"I begin with an idea ... and then it becomes something else"
~ Picasso

Sunday 4 July 2010

Pebble sketchbook - potato printing and playing with plastic cling film

I haven't shown much of my pebble sketchbook recently so here are just a few pages of printing and playing with plastic
















This is a very simple and fun technique of printing with a small potato, giving a monoprint effect. I used acrylics in blue, grey, black and silver onto watercolour paper





















For this sample I used a potato to print onto fabric. I carved into the potato to get the lines





















I added a little machine stitching around the outline of the pebble shapes





















Detail of the print and stitch
















Next, I painted pebble shapes onto cling film. When it was dry I stitched it to silver tissue paper. I scrunched up the paper before stitching the cling film to it (for a little texture)





















These are a bit too messy for my liking, but I stuck them in my book anyway
















More cling film. I found a carrier bag with pebbles on it then added snippets of text

pebble
tumble
sea
worn
smooth
round





















I covered the carrier bag and text with cling film and ironed the film to the plastic. The heat fuses the plastic and the film together trapping the text. I do like the wrinkled texture

If you try this - you need to cover the plastic layers with a sheet of baking parchment or greaseproof paper to protect your iron
















Hope you get time to play this week
Carolyn ♥

33 comments:

Ruth said...

I just love all the techniques you've come up with in your pebble sketchbook. The potato prints look just like pebbles. Wonderful!

Jill said...

So many ideas Carolyn - love the potato pebbles in all their forms. And must try ironing the cling film technique.

gerfiles said...

You can bet I will (too hot for trying to be serious anyways)... my favourites are the machine stitch surrounded ones on fabric... actually, I regret having eaten all the potatoes this afternoon... have a good week, H.

martha brown said...

Pebbles are my favourite natural material... these are beautiful!

Gina said...

I love the potato printed pebbles

Jensters said...

I love the fact that you have one sketchbook dedicated to pebbles, you have created some lovely effect with all the ideas.......ive posted something you might like to see Carolyn...hope you have had a nice weekend x

Pom Pom said...

Amazing. I love the stitching.

Trekky said...

Beautiful ideas. I really like the delicate stitching around the potato print. :)

Anonymous said...

Wonderful work!

Valerianna said...

Oh, I like that melted and fused plastic texture... and the words. Cool.

Chrissie said...

the potato pebbles are my faves!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I really like the texture in the last technique and the fact that words can be fused into it. Good thing you mentioned protecting your iron though - I can only begin to imagine the mess otherwise!

Joei Rhode Island said...

Such fun! Potato prints were one of my favs when I was in elementary school. The stuff with cling wrap paper plastic bag and an iron... my my....interesting...but much too hot here today to turn on an iron! Ha.

Clare Wassermann said...

oh hey I like this idea - I'm definitely doing it hee hee

KB Design said...

Einfach ganz wunderbare Ideen und Anregungungen - herzlichen Dank. Auch wenn ich kein Englisch kann (!!!), so reichen mir oft nur schon deine schönen Bilder.

Herzliche Grüsse aus der Schweiz
Brigitte

ArtPropelled said...

Your techniques are really exciting. It's wonderful to find other pebble fanatics in the blogworld. For years I've been mocked for carrying arm stretchingly heavy bags of pebbles home from wherever i go.

Trudis said...

What a nice sketchbook with wonderful techniques!

Anonymous said...

Ooh Carolyn, your sketchbook looks jawdroppingly gorgeous. A real work of art. I love your potato prints which are stunning results for such a simple fun technique. Your post has provided a lovely start to the week!
Penny

Catharina Maria said...

Yes , the potato is like an pebble and good for stamping , lovely !
Love ♥RINI♥

vintagerockchick said...

The potato prints are beautiful - I want to have a go now - I KNEW vegetables were good for something.

Things Hand Made said...

I did some potato printing recently and had forgotten how effective it can be. It workd great for pebbles and I like the stitching you have done. I enjoy looking at your sketchbooks and it makes me envious that mine do not look the same! mine are full of little scribbles, you could use most of your pages to be a piece of art.

The Treasured Nest said...

I love your pebble experiments! I have just come back from a week in Cornwall and have lots of new ideas it's such a great place to charge your inspiration x

layers said...

I love the impressions of pebbles and stones here-- hard to believe they are made with potato prints-- cutting the lines into them is genius

BeadBag said...

I haven't done potato printing since I was at school! Might give it a go, after we get back from short hols. Your prints are very 'pebbley'.

Anonymous said...

Carolyn, your work is exquisite, I have just discovered you!! Your blog is to die for!
I am coming to Cornwall on holiday on July 17, we are staying in a cottage in Marazion. Do you have an exhibition or somewhere I can see more of your beautiful work?
Catherine

Anneli/Bockfilz said...

What a great idea using potatoe print for the print of pebbles - and you're great, Carolyn!

Linda Vincent said...

Loved this post...lots of inspiration. I've been a pebble-fanatic since I was a child and our house has collections from all over the place (my husband dreads it when I start beach-combing...especially when we're abroad and we have the luggage allowance to consider :-)
Now must go and find some potatoes.....

Karyn said...

Your pebbles prints look amazing! I love the way you have added the stitches too :)

Digitalgran said...

Hi Carolyn I'm enjoying your pebbles sketchbook very much as I used pebbles for one project when I did C&G. I must look them out and post some of them on my blog.

Plastic Card said...

Omg Its amazing. I am surprised and still looking your awesome collection.

Plastic Card said...

Great blog ... Keep it up. am looking for more designing like this.

Anonymous said...

ou are so ridiculously talented! i'm gobsmacked by the volume of work you have, how long have you been doing this for? I have done so much research into work like this and nothing has ever appealed to me until i saw this.
I am 18 and currently doing an art foundation course at Loughborough. I'm concentrating on textile techniques for fashion for my final project. your work is perfect for what I'm doing. it is alright if i take inspiration from your work and use some of the techniques you have shown? if i need a hand with a few things may i contact you?
Emily.

Anonymous said...

I have never seen before this such a beautiful art work amazing!!!
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