Kris Wiltse's Art

A Painting in Progress

2011-04-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Nancy, for your comment on my last post about the bowl of fruit working as a painting. I was just thinking about taking it in that direction and with your encouragement will do so. I've always considered myself a painter, applying painting techniques to my prints, so it's an easy reach.
I visited "Daily Paintworks" which has weekly challenges and thought I'd try the "German Landscape Challenge." There's some beautiful and inspiring works that have been submitted, so I encourage people to take a look.
Here's my "German Landscape" painting. It's far from finished, but it's given me some good feedback and ideas. The color is driving me crazy. It's done with acrylics which are feeling gaudy to me, so I'll start applying oils on top and try to take it down. It'll be a work in progress for some time!

Bowl of Fruit Still Life

2010-06-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a color composition for my next block print. I'm considering using some wonderfully textured mahogany. It'll be a multi-block print. I'm interested in this experiment to see how this will translate into a print because I want to use overlapping colors to create new, yet maintain the intensity and contrast of the compliments.
I scrapped the peony image for now. I ran a proof and wasn't happy with it. I haven't totally given up. It just needs a lot of work and I'd rather proceed with this image. Color kicks my butt. I love it!
Now to Sharpen my tools!

Brackenwood Gallery

2010-05-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm delighted to announce I've just signed on with Brackenwood Gallery in Langley, Washington. Owners, Rene Neff and Anne Waterman, are both knowledgeable in the arts and great to work with. I can't say enough how honored I feel to be part of their group of talented artists. Check out their gallery by foot, or online:
http://brackenwoodgallery.com/

Peonies Woodcut

2010-05-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

A friend gave me some maple cabinet scraps so I'm using a vertical piece for my next print. I've been painting my peony in bloom so thought I'd do a 2 color piece, primarily black and white with 1 color, and maybe 1 additional... or 2, or 3. Plans shmlans. This project is growing by the minute. I drew directly on the block so it's a bit of a drawing mess. I like to work it out as I go sometimes. Mistakes become an integral part of it.

Nectar Online Magazine

2010-03-29T11:25:00.001-07:00

Nectar is a magazine for women featuring articles about all kinds of outdoor sports such as kayaking and backpacking. Besides sports, they also feature interviews with writers and visual artists. I was honored to have been interviewed by them late last year and it was just published in their Issue #03. It's a great magazine full of inspiration. Thank you Nectar!

Check it out...
http://www.nectarmagazine.com/issues/issue03/index.html

Whidbey Sketchers

2009-12-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

We've started our own Whidbey Island Sketchers group. Sketched at a couple locales on the island. Here's a few more drawings from our last get together.

I've also started a strictly sketching blog Called 'Drawings from Life' where I share my sketches and thoughts about drawing and journal-ing. It's such a rich topic to explore.
All of my drawings and sketches will be posted on that blog from here on out.

Woodcut Snowflakes Test

2009-11-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

As soon as I had the first block cut I had to do a little test run on some scrap Rives BFK buff colored paper. It's a lovely color. The texture of wood is so pretty and fascinating. I did a quick cutout with veneer to see how it would print on top.
Now cutting the second block. Making a bit of a mess out of this one. I want lots of textures, so the more mistakes, the merrier!

Woodcut Christmas Card in the Works!

2009-11-20T17:11:00.000-08:00

Snowflakes and no snow... yet. I think a simple three block image for this year. Finding wood much easier to cut than I thought it would be. Enjoying being able to get good detail. Though it'll definitely have a hand cut quality to it. If anyone wants one, email me your address: kwiltse@whidbey.com and I'll make sure you receive one!

Urban Sketching

2009-11-16T21:42:00.000-08:00

I'm getting in touch once again with my love for sketching on location. Usually I prefer outdoor scenes of land and cityscapes, but need to work on drawing people so decided to join a friend and do some group sketching. Watercolor is fast and can be treated in a gestural fashion. Blocking in areas then getting more detail later. It's easy to get caught up in facial features and watercolor forces me to be less descriptive. Here are a few done today...

