Kate Smith Artist

Science stuff..

2012-02-24T16:13:00.000Z

Today I have spent far too long researching all manner of scientific paraphernalia to use as possible surfaces. I'm also contemplating using the petri dishes as frames - to hold drawings etc.....

Chronodex update

2012-02-10T17:40:00.000Z

I've been meaning to update after my last post for a while - but every time I nearly did - another little tweak presented itself. Finally I think it's just about perfect. For those of you who don't know - the Chronodex was designed by Patrick Ng over at Scription and looks like this:

As soon as I saw it I knew it was going to suit me but as I've been using it I've gradually changed it (I'm still using stickers though). My day is a long one and although the original allowed me to cover 24 hours - I found the format a little distracting. I was using the inner part for daytime and the outer for evening as seen here:

I decided to alter it to make actual rings for day and evening. It has gone through a few changes but finally looks like this:

I decided to have a central ring to add reminders of specific things I have to do. e.g. below at 9 am I needed to make a phone call:

The above works as follows: 9 am - 5.30 I was working on studio-sweeping stuff (pink), 5.30 - 8 p.m. I was doing a shift at our pub (blue) and then 8.30 pm - 1 am I was in my studio (turquiose). (Luckily when I do a tea time shift my husband has my tea ready for me when I finish so I don't have to waste time cooking!!). The striped area represents a specific activity which I need to time. If I'm making new stock or doing orders and need to work out how long it takes I have different patterns so I can see at a glance how my time is being spent. I generally shift to the outer ring after tea. It is the best system I have ever used (and I've tried lots!) I'm finding that it is focusing me on each area and I'm not getting distracted as easily. I can't really have a 5 minute slot - so I am tending to spend blocks of time rather than jumping about between different areas. Best of all. it gives me an immediate visual indication of whether I'm spending enough time in my studio!

10.02.21 Fabelist Post

2012-02-10T11:43:00.000Z

I have just posted my latest Fabelist post 'Petri Dishes' here

Testing...

2012-02-05T14:15:00.001Z

Latest Fabelist update - Testing, testing... - this week's trials and tribulations!

Today is a studio day at last.

2012-02-03T14:12:00.000Z

Digital drawing, 25cm diameter

I have had a busy week with the day jobs - but I am rewarding myself with the rest of the day in my studio. I'm going to do some more work on my 'connect' drawings (25 cm diameter ones) and as they're so small they shouldn't take too long!

22.01.12 Fabelist Post

2012-01-22T13:11:00.001Z

This weeks Fabelist post is here. An interesting week...
Plus, if you're in London then visit the exhibition of the Fabelist project 'Imprint'. All relevant info here http://www.thefabelist.com/imprint-festival/

'Drawn to Digital' Exhibition, April 2012

2012-01-20T13:26:00.001Z

I'm currently juggling quite a few different drawings and trying to work out their relationships to each other and connections between digital/ hand. Part of my day job is programming exhibitions at The Crompton in Derby and so I've decided to have an exhibition there myself this April/ May (...a perk of the job :)). I'm going to use the opportunity to just show the digital drawings (from tiny to massive...) so I can get a proper idea of how they are working, presentation options and also, hopefully, get some feed back. It will also give me the opportunity to work out the best way of explaining 'digital drawings' as the customers will soon let me know if they don't get it...

Going round in circles...

2012-01-19T17:23:00.000Z

My recent work with circles reminded me of some older work - and reinforced how certain issues and concerns continue to keep resurfacing...

Hand and digital combined....

2012-01-17T15:25:00.000Z

Today I did a quick trial of a hand and digital drawing combined. I printed the digital drawing onto cartridge paper and then drew on top. I shall pursue this further...

This week's Fabelist Post

2012-01-15T18:45:00.000Z

http://www.thefabelist.com/2012/01/connecting-digital-and-hand-kate-smith-connect/

On hold....

2012-01-14T13:44:00.001Z

Hold - part 1

Hold - part 2

Hold (test)

I've finally finished my digital drawing 'Hold'. It's a two part drawing (each approx. a metre square) and is one of the drawings I'm going to use to test digital outcomes. I'm hoping to screenprint (using transparent inks) and etch on to an acrylic sheet (one on each side) as well as maybe using films. Not sure when - need to do some tests - and time and money constraints mean it may be on hold for a while. However, I have a number of other drawings (intended for other outcomes) in the pipeline so plenty to keep me busy in the meantime..

Chronodex

2012-01-07T15:16:00.000Z

I had to share this new way of keeping a diary I found a couple of weeks ago on Patrick Ng's blog Scription (where you can download templates for midori traveler's notebooks, circa and g.t.d). I wrote about it on my other blog studio-sweepings at the time. I've now been using it for a couple of weeks and all I can say is it's brilliant!! I think it suits me so well because 1) it's very visual, 2) it allows me to see at a glance what time I'm spending where and 3) it's really flexible. Rather than printing in diary format I just add stickers where and when I want them. If, like me, you find traditional diaries too limiting - check it out.

testing ideas...

2012-01-06T18:17:00.002Z

I'm feeling quite pleased with myself as my New Year's resolution to post regularly on the Fabelist site is going very well. I have been playing around with some ideas which I hope will result in a body of work which will fit into the larger picture(s). If you're wondering what the above pictures relate to you can read the post here.

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-01T12:57:00.000Z

2012 has now begun! A time for reflection and looking forward. I haven't got many resolutions this year - I know it's going to be difficult to find much time in my studio because of other commitments - but I have promised myself I will put some time aside each week for The Fabelists. Each project lasts for four months - which is no time at all - particularly when you take as long as I do to produce stuff! However, I have decided to use the opportunity to revisit and reinvestigate certain things with no pressure at all to produce a 'finished' piece. An opportunity to play around with ideas which have been bubbling away underneath the surface and see where they lead. The current project is 'Connect' and my first post is here.

Making an arts funding application....

2011-11-15T10:27:00.001Z

I am currently considering whether to put in for GFA funding for my digital drawing project. I have applied twice in the past - once for a Year of The Artist project (putting art on beermats) and once for a research and development grant which I used to go to Florence to learn about solarplate printing from Dan Welden (who developed the process). Both were successful - but both took a huge amount of time, effort, planning and organisation. The YOTA one was particularly difficult as it was such a big project involving 5 artist, 5 residencies, 100,000 beermats and a Year Of The Artist beer.
There has been some discussion recently about why there aren't more applications from individual artists and I think one of the reason is that it is such a time consuming process - there has to be a weighing up of the time spent versus the benefit gained. Personally I have 2 'day jobs' which bring in just about enough money to allow me to continue to make my work and so the time available for my art career is very precious and very limited! In effect if I do decide to pursue an application then I will not have any time to actually make any work - and as it's likely to take a few months this is a major consideration. The 'few months' is another reason - I know the whole writing of the application will take me ages as it isn't something which comes naturally to me.
If successful - there are of course benefits - the research and development phase would be able to take place much quicker as there would be money to pay for it, and in fact the whole project would have a reasonable time scale. One of the reasons I have (almost) decided to go through the whole process again is that it will make me think very carefully about what I want to do, how I should go about doing it and to devise a time plan/ costings which would be beneficial even if the application is not successful. Most of my work doesn't require such careful planning - but this phase of my work does, and the worse scenario is that I will be left with clear aims and objectives and a very detailed blueprint of how to move forward. Even with funding this is at least a 2 year project so a few months preparation is not actually that long.
It's over a decade since I last made an application - but this project is very similar to the Beer Mat one in that it is something I intend to do anyway. In fact I shall probably do a two part application (twice as much work??) - the first phase being a research./ development phase and the second being an 'outcomes' one. The first step will be to do a schedule and a draft proposal (which will almost certainly bear no comparison to the final one) and then I shall decide whether to go ahead....

What Kate Did Next??

