Week Three

I had a semi productive week. I got a lot of drawing done this week, and a bit more research which is good. I think im nearly at the point where I have figured out my concepts as much as I possibly can for now, and am ready to start making some actual images. On Tuesday I went into school and had a very productive day. I found myself a studio space where I will be able to work. I produced my first plate on Tuesday using the photopolymer etching process. But it was very time consuming. I had to get the technician to teach me, because they do it differently here than they do in Dunedin. Here you use computers to make an inversed bitmap image, and then you screenprint it onto the metal using an acid resistant ink and then you etch it. So I feel like ive learnt a lot already, and it was good because I got aqquainted with the screenprinting technician too and he is allowing me to use the room one day a week if I want, and is pretty keen to teach me how to print onto fabric. I imagine I wont get much screenprinting done though, because it is separate to other printmaking processes. I am yet to print my photopolymer plate, I think that ill do that next week. It has been snowing since Wednesday so I have been at home the remainder of the week. I have been looking at the Otago course outline and have written a bit in relation to that. Eg, I have identified my preferred processes and I have attempted to define my concepts a bit more. On Friday I went on a mission to find some art supplies, but its so awkward because nobody has what I want. I found some plastic for drypoint…but its more like thick a thick OHP transparency so I hope that it works. I also cant find any woodcutting knifes, so im getting my parents to send mine from New Zealand so I hope they arrive in about a weeks time. I have been playing around more with photostitch this week, and also with photoshop. Im still a beginner with photoshop, but im very interested in using the filters. My favourite one is the ‘cutout’.. think this will be very helpful in designing woodblock prints from my photos.
Also I have started an obsession with Internet blogging. My friend told me about it, and at first I brushed her off. But I have found that it is really really helpful for me to get my thoughts out so I can understand them, and I find it pretty therapeutic. And so I have three separate ones. One will document my Exchange here, the other is just one for me to write about anything that happens to be on my mind…what I call Brain mush…and this one I will use mainly for Art school purpose. In a way it will be a second online workbook, where I can talk about my concepts, or about any other relevant things, and I will use as a diary as well, to document and talk about what ive been doing each week schoolwise while I am here. It is much faster to type than to write. Im not sure what I will get up to next week. I am learning how to make a book on Tuesday. Ideally id like to print that photopolymer experiment and see how it turns out. And id like to start planning some other images..maybe an example of drypoint, and a woodblock once I get my tools. That is all.