The story behind my vases
When I was in China last summer 05/07/2014 I had to help my girlfriends friend Ting Ting to renovate an old apartment into something new again. When I got to the apartment with my girlfriend there were no belongings or any furnitures left apart from just two small artifacts which were the two vases. These vase were a couple like the same as each other but still seem a bit different to me and they directly stared me in the face as if to say that these stand in as the old couple who once lived here in this apartment.
Memory Trace behind these vases?
whatever the old couple had to go through in their lives is recorded in these vases and its like these vases are acting as their soul and in which they left behind within the surfaces of these vases. I just had to have them and use these nice looking vases as part of my art work and luckily Ting Ting said I could keep them. These hold crucial evidence of the lifestyle that the old couple once have and is left behind within these vases, also the smell and the scratches left imbedded on these objects give the signs of the old couple.
I was more than happy to treat these couple vases as a Readymade with the remains of the old couple who departs, leaving their memorable moments left behind in these vases. these vases also tell me that no matter what we say or what we go through in life it all boils down to us being the same human beings just like the vases being the same but slightly different.
Week one recap with Dale Devereux Barker
Ok so last week on thursday 12/03/2015 I met up with artist Dale Devereux Barker who showed me away to print my vase stencils more efficiently and successfully. I had made a video previously of the makings of them vase techniques that he showed me and proved to be as successful more than I could possibly imagine. I also done some research about Dale Barker and his use of printing methods in vases and plants.
Week two – pattern experimenting with my vase stencils
Right so this Thursday 19/03/2015 I managed to meet up with Dale Devereux Barker again to discuss ways into making my vase prints look more detailed and by using more colour. By doing this he mentioned from last weeks session that it would be possible to draw on the silkscreen to make other patterns and shapes to go underneath my vase stencil silkscreen.
By doing this methods I decided to record a video of him showing me how to do it so that i can remember better on how to do these different techniques in creating patterns for my vases.
What has Dale Barker’s session taught me?
Well it has indeed taught me of different ways to make my own personal patterns with the making of my vase stencils and has enabled me to make more unique vase designs. it has also taught me to make patterns using different colours in a very simple way without the need of making extra silkscreens and with a less time consuming ability.
what I mean by a ‘less time consuming ability’ is that normally you would need more silkscreens to make these patterns and also take time to wash them and to wait for each process to dry. dale Barker has shown me much simpler ways to making my vase prints look more unique and different from each other by using the one silkscreen. I may use these techniques in some of my future vase prints.
Next plan of action?
Ok so next Thursday 26/03/2015 dale barker will show me how to blend some colours from dark to light to help make the main colour of my vases look more real. he will show me ways to try make the vases look like the light is shining on them. So it sounds like an interesting week coming up and with any luck I can define my vase prints a lot more with the help of dale barker and Will keep you updated.
How did my vase plan of action go?
Since having the help last Thursday 12/03/2015 from artist Dale Devereux Barker, I have managed to keep his advice in my new printing skills to create my new methods in my vase printing. Dale told me that I should try making screen 1 as my stencil silkscreen and then after making screen 2 as my main colour vase silkscreen. These two screens will hopefully bind together to form a perfect looking Chinese vase that will not only look much neater in pattern and design but it will have more colours.
How did I print these vases?
Well.. actually it was no problem at all getting my silkscreens ready with the help of Glen the ‘technician’. Once all two silkscreens were ready I started out by using the outer edge stencil silkscreen to print the main colour of my vases that i wanted and used the silkscreen inks to print with.
After this process I leave the the main colour vase prints to dry for at least 45-60 minutes so that the ink is dry enough but also the paper will be flat again after it was printed. After this is done, I begin to use the vase pattern silkscreen to print over the main colours of the vases in white and black inks.
I use the plastic film to print on because this will help line up where to put the main vase colour print under the pattern silk screen. Once the main vase colour print is lined up with the plastic film, I then remove the plastic film and the main vase colour print is ready to be printed again. I then print the second colour through the vase pattern silk screen and manages to come through very neatly and sharp looking. I was very impressed by the finished outcome showing all the rich bold colours so precisely.
Research into Dale Devereux Barker Vase Prints.
Here is some research that I looked into a while back in Dale’s Screen prints, mono prints and Lino cuts. He creates such an interesting selection of vases with flower especially with the different patterns and designs and just inspires me alot to try out doing more colours on my own vases.
What do I gain by this research?
I have basically gained more of an outlook on what else to involve in making my vase stencil prints because it seems that he has a tremendous use of patterns and colours within his printing work. Seeing these types of patterns and colours has enabled me to look into my own vase prints more to try and unearth the secret to making my vase prints look their very best.
I will take away this research and store in my mind for when it comes to doing my next set of vase printing and I am so sure that I can make my vase stencil prints look as interesting as Dale’s prints. Like I said in the last comment, I will try make up the other silk screen of the outer edge of my vase so that I can print the main colour of the vase and then see what Dale thinks of it next Thursday 19/03/2015 . We will continue to work together to get everything looking right.
How did this interview session help me with my vase prints?
Well… it was a very interesting printing session with Dale Devereux Barker. actually it was right on the mark of what I needed to know about how I can define my prints more. Dale showed and explained to me various different solutions into making my vase stencil prints have more colours and qualities to them.
We had drawn a mind map together on what layers we should consider using and what the different layers of the vase will be to use as the different patterns or the main colours for my vase prints. We both visualised together what layer we would use first as the main background colour which would then lead on to the main colour of the vase. We then thought about using the layer for the vase patterns using various colours for that. The final layer to go on the vase would be the Miscellaneous layer for the effects on the vase print.
What has this taught me so far from Dale Barker?
I can honestly say that these ideas that he has given me has really gave me one of the biggest turning points of my printing career. Its because he has given me the inspiration to creating more defined stencil vase prints in a much easier way and also making my vase prints look a whole lot better in detail and colours.
Plan of Action!
Dale Barker has notified Glen – ‘the technician’ to make an emulsion silk screen for me that has been projected from my original red vase stencil. Dales biggest trick was to project my ‘original red vase stencil’ onto emulsion on the silk screen because dale said that light finds it very difficult to pass through red. He was certain that this trick would work so I went ahead and managed to get Glen to make the screen up for me.
After it was ready to use, I decided to test it using the black silkscreen ink and normal paper and came out very clear indeed. I was so amazed that it worked very well through the silk screen with every detail of my stencil coming out on paper. This was the start of a new beginning for me in my vase stencil printing.
What’s Next Plan of Action?
Next I have to make up another silkscreen of emulsion for the outer edge stencil layer of my vase so that I can print the main colour of the vase first, I will get done monday. I will also make up another silkscreen of a rectangle layer just incase I want to do a background to suit the different colours of the vase. We will see where these results will take me and Dale Barker will show me the next steps this thursday on what to do next with my vase printing process.