2011-11-05T13:29:00.000Z

A couple of posts back I wrote about books. One of the photos shows the inside inscription of the above book - What Katy Did - and the cover has also set me thinking. What I love about it is the way the ink on the cover (which is slightly embossed) has worn away over the years due to it being handled. It was printed in 1918 - over 90 years ago - so it's hardly surprising it is showing signs of wear. One of the things I've been contemplating is how to depict the 'imprint' or 'trace' of the hand and a while ago I did a series of marks made from 'turning the page' but didn't do anything with them as they were too 'visible'. Books somehow have a real sense of implied touch - seeing a book induces a haptic (?) memory of holding it, turning the pages, feeling the weight, texture and the quality of the paper. A well thumbed book also induces a suggestion of a shared experience - it is a reflection of the numerous people who have also held it and physically manipulated it.
I do have a number of things relating to the digital/ hand debate which I can tackle using existing work (and large digital drawings which need to be completed). These works fit very clearly into the last segment of my work - they require thought related to outcomes not to content. The things I am considering in relation to imprint and trace, will I think, move the content of the work forward.
I've been very busy lately with non-art stuff - and I'm likely to be for some time which means the amount of time I have to spend on my work is very limited. This is not a good place to be as what I've realised is that I need a lot of time to consider what I am doing, to think through the ideas which I know will continue to resurface until I begin to sift through them. The two recent exhibitions have in a way drawn a line - but have also made me realise that moving onto the next stage can not be hurried.
I think sometimes I look around and see what everyone else achieving and feel a pressure to do more, and do it quickly. What I think I have to accept is that I have to work within my own time constraints - and the fact that this may mean a low profile for a while will be a positive in relation to my own journey. I'm a tortoise not a hare :)

Semantics....

2011-10-25T14:54:00.001+01:00

Haptics refersto the sense of touch (from Greek ἅπτω ="I fasten onto, I touch").
I was asked a question at my recent Derby Museum talk about haptics which I didn't really answer properly - partly because I'm not really sure of how best to use the word in relation to my work. It's been bugging me ever since, which is a sure sign I need to give it some thought.
One of the things I am currently considering is the whole idea of the shared familiarity of drawing - the connection an audience has when viewing a drawing with the knowledge (haptic memory?) of physically making a drawing. e.g. the tactile experience of the pencil making a mark on paper. This is also an area I'm trying to reconcile with my digital drawings. For me, creating one of my digital drawings is very similar in terms of the physical experience to creating a pencil or ballpoint pen on paper. However, there is no guarantee that an audience will have any knowledge or experience of drawing with a digital pen/ tablet (no haptic memory?) so that connection between myself and the audience is lost. One way around this is to include in any exhibition an opportunity for the audience to use a digital pen/ tablet (i.e. giving a haptic experience will result in a haptic memory?).
What I'm wondering at the moment is whether the memory of the physical experience of drawing can be described as a haptic memory? Or maybe an implicit haptic memory? The memory of a common haptic experience?..........
This is not necessarily terminology I'll use in general statements etc. - but it is something I need to make sense of before I move the work forward.

Wacom Inkling - Initial Test

2011-10-24T16:19:00.000+01:00

It finally arrived!! The main reason I wanted to have a go with the inkling was to see how it would work with tonal drawing - pretty sure this is NOT what it was intended for so I am aware that I am going to need to spend some considerable time playing around with it. I haven't got time to do a thorough test drive (and probably wont for some time due to other commitments) , but I had to have a quick go and have noted my initial thoughts.
1. I charged the pen and receiver and then installed the inkling software - all really straightforward - so far so good.
2. Did a quick test drawing - downloaded, (realised the default colour for the digital drawing was blue and changed to black), printed the digital drawing on a laser printer. Scanned both original and printed digital together at 300 dpi:

The first thing I realised is that some of the marks weren't picked up by the receiver. I think this is because I inadvertently blocked it with my fingers. You need to hold the pen about 2.5 cm up the barrel so that the signal is unobstructed:

The second thing is that, although there is pressure sensitivity, it can't match the variation of the original ballpoint drawing on default settings. However, there are threshold settings for the pen which I need to play around with and I am also going to to do some more colour adjusting and possibly try layers (which I can then adjust separately in Photoshop). So, overall - not going to be an out of the box set up and go for tonal drawing - but a promising start and I'm sure it's also going to be great for general sketching and useful for all sorts of things I haven't yet thought of......

Saatchi Drawing Showdown update

2011-10-20T17:29:00.002+01:00

Bit of a disappointing day on Tuesday! The public voting finished and I checked out my Saatchi profile page in the evening to see the result. I'd checked earlier in the day and I was around 420 so I was very surprised and excited to see the above message - until about half an hour later when I got an email saying I hadn't got through to the second round. Not sure what happened - I've emailed Saatchi about it (with the above attached) and I am waiting for a reply - but I have learned a couple of valuable lessons. Don't believe everything you see on the internet and don't tweet until you are sure of something or you may need to do some very embarrassing back-tracking!!

Day 2 of my Digital New Year..

2011-10-14T10:48:00.000+01:00

Day 1 (Year2)

Yesterday was the first day of my New Year! Two years I ago I started my activity series - I taped a piece of paper onto my tablet along with a sheet of carbon and used my wacom pen to surf, email etc. The marks tracking this activity transferred to the paper below the carbon and each day I replaced with a fresh sheet. I then laminated and stitched all the sheets together (with 24 stitches of course!). If I didn't use the computer the sheet was left blank - scary to see how few pages were blank! Below is Year 1 (activity) in progress which is currently in my exhibition at Derby Museum

Year 1 (in progress)

The second year I used acetate instead of paper - part of this is in my Deda show pinned to the wall in 'packs' of seven but now it's finished I'm going to give some thought to alternative presentations - maybe stacked on a light box?

11 weeks of Year 2 (activity)

For this year (Year 3) I'm not using carbon - but instead I'm taping paper to the tablet and using a wacom ink pen so the marks are made immediately (see below). I've also used a larger sheet of paper - in the past I have had paper to the side of me - where I write, doodle, make notes and this year I shall do this on the actual 'activity' paper. I don't think I'll be able to draw with the wacom ink pen as it doesn't seem to have the sensitivity of the standard one, so when I'm doing my digital drawings I shall swap pens. It is going to be interesting to see what happens to the ink pen marks when they are combined with the strokes of an inkless nib.

Day 2 (Year 3) in progress

When I first started Year 1 I was constantly lifting the edge of the carbon to see what marks were being made - it's really funny how I hardly look at the paper now. One of the reasons I was quite happy to use a pen/ paper this year was that I knew I could trust myself not to consciously create marks They say do things 28 times and it becomes a habit - as I've now done it for 730 days I suppose it's hardly surprising!

Saatchi Drawing Showdown

2011-10-12T14:06:00.002+01:00

I've entered the above ball point pen on aluminium drawing into the Saatchi Drawing Showdown. I'm currently at #520 out of 2099 entries, the top 300 go through to round 2 - so it's not looking very likely at the moment! Round one ends on the 18th October and you'll need to sign in or connect via facebook to vote. See my entry on the Saatchi site here if you'd like to help... :)

Derby cuts arts funding...

2011-10-09T13:47:00.003+01:00

I really cannot believe the recent news that the arts funding is to be cut so drastically in Derby. I've posted about it in my other blog http://cromptonvillage.blogspot.com/2011/10/art-at-crompton-and-derbys-vision-for.html . After some signs over the last few years that the arts were being supported in a positive way - the future is looking bleak. Read more here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-15205529. But hey, look on the positive side - the Council House is being refurbished!!

Things to think about...

2011-10-07T22:42:00.000+01:00

Residual Marks #2, detail, erased pencil

Things on my list for 2012: erasing, washing, staining, fading, bleaching, inscribing, imprinting and scratching

The Fabelists...

2011-10-06T12:49:00.000+01:00

Shortly after my online presence.. post I received an invite to join the Fabelists. Now I know I said I wasn't going to add anything else but I just couldn't resist agreeing to be a part of it. (Anyway - say you're not going to do something, then almost immediately go ahead and do it - why break the habit of a lifetime??) Firstly - the current theme is 'imprint' - scarily appropriate as I'd decided the imprint bit of my exploration of gesture/ mark and imprint needed concentrating on in 2012. Secondly, I really like the idea of a platform where there is a discussion about ideas (as opposed to concentrating on the finished piece) and the opportunity to give and receive feedback. Thirdly there is a real mix of artists from all disciplines, not just visual artists so some interesting potential for collaboration and it will be great to see different approaches to a common theme. I'm very busy so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to contribute before Christmas but I am really looking forward to being a part of it and I have just published my first post which you can find here.

