Monday, March 3, 2014

Working with brushes

Lately I'm busy with something completely different. I'm trying to get more and more control with my prints. I know that in this area, control is considered a bad thing but I do not see anything wrong with trying to expand the boundaries.
I work with a palette of iron at different concentrations and with brushes I'm painting the leaves as I want and in this way I can choose what effect I will get with the same leaves. 
I discover a whole new world.  
It just make it so clear even while applying the iron which leaves are very sensitive to iron and can easily become very dark and how to control it in case I don't want the dark effect or which leaves resisting the iron and if you want any effect you really need to apply strong solution.
Which part of the leaf is sensitive and which part is not.
To which part of the leaf to apply the iron to get different effects. for example, only contours, more natural effect or more graphic effect, etc...
What is also nice is that my background stay almost clean from the iron. Which mean, if I want to dye the background with madder for example, the iron will not effect the purity of the madder shade.
So yes... I'm loosing spontaneity in my work with such a technique but I know I will find the balance again in the future.
For now, I'm very much into it and it is fascinating.





































19 comments:

  1. Your new way of working is very interesting. I saw something special as i said: this looks like spring, but i didn't know what it was ofcourse.
    You are so finding your own way in this Irit....as a real artist does.
    Have been walking the Rijksmuseum for two days nows so i know something aboout real artists...............
    XXXm

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    1. Dear Irit. I love your work!
      I would like to know how much iron do you use. Mixed with water or just the powder?
      On dry or wet leaves?
      Thank you Irit!!

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  2. I paint with different iron solutions as well - mixed with anything I've got at hand; wine, left over dye solutions etc. I haven't thought of it as controlling the process, rather as playing even more. I feel like a child playing in the mud kitchen, just seeing what happens and having fun. I'm sure you have fun too :0)
    I also like to paint the 'background', in order to let the leaves stand more out - and it's also a good way to change a background colour I'm not quite satisfied with.

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  3. by controlling I mean I can choose what effect I want to get. of course it is playing and of course even with working that way you get surprises. Where can I see your work Mona? sounds interesting

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  4. Irit, you're truly an expert, a master of botanical art. My hats off!

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  5. You're experimenting, which sets you apart from the lemmings, and you're satisfying your curiosity. No art without experiments and curiosity!!

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  6. I love these effects, they really make the leave prints stand out.

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  7. beautiful results. love looking at your work.

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  8. Irit, you are AMAZING! Love all your prints and techniques:):)

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  9. Thank you all. Happy you like it.

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  10. How interesting... how can it be wrong to experiment?

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  11. Very nice to experiment -- whether you are in control or not. Beautiful prints!

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  12. Do you have a site where you go in to more detail on your process? I would love to try this.

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  13. such beautiful work, I always admirer your mastery of technique and the results are amazing!!!
    Are you painting the actual leaves or the prints from them??

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  14. These prints are beautiful. I want to print on paper and love the print where the edge of the leaves are barley outlined in the black. Would you be willing to give this secret away? I just love that look and wonder if I can get it on paper. Thank you.

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    1. you need to paint the leaf with iron on the wrong side. meaning the side that you don't put directly on the fabric. if the leaf has tannin, it will bland with the iron and will give you the outline.

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  15. hi irit four thumbs up from me (wed) from indonesia. Your passion your detail your creativity your ideas with all those of botanical things soo soo amazing. I also did a fabric tie dye (itajime) one day i would like to try the natural tie dye as well. Good luck

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