FINAL DAY OF GERALD BROMMER WORKSHOP: MORE IS BETTER!

Gerry talked about the architect that created the phrase "less is more" then he quoted another architect who stated "Less is boooooooring" Mr. Brommer sides with the latter! Today's assignment was to have a "theme" and place your focal point in the top third of the vertically oriented page, then fill the bottom 2/3rds with lots of small drawings and words, much like a journal page. He likes to fill up all the space. This is a great idea for travel, especially. We started out with collage images, covered with washi paper then diluted gesso. After this dries, go back into it with drawing and painting.

I decided this was a good chance to see how my new photo transfer process would work. I ruined two sheets by printing on the wrong side. The ink just slides off and doesn't stick. What a mess! It was very difficult to see the coating on the side meant for printing, but I finally got it right and printed one page of drawings and one of colored paintings of my Frenchman. I made a contact sheet with nine on the sheet. It was lots of fun working with this idea. After I transferred the images, I used mostly tissue paper to collage over as I wanted a lot of the stuff to show through. Gerry suggests adding a border to unify the composition and contain all the small fragments. I still want to add some stronger ink lines and perhaps more words. Over all, I am pleased. It is very different from anything I have ever done before. I also want to try more of the transfer process on this surface. It has interesting possibilities.

I was too tired to unpack the car. Tomorrow I have to finish packing for my workshop in Ransom Canyon, Texas. I will need to switch hats and be the instructor instead of the student. I love both roles. Looking forward to renewing some friendships from my last Texas workshop and meeting some new friends.

EXCITING NEW DISCOVERY!!!

I recently purchased a new book on making books. Why? Because if I bought this book as a second book I would get free shipping on the book I was really interested in. I have a feeling there is no economy of savings in this plan but I did get two terrific new books. Anyway, in the "Book + Art, Handcrafting Artists' Books" by Dorothy Simpson Krause (North Light Books) there was this photo transfer idea I had to try. I was so excited when it worked!!! And it was easy with better results than I have ever had from other photo transfer processes. Plus, you can use the print from a home ink jet printer as opposed to the toner prints from Kinko's or other such places.

Here is one of my experiments on regular watercolor cold press along with the second print (referred to as the ghost print). You print out your image onto transparent plastic sheets designed for ink jet printers. There is a special setting on the printer for this type of product to feed through. I had no problems with it feeding or printing, I used Grafix brand (6 sheets for $6.29) The book called for some exotic product that I couldn't find so I thought I would try this and was surprised and delighted that the process worked. The first print I made I used the maximum ink and transfered the image to a smooth print maker's paper like BFK Reeves. A PERFECT TRANSFER! But, I thought I didn't need to use so much ink. This is my second try and I wanted to see how it would look on watercolor paper. I used the "normal" ink setting on the printer and I think there was plenty of ink.

Here is the very cool news....the transfer medium is the hand sanitizer, Purell, which is an alcohol gel!!!! You just spread it on the paper with a credit card or such, place the image ink side down on the paper and burnish the back of the plastic film. It takes just a minute and it is done! I tried a "store brand" of this alcohol gel and it had aloe in it and it still worked. I can get a large bottle of this brand for much less than Purell.

I'm not sure how I am going to use this transfered image but I am considering a lot of different mixed media ideas. I did a small transfer onto YUPO to see if it would work. A little trickier but it did work. However, I took a wet brush to the corner of the image after it had dried and, sure enough, it can wash off if care isn't taken to preserve it. I also tried cleaning off the plastic and reusing it by printing on the other side. This was not too successful. I'm not sure how light fast these prints will be. I will have to do a window test. I suspect they will fade.