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Tessellation 7

My newly completed drawing is the seventh in my series of Tessellations all based on a single shape. This one has taken me longer than usual to complete–our Thanksgiving trip to Cincinnati came just after I was about half-way into the drawing. Coming back to it after that time away was hard yet rewarding.

Concentrating on the drawing has taken my mind off politics (UGH!). I sat at my drawing table and got lost in lines and shadows. My only concern each day for hours at a time was whether a line should be darker or if an area would look more dimensional, showing more motion if shading was added.  As the drawing appears right now, it may or may not be finished. I’ve decided to look at it for a few days–and then determine if it might need a bit more added detail in some of the open areas. Time will tell.

drawing, graphite on paper,Tessellation 7; 2016; graphite on paper; 22″ x 30″

Here is a fun detail shot of the drawing I took at a low sideways angle. I was completely surprised with how dimensional it looked this way. Who knows? I might turn this oddly angled “anamorphic-looking” photo into a mirrored pattern drawing. The fun never ends!

drawing, graphite on paper,Tessellation 7 (detail on an angle); 2016; graphite on paper; 22″ x 30″

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Circle Swirls: Drawing and Linocut

My newest relief print is based on the drawing “Circle Swirl” from my Patterns of Obsession series. Printed in an edition of 10 by Brent Bond at Santo Press, it is another laser-cut linocut. It amazes me how precisely the laser-cut can be on the linoleum’s surface. I am pretty thrilled with how it turned out. Soon I will be adding a digital color layer to the print making it into something else entirely. Can’t wait to get that started! It’s going to be so much fun to see how it evolves with color.

First, the drawing:

Circle SwirlCircle Swirl; 2016; graphite on Stonehenge paper; 16″ x 16″ image size; 22″ x 22″ paper size. POR

And the print:

Circle Swirl by Janet Towbin Circle Swirl; 2016; Laser-cut linocut; edition of 10; 16″ x 16″ image size; 23″ x 22″ paper size. $400.00

And here is a little teaser for you…my computer rendering (it’s a work in progress–the specific colors may change) of how I intend to add color to the print. Keeping my fingers crossed it will compare to what I can do in Photoshop.

 

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Circle Swirls

My series of four Circle Swirl prints was completed a couple of weeks ago at Santo Press. Printed by Brent Bond, they turned out exactly how I had envisioned them. The key linoleum plate was cut by laser, while the various color states were formed by cutting the separate blocks by hand.

It’s really hard for me to stop at just 4 editions–I could go on and on with many different color combinations.  However, Brent runs a tight ship and has encouraged me to go on to something else. Good advice. The next prints are already in the Santo Press queue–and oddly enough, they are all about STRIPES. That is definitely something else.

Meanwhile, here is the complete suite of Circle Swirls:

Print by Janet Towbin, Circle Swirl,

Circle Swirl, laser-cut linocut, edition of 10, 8″ x 8″ image size, paper 11.25″ x 11″, $100.00

Print by Janet Towbin, Circle Swirl II,Circle Swirl II, 2-color laser-cut linocut, edition of 20, 8″ x 8″ image size, paper 11.25″ x 11″, $ 150.00

Print by Janet Towbin, Circle Swirl III,Circle Swirl III, 3-color handcut and laser-cut linocut, edition of 20, 8″ x 8″ image size, paper 11.25″ x 11″, $ 175.00

Print by Janet Towbin, Circle Swirl IV,Circle Swirl IV, 4-color handcut and laser-cut linocut, edition of 20, 8″ x 8″ image size, paper 11.25″ x 11″, $ 200.00

The suite of 4 Circle Swirls is available at a discounted price of $500.00.

All 6 of the Linocut Swirls series (4 Circle Swirls prints and 2 Twisted Swirls prints) may be purchased for $650.00. That’s quite a deal–less than $110.00 per print!

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New Work: Circle Swirl

I just completed a new drawing called Circle Swirl. It is the first in what I hope will be a small sub-series of my Patterns of Obsession drawings. There are about 3 more preliminary sketches on my studio wall waiting their turn on the drawing board. This Swirl sub-series began with a rather small sketch I did years ago with a Sharpie pen, which I recently photographed. The digital file was then manipulated into several far more complex patterns. The resulting manipulated image was then drawn on paper using graphite pencil, the result of which you see below.

In the next month or two, Circle Swirl will be converted into a laser-cut linocut at Santo Press. It will be printed in several editions with variations of color in an 8″ square format. Additionally, I plan to hand-cut a large linoleum block (16″ square) which will also be printed at Santo Press. Thank God for Brent Bond! He doesn’t know it yet, but I want to use a rainbow roll behind the patterned image similar to the 2 editions we collaborated on in 2015;  Leaf Stripes (Dark) & Leaf Stripes (Light) .

As you can see, I’ve got big plans!

Circle SwirlCircle Swirl, 2016, graphite on paper, 16″ x 16″ on Stonehenge paper 22″ x 22″

Circle Swirl (detail)Circle Swirl (detail)

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