Is it the end of books as we know them?

2011-10-04T20:36:00.000+01:00

I've been reading a lot lately (and having a few face to face discussions) about whether the digital revolution will mean an end to real books, magazines etc. and it is something I find really interesting. I am a book lover - I love the feel of them, the smell of them, the covers, turning the page....I have a whole library of books (particularly drawing ones) which I couldn't imagine in any other form. However, I also love all the digital options - not only e-readers and tablets but also online publications - my particular favourite is issuu. Issuu allows you to publish as a 'flipping' book so the whole experience is similar to turning the page of a real book but it also has options to embed/ download/ print/ email etc. and more recently to make the publication interactive. I've created a number of publications (some on sidebar) - most recently an issuu publication of the catalogue for my current shows. I also had this printed in the traditional way - so it only took a few clicks to turn the print file into a digital publication - the best of both worlds. My issuu stats show that quite a few people have accessed these publications. (I appreciate these are very low in comparison to many on the site - but even so it's a considerable amount of people who wouldn't otherwise see them). The digital route certainly enables access to a much wider audience.
.

I have a great many books and I was thinking about which I would want to keep. My books are divided into art books and all the rest and I must admit most of my non-art books and text based reference books could happily be stored and read digitally (with the possible exception of cookery books - I can't imagine having any digital reading in the kitchen - however as I spend very little time either in the kitchen or using cookery books it's not likely to be a problem!). My art books are a different matter- I tend not to read these chronologically page by page and I still prefer 'dipping into' a real book and moving backwards and forwards between a number of pages. Also there is a size issue with digital reading - portable digital readers such as tablets are relatively small and many of my art books are much larger - the images would not be seen as a whole, at an equivalent size, in a digital form. Some of the books have unusual binding - one has a number of booklets within a card case which could never be replicated digitally. Magazines and newspapers in contrast seem to translate really well to digital - a few years ago I had a massive clear out - including 25 years worth of a-n magazines!! - these took up a considerable amount of room. If they'd been digital I'd probably have kept them as storing them would not have used precious space (whether I would have actually re-read them though is another question). There are also lots of possibilities for interactive or additional information with digital in a way which would be impossible with real books which inevitably have a limited capacity.
I think the deciding part for me is whether handling an actual book increases the pleasure of the reading experience. I have a number of very old books (including 'What Katy Did' with an embossed cover and a label in the front, written in beautiful script, documenting it's presentation as a prize to the person who gave it to me) which I couldn't part with. I also have a number of very old paperback classics with standard covers which I could happily exchange for a digital version. I wonder if, in the future, books which are beautiful, tactile or special in some way will survive and as a result the physical act of handling and reading as well as the aesthetics of an actual book will become something treasured. Although we may have fewer 'real' books those we do have will be really precious?.

Saatchi Drawing Showdown

2011-10-04T09:36:00.000+01:00

Squeeze, 1016 x 1372 mm, ballpoint pen on aluminium panel

I've entered the above drawing in the Saatchi showdown. First time I've done this and the first thing I've learnt - leave submission until the last minute - as they seem to be shown in that order i.e. latest first. I was one of the first to submit - and there are 2100 entries - so there's a lot of drawings to look at before mine. The initial round is public vote - my drawing is here http://www.saatchionline.com/art/Drawing-Pen-and-Ink-Squeeze-3/9547/1331880/view and there's a link for voting on the right hand side if you feel so inclined. :)

Opportunities - bought or earned?

2011-09-30T12:18:00.001+01:00

I've just had an email from a gallery in New York titled 'Gallery Representation'. Wow great!! Well, no it isn't actually....there is an annual charge of $3450 a year. It's got me thinking about opportunities which are not as they seem. Don't get me wrong - I appreciate that paying $3450 for a New York group show with all the provided publicity and contacts may compare favourably with say hiring a gallery space in London - provided it is well done it may lead to all sorts of further opportunities. However, it seems to me that if a gallery is going to 'represent' you - they should do so because they think it is a worthwhile investment - and expect to be able to sell your work to recoup up front expenses (because they have faith in their selection, publicity skills and client base) and not charge you for the privilege. What this gallery is actually offering is the hire of their space and access to their publicity department and mailing list. It is actually group shows - so probably more comparable to an Art Fair? (To be fair this particular gallery did describe it as 'promotional services' in the body of the email which was much more accurate).
This leads me to my other bugbear - 'residencies' which charge for participation - in effect 'a holiday with a studio'. (Maybe that's a bit harsh - lets call it a 'working holiday with a studio'). I'm not talking about for example residencies which provide a studio and/ or accommodation but the artist is expected to cover travel, living or other expenses, I'm talking about opportunities where as long as you have the money you can pay to go and the venue contributes absolutely nothing.
I think my problem with both of the above is the lack of transparency - we all know that some artists have the luxury of an independent income/ source of support which enables them to be able to produce work and to undertake a great many opportunities without having the restrictions of a 'day' job and the worries of paying the bills. They can also, if they want to, buy a few lines on the C.V. or hire an alternative studio for a while. If it is made clear that the 'representation', exhibition or 'residency' has been paid for then I have no problem - it's when something bought is presented as something earned that I get really annoyed.....

Traditional drawing with a digital pen?

2011-09-29T22:04:00.000+01:00

I thought it might be helpful to do a visual step by step of how I've approached my recent large digital drawings. (The aim at this stage is to make is as close as possible to how I approach executing a traditional drawing). I use Corel Painter 11 and an A5 Wacom intuos 4 tablet/ pen which has 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity. The experience of drawing with the wacom pen is pretty similar to traditional drawing. It doesn't feel exactly the same as drawing with graphite pencil but I would say it is in between using a graphite pencil and ballpoint pen so definitely within my tolerance levels.

Above is my tablet set up - those of you familiar with the intuos may wonder why it looks a little odd - the reason is that it currently has acetate and carbon taped to it (...changed daily) to execute Activity (Year 2). This makes no difference to using the tablet - and in fact gives it a bit of 'tooth' - more of a 'real paper' feel when drawing.

I set up the canvas as 101.6 x 137.2 cm or 40 x 54 inches (above) the same size as my traditional drawings on paper and aluminium panels. The image below is my screen proportions and the relative size of the drawing when the entire drawing is visible.

I zoom out to see the drawing as above regularly - but I do the actual drawing at 100% i.e. life sized. (below is the screen with the section of the drawing at 100%.) A few people have asked me whether looking at the screen (as opposed to the surface the pen is actually drawing on) is disconcerting - but I find it completely natural and haven't had any problems with it. It may be because I used a pen/ tablet as a mouse alternative long before I started drawing digitally.

I always work on a single layer and I use the 'real pencil' tools (the name always makes me smile), default 2H, 4H, 2B & 6B. I use the smallest size setting - size 1 - the size remains the same throughout the drawing and all variations are done via pressure or 'tilting' the pen (a similar effect to using the side of a traditional pencil as opposed to the point). This is a little different to my 'real, real pencil' drawings where I rarely use a pencil softer than 3B.

When I've finished the drawing I export it as a tiff and send the file to be printed 1:1 scale. To date I haven't proofed so as not to alter the final result. (i.e didn't want to subconsciously try to make it look more like a graphite drawing). At the moment I've only printed on paper and aluminium panel - but I intend to explore other outcomes in the future.

Pencils made from newspapers!

2011-09-27T12:05:00.001+01:00

I've just ordered some pencils from TreeSmart not because I need any new pencils but because they look so good!! Recycled pencils don't always show the materials they're made of and I just love the look of these.

On-line presence: is it a waste of time?

