Monoprints with drawing

Good news! I've been selected for Fine Art Quilt Masters at Festival of Quilts this year. They're showing 20 quilts chosen by jury from entries all over the world so I'm really delighted to be included. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to show the quilt before the event or not, so on the safe side, I'll keep it under wraps for now, but please do put Festival in your diary. I'll be on the Through Our Hands exhibition stand and would love to meet you.

I'm back working in my sketchbook. These portraits use a mixed media approach. First a linear monoprint worked in printing ink, direct to the sketchbook page. Then, when dry, I'm adding drawing with permanent pens, and washes of watercolour and water-soluble pencils like Graphitint.

I'm loving the combination of the velvety printed line, with the precision of the cross hatching using the pen. I'm adding the drawing to correct the inevitable bits of 'noise' in the monoprint and make sense of where the lights and darks ought to be. Sometimes this means lightening areas and for that I'm using coloured pencils, well, not very coloured - peachy or white.

This one is going to have more coloured pencil added to the face to finish the work suggesting some flesh tones, and then I think I might add some colour to the t-shirt too.

Back soon!

Laura

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