My Registration Method

2009-11-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Registration was a complete mystery to me, so I experimented with various methods. Heck, sometimes I just make marks on a piece of paper showing where to put the block and line up the paper. Here's some photos of my funky registration method. I glued down L shaped pieces of mat board onto MDF. A carpenters square was used to square it up. It's kinda goofy, but is quite accurate.

Transfering the Keyblock to Blocks

2009-10-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

When doing a multi-block print I cut the keyblock first then transfer the image to all the blocks per color/s. A sheet of acetate serves as the transfer medium, but I'm sure any coated paper such as glassine would work too. Speedball water based inks is my preference for this process since it dries the fastest and prints nicely on acetate. I make sure my registration system is set up for easy and accurate registration so that I don't have to figit with it later. After the ink dries I wash the it off the plate, leaving a stained-in ghost image. Also, the image on acetate, when laid over each print in progress helps me to know where to cut.

Extending Relief Prints

2009-09-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

A year ago I had the honor of creating 6 different linoleum block prints for American Flatbread Pizza sold at Whole Foods Markets. They've decided to change the format of the images from square to horizontal, giving me the opportunity to make these images bigger and better, I'm delighted to say. They are wonderful clients with a great product. All pencils are approved and printing is underway. Yeah!

Morning Glory Block Print

2009-09-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

Had this simple idea for a greeting card. More of an excuse to play with line and shapes. And my new Akua Kolors. This isn't done yet. I may add another block. It needs something, not sure what. I'll sleep on it and work on another image.

Three variations, and moving on

2009-09-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

Variations of the Headlands image.

Two top are brushed on ink, the third is rolled on ink.

I'm done with it and am writing it off as experiments with inks and layers. Playing with brushing on Akua Kolor verses rolling on Graphic Chemical inks to see the outcomes. When I cut the blocks I knew less than I do now. I usually do reduction prints so am used to lots of layers with water based inks. Graphic Chemical inks don't work well for it. They're gooey and saturated. The consistency of honey. I'm rubbing by hand, so a light application of ink is much harder to get down. Now I'm adjusting my process by using less overlapping layers of ink and more blocks, one or two colors per. Oh well. I learned allot. Onward.

Akua Kolors on Bikini Beach

2009-08-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

Bikini

Just got my new Akua Kolor inks so I created this image as a quick experiment. I also dusted off the blocks of the old Headlands piece (in earlier posts) and just started brushing on color and printed a few layers. I'll post that piece in a day or two. I love the transparency and watercolor quality of these inks. Akua inks are delightful to work with! Unfortunately I ran into some problems with the linoleum on the bikini image. I didn't seal it so the linoleum absorbed the ink and created too much texture when printed. I'm using two kinds of lino, gold linoleum was used for the Headlands piece, brown linoleum for Bikini. I always sand the surface to make it smoother and found gold takes Akua Kolor better than brown. I did some tests sealing it with gesso and that works very well. The brown linoleum must have a high clay content which makes it very absorbent if the surface is removed. But the cuts are nice and crisp, so it's worth working with. I'm a little bummed that I have to do one more step to prep the surface. I love the consistency and easy clean up of Akua Kolors. They're much like oils and I'm applying it with brushes. Livens the surface nicely, making them a bit like Monoprints.

Tropic Dreams

2008-12-31T10:03:00.000-08:00

Ahhh. Just finished this piece for the Kona Brewers Festival this March over in Hawaii. http://www.konabrewersfestival.com/
This piece was created with reduction prints scanned, then applied PMS colors to each layer, so the image has that digital, light as air, quality. The challenge was keeping it simple... among other things.
I've been dreaming and scheming to go. Hope to see you there!

Oh Ya. It's the last day of 08. Happy New Year!

Creativity 38

2008-09-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

Yep, I'm all a tizzy! It's nice to get some kudos now and then. I'm proud to say that the packaging for Full of Life’s Flatbread Pizza featuring my illustrations just won a silver medal in Creativity 38, Creativity Awards Annual. A global showcase of graphic design and illustration. I worked with Mark Oliver Inc. on this project and I think they did a fabulous job designing them. You can see them at your local in Whole Foods Markets. Thanks to all!