2011-09-24T14:24:00.002+01:00

I'm currently in the process of sorting out my on-line presence and it is a bit of a nightmare! I've written a list of all the sites I need to post to, update etc. and the current total is:
- Facebook page
- Twitter account
- 1 websites
- 2 blogs
- 14 networks, galleries etc.
This is just my art stuff and doesn't include both my day jobs ( fb account and a second page, another twitter account, 2 more blogs, website and shop front!). It sounds like a lot - but there are actually loads of others I have contemplated but so far resisted! If all of these were productive the time spent updating etc. would be worthwhile but I am not convinced that this is the case and currently have no method of evaluating it?
One of my day jobs is studio-sweepings which is a fairly recent thing (not sure how long the other day job will continue and needed an alternative source of income). Almost 3 months ago I began to sell on notonthehighstreet. It involved a one off registration fee which was a bit scary but was the best thing I could have done - early days but a steady stream of orders (and a brilliantly well organised, effective, supportive company) means I should be able to earn a reasonable income over time. The time spent on 1 facebook page, 1 twitter account, 1 blog and noths shop front maintenance is measurably productive and worthwhile in terms of income received.
This has focused me on how I can measure the productivity of my online art stuff. Obviously the aims are different (I do the day jobs so I can make the work I want to without compromising) and income is not a priority (although I'm don't object to selling it!) so evaluating it is trickier. Someone once said to me that you don't have to sell work to be an artist but you do have to exhibit and I think I agree with that - it is important to me that my work is seen and responded to. It seems, for me, there are a number of reasons for being online - to promote myself, my work and my exhibitions, to network & socialise, to hear about and participate in events, exhibitions and opportunities, to be informed about what other artists, galleries etc. are doing, to document, discuss and to sell. The first step is, I think, to go through all of the above sites and work out exactly what I am hoping to achieve from them, how much time they take and then try to work out how to evaluate and measure if they are successful (and also if they are worthwhile continuing with). The second thing I want to do is to link as many sites as possible so that I don't have to go to each site to input identical information. I have made a start by linking blog, twitter and fb page but I also have high hopes of Smish (image above) which promises to implement even more integration and also make it easier to have a visual overview (pictures instead of a written list :)) Fingers crossed it's as good as it sounds. Until this is done I shall steadfastly resist adding more on-line content or maybe a 'ditch one before you add one' attitude may be the answer?

Patience is a virtue.....

2011-09-08T10:22:00.001+01:00

Blue Print, each 838 x 1143 mm drawn with a different brand of blue ballpoint pen

Currently I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my WacomInkling – (once it does arrive I’ll do a review here). In the meantime I’mconsidering why I’m so interested in the whole idea? I am not particularly interestedin making sketches or preliminary drawings to develop further on the computer whichis obviously the main reason it was developed (although I’m sure it will beuseful in this capacity). I’m more interested in seeing how it can inform mycurrent interest in the traditional/ digital, source/ outcome and unique/multiple - producing a drawing which can then be repeated on a variety of surfaces. Repetition is an important element in my work. Back in 2002 - 2004 I washand cutting stencils and then drawing through them with a variety of media – eachone was an original but also part of a series. The image was repeated but theoutcome was different in each case. I also did a lot of drawing using carbonpaper – triptychs which consisted of the original, the carbon paper ‘negative’and the carbon copy – again repetition but with variation. This is one thing whichhas resurfaced with my current work – the potential for using an original digitaldrawing as a direct source for a variety of outcomes (and ‘direct’ is probablythe important thing for me at this stage). What I think interests me about theinkling is that I will have an original paper drawing, a digital file whichhas been created without any further interventions (e.g. scanning) and as I amalso considering using carbon paper - a further two images. The fact that theinkling can produce the digital file as both raster and vector is alsointriguing. I am looking forward to seeing how the pressure sensitive drawingtranslates into a vector file – particularly as the inkling will only be ableto cope with paper up to A4 and a vector file will potentially allow outcomesof a much larger scale. Lots of thingsto think about and very frustrating that I still have to wait 2 – 3 weeks forit to arrive.......

Post Exhibition Blues..

2011-09-04T13:00:00.000+01:00

For the last two years I have been planning and working towards the two current solo shows. Now they are both up I'm very aware that this is a time of reflection and planning for the next stage. Past experience has taught me that this can be a difficult time - and I am determined not to succumb to the post exhibition blues.
The temptation is to try to fill the void - to try to immediately replace that very focused sense of purpose which has suddenly disappeared. Other areas of my life - non art based - are also going to undertake major changes in the (hopefully) near future and this has also left me feeling in a state of limbo which doesn't help. I've decided that the best thing to do is to take my time and give myself permission to do very little work-wise for at least a month. I currently have 3 works in progress - 4 digital drawings (one is a dyptich) which I want to use to explore digital/ traditional source and outcome - but these will take a while to complete as they are large drawings.

Although I have a general idea of where I want to go next - I definitely need to spend some time considering

my options and formulating a clear plan. The above drawings need finishing and then decisions made about printing - which means I will need to do some tests on a smaller scale and have some practical questions to answer - what, where, how much it will cost, funding options etc. I also need to spend some time considering my on-line presence - the list of sites, images etc. which need maintaining is growing and I want to consider whether all of them are worth continuing with. The time/ benefit ratio needs to be applied! My initial plan is to spend some time on all the recently neglected areas of my life and to embrace the idea of slowing down for a while......

Wacom Inkling

2011-08-30T16:44:00.001+01:00

For ages now I've been toying with buying an ipad (primarily for drawing digitally) but have resisted because I wanted pressure sensitivity. Wacom have just introduced a new pen - the inkling - which draws on any paper using a ballpoint pen - the drawing can then be downloaded and reworked on the computer and it IS pressure sensitive (I already have a livescribe but that only saves as vector and again no pressure sensitivity). So I've pre-ordered one and should receive it at the beginning of October. It can be saved as raster or vector, you can apply layers at drawing stage and you end up with a paper original as well...so excited!

Deda show up (nearly)

2011-08-30T15:31:00.002+01:00

Mark & Movement exhibition which opens on September 1st at Deda, Derby is installed - just need to paint mirror plates and do labels which I shall do first thing on Thursday morning...so nearly there! The Deda show is mainly wax/ pencil drawings, smaller digital drawings and some of the 'scribble & scrawl' series (which are shown for the first time here). The open evening will be on the 22nd September at the same time as Art Core's - who are exhibiting downstairs - and the shows run until the end of October.

One down - one to go...

2011-08-16T14:34:00.002+01:00

Photo: Natalie Dowse

Touch and Trace is finally installed at Derby Museum and will be on until the end of October. I'm going to take some photos soon - but in the meantime Natalie Dowse has very kindly blogged about it and posted some images. Mark and Movement will be opening at Deda on September 1st so no chance to relax yet but I'm going to spend a few days catching up on admin. etc. before I start to think about what, where, how.....

Catalogue at printers..

2011-07-21T13:44:00.000+01:00

I've just pressed the 'proof accepted' button and fingers are crossed that I haven't missed anything. I decided not to pay for a hard copy proof and I'm hoping I don't regret it....Still have to make my perspex 'rims'. finish framing, contact the museum shop about sales, order grey paint, sort out invites and have 17 days before the work is off to the museum...

Tracking activity....

2011-07-12T14:33:00.001+01:00

One of the disadvantages of tracking my activity on the computer and drawing digitally is there is a constant visual representation of what I'm doing. Above is weeks 29 - 39 (the first 28 weeks are on their way back from Jerwood as we speak) and it can clearly be seen that weeks 32 - 35 weren't very productive. It may look as if the drawing activity picked up then - but in fact I just spent a lot of time doing other computer stuff. As I can now distinguish between drawing activity marks and 'other' activity marks I am constantly reminded of how little I'm doing...time for a drawing day I think!!

Not long now...

2011-06-25T21:12:00.000+01:00

Just received a copy of the Derby Museum Guide for July - December and really pleased to see one of my drawings on the cover. I've had to concentrate on doing other things over the last few weeks and it's good to bring the focus back to my real work!

Jerwood Drawing - bit of a rant.

2011-06-20T21:00:00.000+01:00

Every year I say never again - and every year I relent....this year is the final time though unless it becomes more Midlands friendly! I decided this year to send work via Edinburgh - my sister has a Wasp studio and just has to go downstairs to drop off work. Mum and Dad visited her last month and she was in the Midlands yesterday so in theory I could have avoided any transport costs and had it there in plenty of time. No, that would be too easy - I went online back in May, paid my £18 and then realised the work submission form and labels weren't available until after 5pm today (4 days before the work will be picked up??). I rang to see if there was any way I could get them earlier - as far as I know they are identical every year - No, not possible. So, I've just got back from work all ready to download, pack and prepare for posting tomorrow. The work submission form is online but I can't find the work labels anywhere? So I just have to hope they are online tomorrow morning. Do these people not realise some of us have jobs or other commitments which mean we need to organise in advance. Why can't we have a Midlands pick up??Aghhhh!

