Painting to Print

 Energy Channel 2

© 2013 Hannah Phelps

oil on canvas, 12" x 6"

Almost all of my prints are from paintings. Usually unfinished paintings. 

I do this is because I know that I made decisions about shapes, compositions and color relationships that will make a print successful. 

The way that I paint makes it a good medium for working stuff out. If something isn't right, I can wipe it out or paint over it. I smoosh the paint around and let it mix with surrounding colors and the underlayers. 

For my most recent print, I cropped the composition of a plein air piece. I drew a large version of that sliver in charcoal and fell in love with the drawing. I immediately transferred it to a block and started carving and printed a layer. 

Then I got stuck. I didn't know what to do next. The little painting was a great inspiration, but it lacked some crucial info.

So I painted the scene again. And again. And I copied the whole original tiny painting too.

Here is one of the little paintings. 

Now mixing colors and carving shapes should go a little easier. 

This painting is available! For more information about how to get it, contact me by clicking here.

Small Paintings From Big Paintings

© 2013 Hannah Phelps

Printmaking is going slowly. I did put another layer on the larger print, but since I added just a little white, I don't think a photo will be too exciting.

The paper for the jumbled mess I showed you last week is here and that will be done soon.

In the meantime, I am painting and painting. This is very good. My arm is doing great and I am having a lot of fun. 

I am kind of on a kick now - I am taking plein air paintings that I always loved but never really finished and painting from them. In the photo above, the older painting is the larger one on the left and the new one (brand new, juicy and wet!) is the small square on the right. 

As you can see, I cropped just a piece out of the bigger painting as the composition for the smaller one. 

I posted the new one on Daily Paintworks. And it is for sale.... 

Click to Bid!

What's Going On Here?

© Hannah Phelps

This is a mystery photo for you - the third step in a fun process. Step 4 is coming soon...

I am impatiently waiting for some supplies to arrive before I can go on with this. I'll share when I can!

Done? Not Done?..... Done!

© 2013 Hannah Phelps

 Wave in Green and Blue
7.5" x 10.5", multi-block relief print

I thought this print wasn't finished and it needed another layer or twelve.

But now I think it is finished. I put it away for a few months to think about it. Recently, I dug it out again and I feel good about it. So it is done. 

Check.

It is a woodblock printed on an etching press with oil ink, like Dawn Wave, Maine Wave and Private Wave, but it is not a jigsaw and it is not a reduction.

This print was created with four (or maybe five) blocks that were cut to the same size. Each color was printed with a different block. 

This wasn't a "better" way to do it - just different. Right now, I think I prefer the reduction jigsaw thing, but I might do this again sometime.

If you love this, you can have one!


Click to go to the etsy store.

Prints Online

Prints drying on the new clothesline

I have started a new print even though I am painting all the time and have 3 (or more) other prints that really need finishing. 

I just couldn't help myself. I made a charcoal drawing from a plein air painting and I got too excited to quit there.

The first layer is done, as you can see. I will probably work on it more tomorrow. I am trying something new that I really hope works. Fingers crossed.

The block looks like this with the whites carved out:

You can also see the marks that will guide me when I make more cuts. Soon.

Sales at the Continuing Education Graduation Exhibit!

© 2009 Hannah Phelps

 Low Tide

white-line woodcut print, 4.5" x 6.5"

I just found out today that a one of these prints sold in the exhibit at the New Hampshire Institute of Art's Amherst Street Gallery in Manchester. 

There are a bunch of other prints hanging with it, along with the block from which it sprouted. Plus, there are paintings and photographs by the other graduates. You have another week if you want to see this great show. Details in the sidebar!

Dawn Wave

© 2013 Hannah Phelps

Here, at long last, is the latest finished jigsaw reduction relief. It took longer to finish than I planned - by a few months!

The good news is that it is done now and one of these is hanging in the Amherst St Gallery at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. I am graduating from my certificate program in a few weeks and this is the celebratory exhibit. There are details in the sidebar.