hilarylorenz

Smokey, from Start to Finish

Small Print Store, stonetrigger press

I am working on a super fun project creating a portrait of Smokey a beautiful Weimaraner rescue pup who lives in Michigan. I photographically detailed the entire process for you to see, but especially for Smokey’s human companions. I know this girl is very special.

Hilary_Lorenz_starting_point

I start with a collection of photographs provided by Smokey’s family.  I blow some up so that I can see detail, making copies both light and dark to see texture. Then I start the drawing onto a 7″ x 5″ linoleum block

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_block_before_carve

This is the block before I carved it. I draw in a range of lines to use as a guide, but eventually my carving tool becomes my “drawing” tool.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_carved_block

I use a variety of carving tools to bring out the details of the drawing. I carve away everything that I want to appear white.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_drawing_in

While I am carving, I also pencil in lines, and brush over the surface so that it is easier to see what is cut and what is left.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_mixing_ink

Once I am ready to print, I mix up oil based ink until I get the color I want.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_ink_rollup

I use a brayer to apply ink to the linoleum block, making sure to cover the surface evenly.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_placing_block

Once the block is inked up, I carefully place it on the press bed.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_paper_on_block

A sheet of paper is carefully placed on top the linoleum block. I have a “template” in place that is my guidelines for placement

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_crank_press

I use this handle to crank the press bed under the rollers thus applying pressure to the block and transferring the ink to the paper.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_examine_print

Here is the print side by side with the block on the press bed.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_block_out

Here is where it gets really interesting. I wanted to put a jacket on Smokey, so I took the first print, cut it up so that I would have a pattern of the jacket. I then reversed it, since everything in printmaking is mirror image and used it as a stencil to block out the ink. Meaning, I would ink the block, put this paper over where the jacket should be and print it. This will leave an open spot for me to put the jacket.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_block_out_paper

This is the block with stencil on the left, and the print on the right.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_paper_cut

This is a second pattern I used to cut the Awagami Japanese hemp paper for the jacket.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_paper_check

I am sizing up the  paper cut jacket before I adhere it to the print

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_green

And here is Smokey in her fine green jacket.

Hilary_Lorenz_Weimer_Red_coat

And in her fancy red jacket. I think she is looking especially fine. 

Paper used: Awagami Factory, Japan, handmade Shiramine Select, 110g
Collage paper: Awagami Factory, Japan, Shin Inbe, color hemp paepr
Ink: Speedball Oil based ink
Press: Takach
I use a variety of carving tools from Switzerland, Japan, and the Czech Republic.
If you read this far, and you want a portrait made of your pet, you can order one through my Etsy Store, at StonetriggerPress. 

 

 

 

Teaser

30 paintings in 30 days, Prints, Uncategorized

After 5 long days the installation at Resnick Gallery at LIU Brooklyn is up. But this is only a teaser, no photos. I was too exhausted and in fact I slept 13 hours last night! Here is the description of the show, Monday you get photos:

LISTENING TO THE FOREST
Linoleum Block Printed and Cut Paper Installation

Hilary Lorenz translates the physical and visceral experience of hiking remote landscapes into visual imagery that takes the form of prints, drawings and enveloping installations. Grounded in traditions of performance walking, Lorenz’s artwork is shaped by the space she passes through during long-distance runs and mountain climbing. Her drawings and prints function as visual mapping specific to each location: abstract, intuitive time-lines that mark a spatial journey of memory and change. As the artist describes, “When I am carving a linoleum block I relive each step that I walked or ran through a single knife-cut.” Even the act of operating a manual printing press supports her strong passion for simple physical repetition.

For the Resnick Gallery, Lorenz continues to build on her previous artwork most recently shown at Wave Hill Public Gardens and Culture Center (2014) and The Lake George Art Projects (21015).

Lorenz begins each artwork with a hike or trail run through the mountains. She has explored Adirondack State Park’s numerous trails along with the mountains of New Mexico, Colorado, California, Australia, and Cameroon, Africa. Lorenz takes these wildlife explorations and turns them into room-size environment consisting of linoleum block-printed and cut paper that is collaged and layered to form mountain, animals and camp sites. Because the work documents her experiences, the artist is careful to portray only the mountains that she has hiked or climbed. The ink drawn animals serves as a record of Lorenz’s treks and simultaneously evokes a wilderness fantasy with bears, coyotes rabbits and moose. In this way, the artist attempts to represent a longing for solitude, quietness and rural moments in the big, bustling city.

 

 

Original Watercolor Collage, 7″ x 5″ Dancing Bear

Drawing
Original Watercolor, 5

Original Watercolor, 5″ x 7″ with Collage – Click to Purchase

This could be my favorite after the canoe. It is a weird and whacky dancing bear with a big coyote looking on from the side.

The bear is a linoleum block print that is cut out and collaged onto 300 pound Arches Watercolor Paper. The coyote is a digital archival print that I had made for my image transfers onto journals, but instead he made it into this artwork.  The yellow-ish tan paper with red lines is at the bottom is  vintage Italian  paper. The brown paper with black lines is linoleum printed cut up and collages. I then hand drawn watercolor with my favorite Schmincke super high quality natural gums, water-soluble  pigments.