If you're in Liverpool...

2011-06-01T14:21:00.000+01:00

Not only is the above exhibition on but Drawing Papers # 3 is now available. Drawing Papers is a project initiated by 2 Liverpool based artists - Jon Barraclough and Mike Carney, (who are both showing at the above exhibition) so you could see the show and pick up a copy! I should have some to distribute in Derby and surrounding areas at some point - alternatively get a copy posted from http://drawing-paper.tumblr.com/ or an online version at www.issuu.com/mikecarney/docs/dp3_singles.

Small stuff: samples and surfaces

2011-05-16T16:14:00.001+01:00

Recently I've been doing a number of small digital drawings so I can try ideas out on an affordable scale and also so that the work is portable enough to go wherever I need to in the country to try out laser etching etc.. In order to test different surfaces (both for printing onto and using to produce drawings and printing plates) I have ordered lots of samples at 10 and 25 cm square and now have a pile to start experimenting with later in the year (I just so love getting new materials to play with!). If I do manage to get any done before my upcoming exhibitions they will be shown as part of the collection of small works which I use as a means of representing the 'now'. Long term I'm hoping some of these ideas can then be executed on a much larger scale.....

Contemporary Drawing at The Bohemia Space, Liverpool

2011-04-20T17:11:00.000+01:00

I will be showing drawings at the Contemporary Drawing Exhibition, The Bohemia Space in Liverpool from 27th May - 16th July 2011. This will be the first showing of one of my large digital drawings (as well as some smaller pencil drawings).

Catalogues....

2011-04-10T14:47:00.000+01:00

I've spent the last couple of days working my catalogue and although I still have a way to go I'm pleased that at least I've made a start. A course on graphic design at QUAD earlier this week was a great help as it gave me an introduction to InDesign. I've had the software for a while but didn't feel very confident about using it as previously I've mainly used Quark. It was actually really straightforward and I learnt loads so it was 2 days well spent. Researching printers I came across Inky Little Fingers which appealed to me - it seemed kind of appropriate given the nature of my drawings?

http://drawing-paper.tumblr.com/

2011-03-30T15:04:00.000+01:00

My digital drawings are currently on the drawing paper blog http://drawing-paper.tumblr.com/ (link also on sidebar). I've mentioned it before as I was in the last printed Drawing Papers last year which is published by artists Mike Carney and Jon Barraclough. It's like a newspaper full of diverse drawings and info about the artists involved. Drawing Paper #3 will be out soon and I'm really looking forward to seeing it - I'll post again once it's available....

Twists and Turns...

2011-03-18T11:05:00.000Z

Turn 2, Pencil on paper, 1016 x 1372 mm

I've just finished 'Turn 2' (above) which is the last drawing of the Touch/ Trace series. I shall still be doing large drawings but the emphasis has shifted to the digital so although the work will not change drastically in terms of how it looks (at least initially) there has been a definite shift in my thought process. I have been thinking a lot recently about the rhythm of working and how my current body of work has split naturally into series - Surface/ Space 2002- 2006, Touch/ Trace 2006 - 2010 and now Drawn/ Digital. Some changes seem a natural progression of ideas and others are unexpected - but there are core issues and concerns which recur over and over again. My current engagement with the digital came as a complete surprise yet has taken me in a circle back to a drawing/ print debate - the starting point of this body of work almost a decade ago now.

Research....

2011-03-08T15:05:00.000Z

I have been searching for a while for drawing research into some of the issues I'm currently tackling without much success. Yesterday though I decided to see if there was any printmaking (as opposed to drawing) research and immediately came across a project The Personalised Surface within Fine Art Digital Printmaking which looks very relevant and I am very much looking forward to receiving the full report in the next few days.( The project is continuing to develop at Camberwell and Chelsea as FADE )

Future plans...

2011-03-07T20:19:00.000Z

I consider my work to be primarily drawing based and although I have always felt there were very strong, recurring print references (and did my M.A. in printmaking) I didn't think I would be ever return to traditional printmaking. However - as usually happens when I decide not to do something - I somehow come up with an overwhelming reason to actually do it and so I am now contemplating doing some etchings and screen prints.
I have been really pleased with the way that my digital drawings are printing digitally (Draw1 above) and have plans for a whole range of digital prints including onto aluminium, double sided diptych etched onto acrylic and I am also researching other possible surfaces. Thinking about the digital/ traditional and hand/ print relationship - including terminology, value and encounter - got me thinking again about traditional printing processes as a method of production. One of the next things on my to do list (probably after my Derby shows) is to produce (laser etched) etching plates and screens from my digital drawings and to hand print them. I would want them to be printed at a scale of 1:1 from the digital drawing files (101.6 x 1372 mm) as the digital prints are. So just need access to a laser cutter and a very large press and u.v. box then....

Tests....

2011-03-03T23:31:00.001Z

One of the good things about drawing digitally is that there are no problems with documentation which is certainly not the case with pencil and biro drawings. Anyone who has tried to photograph a large drawing will know what I mean. My main problem is usually that the background is slightly darker at the bottom and it drives me mad!. So I have spent a fair amount of time this week trying to work out how to tweak them to remedy this. Losing a little of the lightest tone still, but getting there. It has also made me realise how much screens vary - the one I use for my drawing shows a lot more of the subtle tones than my second monitor which I haven't adjusted at all.

Sometimes it all comes together...

2011-02-21T13:22:00.000Z

Like many artists my life is all about juggling in order to find time in the studio. Often it can be very difficult and seem like a constant uphill battle...but then something happens which makes it all (almost) seem worthwhile. My own time is divided between my day job (helping run a pub) which brings an income of sorts, my career which is my art work and also 'studio-sweepings' which covers playing around with processes, trying out things, occasional workshops/ craft fairs etc. and generally all the stuff which has no direct relationship to my art work but can often feed into it in unexpected ways . In my own work I have recently been thinking of extremes of scale. Working on very large raster digital drawings has started a whole thought process about vector images where the output can range from tiny to huge with no loss of detail which led me to consider very small images such as postage stamps (- and this consideration is probably directly linked to the fact that I am also thinking about envelopes/ stamps in relation to the current Mail Art Open I am organising at the pub). I decided that I should make a submission for the show and ordered a mixed bag of stamps so that I could decorate my envelope and use the remainder for cards/ badges - but also thinking the visual stimuli of a pile of postage stamps would be useful in relation to my own work - it's one of those thought processes which I'm sure will lead somewhere even if I don't yet know where or when. They arrived this morning and on top was the above stamp - a Kathe Kollwitz drawing. I have always loved Kathe Kollwitz's drawings and prints and so it was such a buzz. A bit of on-line research gave me an image of the set it was a part of but I haven't yet found any other information. This stamp will NOT be used for the Mail Art submission or turned into a badge or card- I'm going to frame it and hang it somewhere where I can see it every day so that the next time I'm feeling really fed up about the intrusions which stop me from being in my studio (likely to be later today!) I can look at it and think that sometimes it can be a positive thing!

Light at the end of the tunnel....

2011-02-16T15:30:00.000Z

Draw 1

I have been neglecting lots of things over the last week to get to grips with my latest large digital drawing. Some drawings go really well from the start and others don't - this one has been a real struggle since I started it last November but at last there's light at the end of the tunnel. It's nearly finished - or at least at the stage where I feel in control again....

That moment.....

2011-02-08T10:56:00.000Z

I went to Lincoln on Friday for the preview of the OPEM and finally saw my aluminium panels hanging on the wall - (well two of them anyway). There was that awful moment before going in - hoping they worked as intended. It has made me think about how I'm going to feel when my show is up at Derby Museum in August. Although I do show individual pieces, the ideal is to see all the different strands of my drawing together and it will be the first time with this body of work so I am currently experiencing a mixture of panic, excitement, anticipation and dread! After I'd checked my work out I really enjoyed viewing the rest of the exhibition - worth a visit if you're in the area.

OPEM exhibition preview: Friday 4th February 6 - 8 p.m.

