/nick-radford
Ooh, cool! I tried screenprinting last winter and loved it – I want to go back some time and learn a little bit more.
Sarah Rooftops recently posted..I can’t fit a Sarah into a Pigeon Hole
Love your attitude! I agree that it is good to try new things with no pressure to be good right out of the gate. I just started (again) playing around with drawing. This is the first time I’ve given myself permission to draw badly. What a difference! Even my worst make me smile!
Awww, I love that Leanne – giving yourself permission to draw badly is a brilliant idea! Might try that… it’s been years since I’ve just drawn (an art teacher told me I couldn’t so that put me off!!)
I am one of those ‘jack of all trades’ types. I will give anything a go but I’m rarely very good at it. This includes most creative endeavours, but I enjoy them so much that I just do it anyway.
The same goes for singing – I love to sing, but I’m really not very good at it.
x
Elizabeth recently posted..Outfit: Springtime in February
I can totally see you as a singer Elizabeth! I’m quite fond of bursting into song every now and then… which tends to result in weird looks from the cats 😉
Reading and looking at this has made me think about how much I miss printmaking. I need to dig my lincutting things out next time I am in Paisley.
Cutting curvilinear shapes into wood is very difficult! There is a reason almost of of Escher’s work is geometric!
Lisa-Marie recently posted..…fond of weekends
I love your New York print – and all of these. What a brilliant hobby. I am rubbish at all my creative hobbies (knitting, sewing, card making) but love my lopsided creations a surprising amount. 🙂
Siobhan recently posted..Well I guess I should confess that I am starting to get old…
Printmaking would be the thing I really enjoy but am not very good at. I spent five happy years at printmaking evening classes. Making great friends and having good fun. This post reminds me of how much I enjoyed it and I should find a new class.
Joan Hunter Dunn recently posted..Gentle Rain
I want a commit no nuisance print!
Ooh @moosh you could be my first customer! That would be rather exciting!!
That looks absolutely awesome. Something I really really want to do too.
trishie recently posted..Moments from the weekend
I think your work is great! Where are you doing this course? I hope they have something similar in my hometown because it certainly does look therapeutic! Well done you!
Angy Braine recently posted..Oh Deer!
What a lovely post – and you seem to have a real knack for it straight away! My dad was well into screenprinting when we were younger – never was there a birthday without lots of special posters! He also used his skills for posters on socialist work demonstrations 😉
salidatious recently posted..Farewell from my Dad
Aww thanks 🙂 Not sure about a knack – but where there’s a will there’s a way right? How cool to have a screenprinting dad though! 🙂 Hope you still have some of the posters? x
How exciting, I just love printing but don’t seem to find the time anymore – I must.
Polly recently posted..commenting without stress
I’m so envious! Both of your talent and the opportunity. I have booked onto printmaking courses twice only to have them cancelled as there isnt enough interest…how can this be possible?!
OhAbigail recently posted..Birthday Weekend
Oh that’s a bit rubbish… the ones here are so popular that they’re quite hard to get into (they do have small classes though). Maybe you could rope some people you know into doing one too and then they’d have to hold it? P.S. I’d almost forgotten that was a Cure reference! 😉
Also, love The Cure reference!
OhAbigail recently posted..Birthday Weekend
This place looks super cool, and I love your New York design! I’d love to try screen printing, but I’m desperate to try letterpress too. I only really get to be creative out of work, and it can be so difficult to find the time, but I’m hoping to do an evening course in something creative this year!
Sally @ ourdreamlives recently posted..london lately
I too love printmaking. Such an enjoyable process. I did an introduction to printmaking course at Citylit a while back, which was so fun. Covered all the basics, except for wood cutting and screenprinting. When I’m not so time and cash poor I’ll definitely be doing another course.
Oh, here’s a post a did with a few prints in:
http://www.knittingontrains.com/2010/12/collagraph-printing.html
I *love* print making, learnt how to do it in college and have never done it since. Maybe I should try to find a local studio?
Dry point etchings were always my favourite.
I have many, many artsy/crafty hobbies. I’m probably not good at any of them, but it’s so much fun to play!
Hey! I’ve just accidently found your blog. It’s such an amazing place for ideas and etc. I read mostly everything during today and waitting new post very much ;))).
Wish that next project will be baby and baby stuff, heh. 😉
P.s. Sorry for my english, I’m not good at it.
Hi Justina… ha ha… no baby/baby stuff project yet, but maybe one day 😉 Thanks for stopping by though x
Oeoeoe…I love drypoint! I once made about 20 prints of a drawing of Molly…no one wanted to buy them…but I loved making ’em! 🙂
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That looks like a fantastic studio. Nice and bright and light, and high ceilings. I’m a sucker for high ceilings, until the winter comes and the cold is all around. I know what you mean about having a hobby. It’s nice to try something just for the fun and not feel pressured to get it right straight away. I’ve started to crochet and can feel it may be getting a bit addictive!
Emily x
Emily recently posted..Adventures :: Paris
Is that the Edinburgh Print studio – I think it is ??
Aine Scannell recently posted..Strong Waters
Hi Aine, well spotted, it is indeed. Wonderful space huh? x
Wow these look great! I love the poloroid and the skyline! I went on a screen printing class last year and loved it! I’m such a fair weathered crafter – I get really into something and then get really into something else! Although to be fair sewing and embroidery I always love! Next I want to do more mosaiics!
Love the NYC skyline print. I wonder if they have any print classes in San Francisco. I should totally find out — looks like a lot of fun.
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You inspired me to do a printmaking course – thank you for helping me find my creative mojo x