Artwork comes unframed, this is only for reference.

Artwork comes unframed, this is only for reference.

This is what he would look like in a standard black wood frame. I think this is my favorite as it brings out the black of the bear.  But I also have an example in white. Frames are not included they are only for reference.

frame is only for reference

frame is only for reference

I like the white white frame. The dancing bear would look super cute in a paneled study, a kids room, a country house, cabin or urban chic apartment. It is perfect  for a wall that demands a smaller size artwork, image 7″ x 5″ displayed in a 12″ x 9″ frame. He is now available on my Etsy Store by clicking here.

Sold-Original Watercolor with Linocut Collage, Canoe -30 Day Challenge – #6

Drawing
7" x 5" Original Watercolor Canoe, 30 Day Challenge

7″ x 5″ Original Watercolor Canoe, Click to Purchase

This canoe takes me immediately back to the Northeast and my fantasy to canoe the entire Hudson River. As a kid I used to peel the birch off the trees and attempt to fabricate a tiny birch bark canoe, it never worked. This canoe, while two dimensional, still takes me to that feeling of paddling down a wilderness river. The canoe is a linoleum block print that is cut out and collaged onto 300 pound Arches Watercolor Paper. I then hand draw watercolor with my favorite Schmincke super high quality natural gums, water-soluble pigments. At the top and bottom are stripes of vintage Italian hand printed paper that are then painted over. If you like wilderness water adventures, this 7″ x 5″ original watercolor is for you.

Original Watercolor, 5" x 7" with Collage - frame not included

Original Watercolor, 5″ x 7″ with Collage – frame not included

This is what he would look like in a standard white wood frame. I think this is my favorite. But I also have an example in black. Frames are not included they are only for reference.

Black frame not included

Black frame not included

This is all part of my July 30 day watercolor challenge and it is a a fun challenge. It is exciting to have the pressure of getting each one made and working in such volume forces me to take some risks, and risk in art is always good! As usual this is available at my Stonetrigger Press Etsy Store.

Sold-A New 30 Day One of a Kind Watercolor Collage Challenge

Drawing
One of a Kind Watercolor Elk Collage, Click to Purchase

Watercolor Elk Collage, Click to Purchase

A new 30 day challenge! I thought about this for weeks now. It is my last 30 days in New Mexico, I will return to NYC on August 1 and I need a kick in the butt to get into the studio.

Why do I need a kick in the butt to work? Well, I broke my foot this month, I was not making art, and I was obsessing about my move back to NY after a glorious year free from teaching in New Mexico. With this challenge, I will make a new watercolor drawing with collage every day and offer it to you my dear friends at an extremely affordable price.

Here is the deal. Each watercolor is 5″ x 7.”  It is a combination of watercolor drawing, collaged linocut animals and/or antique italian cut paper. Each one is handmade and unique, there is no edition. There is only one available. Sounds expensive? Nope, I want to make this available for only $47 and it will stay that way for all 30 pieces. Each night at 6pm EST a new drawing will be available.  So without further ado here is #1, the Elk. Full details on Etsy where it can be purchased.

5" x 7" Elk linocut collaged onto 300 lb. watercolor paper and drawing landscape

5″ x 7″ Elk linocut collaged onto 300 lb. watercolor paper and drawing landscape

Elk_on_Wall_Art

June Studio News

Drawing, Prints
Detail of 24" x 18" Moose Linocut

Detail of 24″ x 18″ Moose Linocut

Finally after more than a month of carving it looks like the moose linocut is ready for a trial printing. I would love to get this baby on the press but I have one problem, I am not suppose to put any weight, at all, on my foot. Two weeks ago today I broke my foot in a race, and, boy has that made life a little less exciting. But fear not, even if I can’t print I can still carve, collage, and paint. In fact I just finished the “Narwhal World” today. I don’t know if I will keep that title but that is what I am currently calling it.

Narwhal World 14" x 11"

Narwhal World 14″ x 11″ watercolor and linocut printed collage

I also went to FedEx and shipped four pieces to the Lake George Art Projects for the exhibition, Art@the Lake. If you are in upstate New York from July 1 through July 27th, come and see the exhibition. It also serves as the annual gallery benefit with over 70 artists. This is going to be a terrific and I am sure you can find some great art to take home.

Lastly, I am making a new personal 30 day challenge of a watercolor/ print collage a day, details on the project will follow in a couple days.

24" x 18" Moose Linocut

24″ x 18″ Moose Linocut

Four minute video of Cool Printed Bag

Prints, Small Print Store

I am very excited to share the latest addition to my Etsy Store, a demonstration of the cinch bags and how they are printed. You can even custom order your bag color and what linocut you want on it!