2011-01-25T10:42:00.000Z

Work packed ready to be picked up....

2011-01-25T10:39:00.000Z

Bit of a mad rush yesterday sorting out my work for the OPEM show in Lincoln. They are taking two panels - and one will definitely be shown. Initially they were going to take all 3 but decided there probably wouldn't be room (so I'll have to wait until August to see all three hanging together). They're picking the work up today and I didn't have much time to work out the best way of packing them - as they're floating panels the edges are vulnerable so bubble wrap/ card isn't really substantial enough. I've put them together in the one case I already had (minus the lid as it wasn't deep enough for both panels with handmade straps to hold them in) and it has worked really well. Quite heavy though - so think for next time I need to make some lightweight cases which are just the right size to hold one panel. Something to add to my 'to do' list which is already far too long...

Perspex and presentation possibilitie

2011-01-20T09:52:00.000Z

I've been researching presentation possibilities for my tissue paper works, ideally they would just be piled on the floor but understandably the museum want some sort of containment so they stay where they are meant to! It is important that whatever I use does the job but isn't too intrusive. Originally I considered a circular perspex 'tray' but the estimates were far too high so I'm going to use a square perspex 'rim' and I'm going to have a go at making it myself!! I've ordered the perspex cut to size from The Plastic People who have been great - I made a mistake with the measurements and their customer service was excellent. Once it arrives I shall have a go at joining it all together. As I'm not known for my DIY skills this may be a mistake....

OPEM Exhibition, Lincoln

2011-01-12T11:54:00.000Z

I've just heard that my ballpoint pen/ aluminium panel drawings will be shown at the OPEM exhibition in Lincoln which is on from 5th February - 3rd May 2011 at The Collection in the new Curtois Gallery. It will be the first time I've seen them hanging on a wall rather than leaning against one so very exciting!

Activity (Year 2) - 10 weeks in

2010-12-30T11:32:00.000Z

Drawing Dialogues Conversations...

2010-12-01T11:30:00.003Z

In October the first Drawing Dialogues took place at QUAD in Derby and we had very positive feedback from participants. Beth Heaney helped me to get this off the ground under the banner of Derby Big Draw which she initiated and organised. We have decided to get together and organise a whole series of Drawing Dialogue events over the coming months including talks, seminars, workshops and conversations. The initial idea came about as I felt there was a space for artist focused events and to fill a gap in my own practice, outside of the educational environment, for dialogue and discussion.
The initial project (starting in January 2011) will be an informal monthly or bi-monthly session at The Crompton, Derby where someone will put forward a reading or proposition which will start off the conversation. This can be something which has direct relevance to work being produced or just be something of interest which the initiator thinks worthy of discussion. The only rule is that it must be drawing related (and not too long!). All participants will read this before the meeting, the initiator will start off the conversation (referring to examples of their own work if they wish) and a dialogue/ debate will then hopefully develop. Participants will take it in turns to put forward a reading/ proposition giving a varied programme and encouraging people to think outside their own practice. Initially we're looking for expressions of interest, (either Beth or myself will provide the reading for the first meeting) so if it's something you would like to be involved in let me know.....We have set up a blog just for drawing dialogues HERE with an email link.

Decisions.....

2010-11-27T11:47:00.000Z

I've decided that I find it really difficult to make decisions and my head is spinning with options regarding my digital drawings. The size is easy as at least initially I'm only printing same size as produced - the dilemma comes with the printing - what paper, how many etc. so I've drawn a very small 'pinch' piece to experiment with. I'm currently waiting for print samples on bamboo paper (which is environmentally sound, a lovely off white colour but not as heavy as the other papers), a photo rag which has a very smooth surface and an Etching paper which is matt with a slight texture. Hopefully when I see them side by side it will help? I've recently found a printing company in Nottingham - printing on metal - which prints on all sorts of interesting materials (aluminium, fabric, wood, glass) and I also quite like the idea of laser etching onto acrylic or glass sheets.......

test digital drawing print

2010-11-23T17:14:00.000Z

The print of my digital drawing arrived this week - I didn't proof it because I didn't want to affect the outcome i.e. be tempted to try to make it look like a pencil drawing, just sent the file to be printed at default setting. I'm pleased with the result - in between a pencil and ballpoint drawing - but it was really weird to finish a drawing and have no idea what it was going to look like at full size!

2010-11-17T14:21:00.000Z

Front cover G1 magazine, 17.11.10

One down, one to go...

2010-11-16T14:47:00.000Z

I have a meeting in early December with Derby Museum and Art Gallery when I need to take along snapshots of work which will be potentially shown in my exhibition next year. Seemed like a good idea to see it as a deadline for finishing the two large pencil drawings I had on the go - so one down (above) and one to go...

Digital drawing update - nearly done!

2010-11-08T15:42:00.000Z

Setting up shop...

2010-11-03T17:34:00.001Z

I'm having a big clear out.and I am going to set up shop to sell stuff made from my studio-sweepings. Using Ecwid to set it up - and it will be up and running when I've worked out how to do it.......

Activity (Year 2)

2010-10-31T11:36:00.000Z

Activity (Year 1) now complete and stored - Year 2 now in progress. Below is the first week's worth and almost 3 weeks worth (all since 15th October) - this time I'm using a clear film instead of paper - still considering presentation options for this one

Scribble and Scrawl...

2010-10-29T12:18:00.000+01:00

Some images from the Scribble and Scrawl exhibition - more on the Crompton website here...

Digital drawing in progress (and detail)...

2010-10-24T14:32:00.000+01:00

Art Matters Exhibition

2010-10-23T14:58:00.000+01:00

The First Drawing Dialogues is happening on October 9th at QUAD...

2010-09-29T23:07:00.002+01:00

The first Drawing Dialogues event is set to take place on October 9th at 7.30 p.m. at QUAD. It is intended to be an opportunity for all who draw to engage with others in an informal setting

Four local artists – Alyn Mulholland, Liam Sharp, Kate Smith and Jane Stanton will each give a short presentation identifying some of the questions which have arisen out of their own studio practice – providing a starting point for further consideration.

· Alyn Mulholland, a sculptor and curator will discuss how drawing relates to the 3-dimensional and question whether it requires a different approach to the 2-dimensional.

· Liam Sharp, a comic book artist, writer and publisher will be talking about the death of ‘fantastic art’ and at what point the imaginary became undervalued

· Kate Smith, an artist whose work is exclusively drawing based, will talk about traditional vs digital drawing and issues of terminology, value and audience encounter.

· Jane Stanton, an artist and academic, will present her documentary drawing and discuss representation, voyeurism and the effectiveness of drawing versus photograph

Chaired by Katrinka Wilson, artist and academic, the discussion is intended to be an opportunity for all to participate and express their opinions and the audience will be encouraged to contribute to the direction the discussion takes.

Artslant 5th Showcase Winner

2010-09-26T14:27:00.000+01:00

A few week ago I heard from Artslant that I'd been chosen as a 5th Showcase winner. I'd only just 'claimed' my profile (available as a result of the Drawing Center show in New York) and had only submitted a work as it was part of the signing up info and it was free. Forgot about it until I received the email - so a really nice suprise. The next stage is juried winners (selected from each of this years 6 Showcase winners) Juried winners then become eligible for the Golden Frame Awards when 3 overall winners are selected. Prizes for the Golden Frame include an exhibitions in a major city - so fingers crossed

Drawing Paper #2

2010-09-22T13:23:00.000+01:00

(from http://drawing-paper.tumblr.com/)

We are delighted to announce Drawing Paper 2 has recently been published to coincide with the opening of the 10th Liverpool Biennial ‘Touched’ (www.biennial.com). It features work by 19 artists (Sachiko Abe, Richard Creed, Jagjit Chuhan, Mathilda Roussel Girauldy, Lizzie Hall, Kentaro Kobuke, Karin Lindholm, Katherine Lloyd, Jim Loftus, Lucy Macdonald, Julia McKenzie, Tabitha Moses, Al Murphy, Matt Niebuhr, Anita Plank, Kate Smith, Andrew Wilson, Kirsty White and Alexandra Wolkowicz) some of whom have come to our attention via this blog.

