I had initially planned on moving ahead with a huge group composition on 18″ x 24″ sheets of sanded Dura-Lar. However, I sanded 2 sheets of Dura-Lar and then got really freaked out thinking about how I was going to actually work with these layers. I’ve never worked with transparent layers before in drawing, and when I sat down to actually do it, I realized how little I knew about how to organize the process.
I took a few steps back and decided to do some small scale sketches of a few figures on the sanded Dura-Lar, so that I could get myself used to this new surface before embarking on something more ambitious. One experiment I tried was sanding the Dura-Lar only in a horizontal direction, hoping that the direction might work well with the horizontal marks in the water. Contrary to my expectation, I actually found the horizontal sanding really limiting in terms of the different textures I could get with the crayon, so I nixed that option. Making this small sketch allowed me to realize what not to do in my crayon technique: smudging the lithographic rubbing ink ended up just looking sloppy, and I need a more thoroughly sanded surface to get more variety in the texture.
It’s tough to see in this digital image, but there are two sheets of Dura-Lar in this image.
In other news, I’m gearing up for the Boston Print Fair at the Boston Public Library this weekend. The Print Fair actually starts tonight, but I’ll be present showing my prints and plates on Sunday, May 4th from 3:00-5:00pm. Admission is free, and there will be many print dealers from across the country exhibiting prints.
Clara Lieu 