Methow Paintings

2008-08-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

The summer has finally arrived here in the Northwest, so I took advantage of it and did a little camping and painting in Eastern Washington.

The cabin and Methow River Valley....

Eight Blocks Later

2008-04-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

My first proof of the Lucy Reflected image. There's one slight value change I'll make, but this is very close. Eight blocks. I'm relieved the corrugated cardboard worked, as I was concerned I'd crush it, but it was surprisingly strong stuff. Lucy's a great little subject with her calico colors and voluptuous body and soft curves.

A Cat Reflextion

2008-04-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

I cut one more plate and proofed the Headlands piece shown below. I could see various adjustments to make but before taking those steps wanted to experiment with simplified plates using a thin linoleum-like product with a sticky backing and Poly Print. I thought this cat image would be a good subject for the experiment since what I have in mind has very little detail. It was planned for a local auction for WAIF, an animal welfare organization here on Whidbey Island. Maybe I could apply this process to the Headlands. I had purchased these products many years ago and decided it was time to play with it. It sped up my process significantly. These were cut Friday night. Yes, I had a date with my drawing table. I know these products are cheap and inferior to a lino, but there are some small areas in the Headlands piece that only require a flat color so I'm looking for a fast way to get it down. I also wanted to try using some corrugated cardboard for contrast. This abbreviated process may also be helpful in my illustration work. I've got numerous projects on my board and haven't had time to proof this cat image. I'm chomping on the bit. I have a few more plates to create yet. I'm guesstimating 8-10 plates total. It's an image I'd like to keep rough. I like the happy accidents that occur with mis-registration. Above is an image of the key and color blocks created thus far. Later tonight I hope to run a proof... if I don't have a date. I'd much rather date my work.

Also I had created prints to appear on packaging for an organic pizza company called American Flatbread. These are two of six. Now stocked at your local Whole Food Markets.

Happy printing!

Back in the saddle

2008-03-30T01:05:00.000-07:00

These are proofs of an unfinished print I had set down quite some time ago. A hot potato that's gotten cold. But I'm reheating it. It's experimental, so we'll see how it goes. The image is of the tide flats at Indian Point just below the bluff in the headlands, a protected wildlife habitat area next to my house. I'm always struck by the interesting patterns the tides create down there. They change quickly, especially after a storm.
I figure I'll be cutting more blocks for this print. I had gotten stuck and didn't know quite what to do next with it. One reason I set it down. And now I know exactly what I need to do. A friend had said he liked it at this point and didn't think I needed to do anything more with it. I have this image in my head and this isn't it. So when does one stop?
Well here are some of the plates and proofs using three blocks. I'll probably end up using 6-7. I can see that I'll be re-cutting a couple already. It's a fairly large image for a block print.

Visitors

2008-03-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

All comments welcome!

Kris

First Blog

2008-03-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

Blogging. A new experience for me. As web savvy as I've considered myself, I've learned that I'm just not on top of it!

This blog is about making pictures of all kinds every day. A place for myself and others to share information and thoughts. I'll be posting sketches along with progress on projects both in illustration and art.
I'll also be posting general information, learning sites, artists, events and gallery openings. Also making announcements in regards to workshops given by me and other artist friends.

To start, I've got the bug to do Moku Hanga, traditional Japanese woodblock printing. Linoleum has been a mainstay in printmaking for me, so tackling wood will be new. I've done it before, but I'm lousy at sharpening tools, so have not tackled it for quite some time.
I joined the Baren, http://www.barenforum.org. Have learned allot so far. There's a wealth of information on this site. All the people I've met on the forum have been great and helped me navigate through that system. I guess reading the "How to's" would help.

Today I'm working on setting this up and also on a group of interpretive panels for Freund Marsh at Oak Harbor here on Whidbey Island. Dan Pedersen of the Marine Resources Committee (MRC) has written the copy. A great guy to work with. And a talented writer. I've worked with Sue Van Etten, his wife, along with Shelley Hartle and Betty Azar at Azar Associates on their website doing some spot paintings most recently. http://www.azargrammar.com for those of you studying English. And others like myself who struggle with grammar!

Time to glue my rear to the chair at my drawing table.

Kris