If you’d like a copy posting to you please send an A4 self addressed envelope with £1.20 second class postage (UK addresses only) to Mike Carney, 26 Moss Street, Garston, Liverpool L19 2NA. If you’re overseas and would like a couple of copies please email me your address and send £5 via Paypal to mike@mikesstudio.co.uk

When is a drawing not a drawing?

2010-09-12T13:13:00.000+01:00

Back in 2002 when I started my MA in Printmaking I became interested in the whole idea of multiples, repetition etc. and I suppose started to question when is a print not a print? One of the things I did was hand cut very large stencils of fragments of fabric showing the spaces left by removing stitching. I then draw through them by hand with various grades of pencil, ballpoint pens etc. Each drawing was different and often I would only do one drawing/ print from a stencil.(although there was always the potential for an unlimited number).

I also did series of drawings from the same stencil using different media and surfaces including 'Blueprints' below where I did 5 drawings each with a different make of blue ballpoint pen - each turned out a different colour and was hand-drawn so had individual marks/ variations in tone. (Actually this was intended to be a series of drawings where each was finished when the ballpoint pen ran out but none of them did.....)

Work undertaken at this time was the beginning of my whole body of work produced since then which has been exclusively drawing based.
Drawing digitally has led me to revisit many of these thoughts but from the opposite perspective. Instead of a print possibly becoming a drawing - a drawing is now possibly becoming a print?

I am fairly confident that I can describe the above as an original drawing (in progress) - it is produced in exactly the same way as my pencil/paper drawings - just with a digital pen and 'paper'. The problem really arises with the method of exhibition/ presentation. If the drawing is projected same size (1016 x 1372) or shown on a computer screen at same size it is still the original drawing - in fact probably more so as it allows it to be viewed at 1:1 scale. (I think it can be called a print if screened/ projected / printed at a different size/ resolution to the original as there has been an intervention and the original has been altered) But what if it is projected 1:1 a number of times simultaneously? Or shown on a number of screens? If the file is copied is it still the original? How can there be two or more identical originals? What about if printed on paper - but only once and never again?.... Lots of questions and no answers at the moment but I am wondering if the language which has developed to describe/ categorise traditional art work is actually inadequate for describing digital artwork? Maybe trying to fit a round peg in a square hole?

Digital drawing...in progress

2010-09-01T13:29:00.000+01:00

Digital drawing in progress - no quicker than drawing with pencil on paper as the digital paper is the same size and the method of drawing is identical - so I'm expecting it to take 400+ hours to finish. I decided that doing a 2 x layered drawing for my first digital drawing wasn't a good idea as it would take twice as long before I could print it out. Therefore I've started a new single drawing (I will do double layer if this works out). I am quite patient but 800+ hours of drawing before seeing it printed was too long even for me! Size of above: 1016 x 1372 mm, software: Corel Painter 11 (I think I have tested every natural media software out there and this was by far the best for my needs - Photoshop didn't even come close to recreating the 'feel' of drawing and Alias Sketchbook Pro wouldn't allow a digital canvas the size I wanted...) , single layer, 4H, 2H, 2B and 4B default Corel pencils and eraser. Aiming to have it finished by December 2010 and hoping to show a digital drawing at Derby Museum Show in 2011.....

'Hold' part one - digital drawing....

2010-08-19T15:09:00.001+01:00

Many people, at first glance, think my drawings are digital prints (especially the ballpoint pen on aluminium panels)and lots of people have also asked why I don't make prints of my drawings to make them more affordable. It has always been an idea I have rejected because the whole idea of the work is that it is of the hand by the hand (in simplistic terms) and to then print it makes it something else entirely. Thinking about not doing it led me to thinking about doing it (as it does). I decided I would do a digital drawing of exactly the same dimensions as my paper drawings and then the digital print would be the acceptable and inevitable result. (I've just realised it could also be projected?) It will still be hand-drawn but with a digital pen instead of a pencil and on a digital canvas instead of paper. The size of the digital drawing will be the size of the print (or projection) and at least initially, I am going to try to replicate the process/ experience of doing my 'real' pencil drawings. Researching maximum print sizes led me to the discovery that it could be printed on clear film which is ideal for a double (layered) drawing I have been thinking of doing for a while. So a couple of weeks ago I started a digital drawing (first of two that will ultimately be layered) with a digital canvas size of 1016 x 1372 mm at 300 dpi (slightly shorter at the moment as I've removed excess white space whilst drawing to keep file size down). I am drawing with a Wacom Intuos 3 graphics pen and A6 tablet using only the pencil tools and the eraser on a single layer. (In other words a digital equivalent to my real paper/ pencil) and I have set about it in exactly the same way as I would the 'real' drawings - inital quick sketch and then gradually building up tones with a 2B pencil. The file size is pretty big although my computer seems to be handling it O.K. so far and the experience of drawing is very weird - especially scale issues (drawing on an A6 area)/ zooming out instead of standing back and I can't control the pressure or mark as well as with a pencil -but that may improve with practice?. I'm pretty sure that my lack of knowledge of the software etc. means I am going about it all wrong - but I think that's part of the attraction for me- approaching digital drawing with a traditional mindset.( As I'm still doing my 'activity' piece and the carbon taped to the tablet keeps transferring to my hand it's even still as messy!!) I have 2 weeks until my trial software stops working - have a feeling it won't be long enough......

Dalton Ghetti - pencil carvings.

2010-08-19T11:13:00.000+01:00

A friend shared this link about artist Dalton Ghetti's pencil carvings which I thought were really cool so I thought I'd pass it on!

Sketchbook Project book has arrived from America...

2010-08-13T13:06:00.000+01:00

This morning my sketchbook arrived from America. It's a 5.5 x 8.5 inch moleskine with really rubbish paper (as expected) so I think the first thing I have to do is work out how to change that! You can do anything to it provided it is still 5.5 x 8.5 inches when closed, but it will need to be pretty durable as (hopefully) hundreds of people will look through it on it's tour of America and subsequent permanent home in Brooklyn Library.
On the back is the barcode (which enables tracking of who has looked at it and when), my name and the theme I chose: 'If you lived here..'

So now the difficult bit - what to put in it?? Has to be sent back by 15th January 2011 so have a while to think about it. Country, City, Street, House, Universe, Head???? Who knows....

Good News...

2010-08-12T16:56:00.002+01:00

One of the blogs I've been following for a while is http://drawing-paper.tumblr.com. The blog is an online supplement to Drawing Paper a printed publication which contains drawings by around 20 artists. Drawing Paper was conceived and designed by Mike Carney and Jon Barraclough from Liverpool. My work is currently featured on the blog and will also be included in Issue 2 of Drawing Paper (which is under construction and will be published to coincide with the Liverpool Biennial in September). I am really looking forward to receiving a copy of Issue 1 in the post in the next few days...

Sketchbook project

2010-08-05T20:55:00.000+01:00

As you can see by the link on the right hand side, I've just signed up for The Sketchbook Project. I've signed for the theme 'If you lived here...' and have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do - but thought it looked fun!!

Half way there!!

2010-07-31T11:48:00.000+01:00

A while ago I wrote about my 'activity' piece and at the moment I'm about half way through joining it (and 9 months into producing it). Hoping to get it almost finished for the 'art matters' show in October (I'll be 9 days of the finish date). I've worked out the final dimensions should be around 16 x 12 x 35 cm stacked and 16 x 4380 cm fully extended - so probably not much chance of ever seeing it completely opened!

Back to the drawing board!

2010-07-30T15:43:00.000+01:00

Final 2 image publications uploaded and linked to my blog and website. I have quite a few large drawings still undocumented but I shall probably wait until after my Derby Museum show next year to sort them out. As I have a number of exhibitions in the pipeline I'm trying to make sure that they all have different work which is involving a bit of juggling and a fair bit of making so time to get back to the drawing board!!

Small Works publication uploaded

2010-07-29T16:57:00.001+01:00

First issuu publication!

2010-07-28T13:40:00.001+01:00

What a fantastic site!! I've just uploaded my first test publication (needs some additional work like text!) and embedded it down on the right. Haven't worked out how to make it fit the sidebar yet but early days - and it does seem to work!

On-line frenzy....

