2021-04-07
I feel pretty lucky that I actually have a space I can call my studio. At times I think about having much more space and have to remind myself to be grateful. Here’s a recent pic of my studio (by the way I’m having fun with the panorama feature on my camera). Since this pic was taken I’ve expanded and tidied the area a bit after my partner, Ian, kindly helped reorganize and decluttered a few boxes of stuff.
I was thinking about art making tools as I looked at all the art ‘stuff’ I have and was ordering more paint and paper this morning. Being limited for space and also an environmentalist at heart I started thinking about what I own and what do I really need?! I haven’t thought about tools much until I started making more abstract art. Its so fun to make scribbles, lines and marks unique to me. So l realized I have some favorites right at the moment and wanted to look at what else would be fun to have. Don’t you think it’s wise to take stock sometimes? So I took a good look at what’s in my studio.
So much of what I use are bits and pieces of repurposed objects. Some of the tools include bamboo twigs I broke off while gardening and trying to rid my garden of invasive bamboo. Or the chopstick which I’ve sharpened in a pencil sharpener at both ends. And the golf tee that makes a lovely round stamp on one side and a great pointy end for scribbling on the other. I have quite a few palette knives both plastic and metal. I ordered a new palette knife that is long and flexible which is pretty cool. It came with a knife that is notched and I’m not quite sure what its used for? See that one 2nd from the left? Ian keeps asking me now, “do you want this? ” before he throws something away. LOL!
I’m really in love with the plastic netting in which onions and avocados are packaged. It makes a cool design.
Brushes are a whole other subject but I want to include them here because they are so important. Lately I’ve been trying cheaper brushes with shorter bristles….1/2′ to 3/4′. Love this size but beware…. a lot of cheap brushes shed their bristles, hence the sharp push pin I now have to keep on my table to pick out bristles implanted in the painting. Geesh! But here’s what I love; shorter bristle brushes with a wedge or almond shape. I have a lot of more expensive brushes but I’m not sure if they are worth it. Please comment if you have better advice.
The other mark makers/tool s are the ones probably included in printmaking circles, stamps, block prints, stencils. These tools make a lovely impressionistic mark. And they are fun to make. I recently made some block prints with Styrofoam meat trays and love them. I also realized that the wine corks could be carved/imprinted and made into lovely stamps….and I have a lot of those!
Keep being creative all! La Peche
More pics from just some of my stuff!