2010-07-27T21:04:00.000+01:00

Over the last week or so I've been concentrating on streamlining and redesigning on-line stuff - website/ blog etc and set up my digital sketchbook. At the same time I've been discussing with a fellow artist ideas for an on line catalogue - we've got a group exhibition in October and want to do something visual and accessible. I've been thinking for a while about doing some on-line promotional booklets/ catalogues (portfolio of work, exhibition info etc.) but don't want to spend lots of money on printing. I have software to produce pdf's but I really wanted a format where the pages 'turned' and I really, really didn't want to have to learn any complicated software!!. Whilst researching possibilities I came across issuu.com which looks absolutely ideal. It looks as if I can do the layout and design, upload it and it will do all the complicated stuff for me. Also lots of really interesting publications to download/ read/ explore. Going to do a sample over the next few days to test it out....

sketchbook bits and pieces

2010-07-25T14:12:00.000+01:00

All the bits and pieces for inside my digital sketchbook. Just got to start using it now!

Digital Sketchbook

2010-07-23T14:00:00.001+01:00

I've been playing around with the idea of a digital sketch book......but I wanted one which would let me stick/ staple and generally add bits and pieces as well as type, write and draw. Think I've found the answer....time will tell....so far all I've done is the front cover!

Drawing dialogues

2010-07-14T11:47:00.000+01:00

Hopefully a couple of drawing dialogues coming up this year during Big Draw in October. A group of us are having an exhibition at the LCB depot in Leicester where artists exhibiting will give a talk about the role drawing plays in their work. Derby Big Draw (organised by Beth Heaney) is also hopefully having a drawing dialogues event at Quad, all very exciting!

New blog AND new website!

2010-07-13T09:29:00.000+01:00

After much thought about my online presence I decided to merge my two blogs, firstly to make life easier (it means I only have one to update!) and secondly because Blogger have recently introduced 'pages' and updated their templates which makes it much more versatile. I also decided that I should have my name in the url to make it easier to find and so I set up a completely new blog and imported both of the older ones. However, I then realised that my web home page linked to one of my old blogs.... In theory I should have been able to just change the old link, but due to a number of factors (change of computer, old software...) this wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded so I made the decision to design a new website from scratch. I decided to keep it really simple and to make sure it loaded onto smart phones/ i-phones as well as on computer and to make it as easy as possible to update. It's now up and running here. I still have a lot of work to do, on the images page in particular, but it's a start!!

In progress...

2010-07-11T09:16:00.000+01:00

More small stuff...

2010-06-30T15:55:00.000+01:00

Today I have been really, really good and have continued scanning and framing smaller works as part of my aim to have all my work logged and documented by the end of the year.

Selections...

2010-06-03T17:19:00.000+01:00

Have spent all day sorting out a selection of 'activity' (Year One) and I.D's to print out for applications present and future. Have over a 100 of each and hoping at some point to do installation shots but my studio isn't suitable (and 'activity won't be finished for another 4 months) so decided I needed an interim solution.....

Small stuff

2010-05-31T13:27:00.000+01:00

2010-05-30T16:36:00.000+01:00

That time of year again...

2010-05-21T18:29:00.000+01:00

Jerwood Drawing Prize time again. I've sorted out my drawings (marked and manipulated paper, shadow drawing and residual mark) early this year and kept it small because my sister is submitting and picking up my work in Edinburgh (Thanks Jenny). Normally it is a real chore because the nearest collection point is Liverpool which involves hours travelling to and fro (twice). As I've had an easy time of it this year I may hire a van next year and submit large drawings? Not sure because they return unwrapped and so will also need frames and packing case which makes it very expensive. I might see if other Derby/ Nottingham artists want me to submit their work at the same time (fill the van!) which would cut the cost down... something to think about.

A stitch in time - best laid plans !

2010-04-27T11:52:00.000+01:00

On October 15th 2009 I started tracking my daily activity on the computer (using a graphics tablet/ pen and paper and carbon). Every day I tape a new piece of A6 paper/ carbon to the tablet and the just use the computer to do whatever I need to do - the carbon transfers the marks to the paper and I have a 'drawing' of that days activity. Year one of the 'activity' series is now almost half way through and I needed to start thinking about presentation. They have been stored chronologically in cellophane packets a week at a time - and look great just pinned to the wall (maybe Year 2 using transparent/ translucent paper??). However, I really wanted to present them in a way which potentially showed all 365 drawings. The carbon paper reveals the negative mark but is clearer when held up to the light so I considered joining them (one set positive/ 1 set negative) so they could be hung/ folded in a variety of ways depending on the space they were shown in, allowing for a light source.... After much testing I decided to laminate them and join with stitches (24 stitches/ 60cm thread ) so they became like a giant concertina book which could be opened/ closed/ hung etc. in a variety of ways. I did my my tests with blank paper/ carbon and all seemed fine but when I started to laminate I realised the carbon paper doesn't like heat and the marks almost disappeared! So now I shall go ahead as planned with the transfer drawings but have to rethink what I'm going to do with the carbon.....

2010-04-27T11:49:00.000+01:00

On my wish list!

2010-04-08T09:27:00.000+01:00

Although my own work tends to be low tech (pencil and paper) and I love writing by hand (preferably with a flex fountain pen) I'm also a bit of a gadget girl and have been searching for a long while for some way of keeping a digital sketch book. Since my original psion and through zodiacs, palms and currently smartphone nothing has done everything I want and in particular nothing has come close to replacing my paper notebooks/ sketchbooks. So I currently have lots of things on my computer (weblinks/ photos/ online stuff), a pile of notebooks and no way of effectively combining the two. Thought the i-pad might work but no stylus so no good! (you can get a third party stylus but as the i pad hasn't been designed with it in mind it has limited use) I need to be able to take handwritten notes, do quick sketches and insert anything I want from the web. Microsoft's courier above looks perfect. More info here. Not sure when it will be released (rumours of late 2010) or how much it will cost but it is definitely no. 1 on my wish list. I want one!!

Il Lee - ballpoint drawings

2010-04-08T09:17:00.000+01:00

BL-092, 2007, ballpoint pen on paper, 65 x 51.5 inches. Courtesy of artist and Art Projects International, New York

Really interesting item from the Drawing Center here about some fascinating ballpoint drawings by Il Lee. Caught my eye because one of the things I've been thinking about a lot is the universal experience of drawing and the resulting audience understanding of the physical activity inherent in making a drawing (and because I love drawing with ballpoint pens!)

134 I.D.'S scanned

2010-03-24T14:47:00.000Z

Have finally scanned all 134 i.d. cards - now about the same number of activity drawings...From now on I'm going to try to do a bit more regularly so I don't have to spend hours slaving over the scanner!

2010-03-16T11:34:00.000Z

Documentation, presentation and animation

2010-03-16T11:01:00.000Z

Had a really busy time lately - although I haven't actually made as much work as I would have liked. Have been doing all the other artist 'stuff'and spending far too much time on the computer (activity, 15.03.2010 above) but think I've cracked .pngs now!
A meeting with Derby Musem about my solo there at the end of 2011 last week(and looks as if I may be showing some work at deda at the same time?) has led to lots of research into presenting work - I want to show my manipulated papers in a perspex circle (similar to a very large petri dish) but looking unlikely as the cheapest quote so far is £500 each, so I think a bit of lateral thinking is needed! The exhibition also marks a decade of exclusivly drawing for me - so lots of ideas for events/ talks to coincide with Big Draw which takes place at the same time my exhibition is on.
The 6 week animation course I've been attending at Quad finished last week and I have so many ideas which need sorting/ exploring and lots of software learning still to do. Have an initial idea which is really simple but now achievable so that's going to be the first step.
Before I do that I need to work out how to use my new camera and do some documentation of my large drawings. This may take some time as I seem to have a mental block where cameras are concerned and unfortunately relying on Auto wont be good enough. I've decided I need to make this a priority though - so I am going to stop making excuses and get on with it over the next few weeks (months?)and make lots of notes as I go along.....

First month 2010, first drawing 2010

2010-02-03T11:57:00.000Z

Despite a lot of external factors which have prevented me getting into my studio during January - I have managed to finish my first drawing of 2010. Alongside my 'touch' drawings I am also exploring residual marks - unconcious/random, vs. conscious/ intentional. Lots to think about, lots to do....