The first bags hot off the press:

Cinch Bags, Coffee, Pink, Khaki, Red and Tan

Cinch Bags, Coffee, Pink, Khaki, Red and Tan

Khaki Cinch bag with Feral Kitty Linocut

Khaki Cinch bag with Feral Kitty Linocut

Coffee_Bag_coyote

Coffee Cinch bag with coyote

Red Cinch bag with Coyote Linocut

Red Cinch bag with Coyote Linocut

Tan Cinch bag with Coyote Linocut

Tan Cinch bag with Coyote Linocut

Steps to a Happy Dog and Happy Printmaker

Prints, Small Print Store
Shadow, custom linocut dog portrait

In Progress – Shadow, custom linocut dog portrait

I love my dogs. You love your dogs. We all love doing things for our dogs, and we love to give gifts to friends who have dogs. One can never go wrong with a dog gift. Unless of course you are giving a dog as a gift which is I highly discourage. Unless of course you are a parent giving it to your children, but secretly you wanted the dog and you plan to take care of it.

This is a gift being given by a sister to her brother. “Shadow” is a very important family member and seen by his pose, a little character.

I began Shadow a week ago, looking through several photos. I was struck by two of them, one a close up profile which I love, but I kept coming back to this pose, it became my favorite.

Shadow, photography for linocut

Shadow, photography for linocut

I often have to tease out details by lightning the photos or sharpening them in order to see disguising characteristics. I then draw it onto a linoleum block.

Drawing of Shadow, reversed on the block

Drawing of Shadow, reversed on the block

Once the block is drawn it can take anywhere for 4-8 hours to carve. Normally I carve from 4pm until bed time, so that I can print during the best day light.

First carving of linocut

First carving of linocut

This is how the linocut looked when I first printed it. I made one print, then carved a bit more, made another, printed again. I generally make 3-4 “proofs” that is seeing what it looks like, cleaning the block, inking it again and reprinting until I get what I want. On bad days that can take up to 10 separate inking, printing, cleaning, carving inking, etc.

The final print I made of Shadow is dark grey, despite looking black in this photo, he is grey:

Shadow, custom linocut dog portrait in dark grey

Shadow, custom linocut dog portrait in dark grey

I am hanging on to him a few more days as I may want to do a little more carving, and experiment with the ink to make him just a bit more grey.

If you want a custom dog portrait it takes about 1-2 weeks, and you can order from my Etsy Store. The details are there.

A custom carved linocut portrait of Sam.

30 prints 30 days, Prints, Small Print Store
Sam Linocut Custom Dog Portrait

Sam Linocut Custom Dog Portrait

Lisa Studier left this morning and I got into the studio to catch on  a portrait that my dear friend Peggy requested. Honestly, at first I was not so sure I could do a pet portrait. But have already done one for her I welcomed the second opportunity and it was a blast.

The custom linocut dog portrait is a gift for her daughter, who also supplied the photos for me to work from. I drew “Sam” onto a 5″ x 7″ linoleum block, carved him out, and set out to print.

Carving Linocut of Sam

Carving Linocut of Sam

It was a rough day in the studio. It was very cold, colder inside  than outside, some ink colors appeared almost frozen where others were way too runny. I printed and printed and got nothing. I cleaned up, came in the house, and tried again today. And it was perfect. I got a great print of Sam. In addition I made 5 folded gift/greeting cards. These cards are pretty sweet and since it is a gift Peggy can write a message to her daughter in it, plus her daughter will get 4 others she can send out. She can always get more later if she likes.

4" x 5" folded hand printed linocut cards with custom carving

4″ x 5″ folded hand printed linocut cards with custom carving

I am going to offer to make up to 3 dog portraits a month. They can take 10 to 15 hours to make, so doing three a month would be super fun. I am beginning some big 24″ x 36″ linocuts all based on mountains, hiking, wilderness adventure in for my fall exhibition and I need to make sure I leave time for those. They take about 60 + hours to carve, but they will be amazing, just as amazing as little Sam here. You can order a custom dog portrait at my Etsy Store. 

P.S. The color is the same on all of them, despite looking different here.  The photos are a bit crappy because they are from my cell phone. I still need to get a new camera.

Sam, Linocut Dog custom dog portrait

Sam, Linocut Dog custom dog portrait

Mystical Monsters and Maidens Linocut Series

30 prints 30 days, Prints, Small Print Store
Cyclops with UFO's Linocut

Cyclops with UFO’s Linocut

That’s not a chicken. Nope, it is not. After a great 10 days with Lisa Studier at the Press working on her reduction technique Chicken Prints, she flew back to NYC, and it is back to Print of the Day Project.

Mermaid

Mermaid

What is new is that I swapped out my 4″ x 6″ linoleum blocks for 5″ x 7″ blocks in order to be able to make more detail and more complex prints. The great thing is, while the prints are larger they are only a couple of dollars more. I want to keep them very inexpensive so that people can feel free to collect as many as they like.

Cyclops with UFO and Mermaid 10" x 8" linocuts

Cyclops with UFO and Mermaid 10″ x 8″ linocuts

I did a three mock ups of rooms with this new series of Monsters and Maidens.

Mermaid Linocut by Stonetrigger Press available on Etsy

Mermaid Linocut by Stonetrigger Press available on Etsy

Cyclops with UFO's Linocut by Stonetrigger Press available on Etsy

Cyclops with UFO’s Linocut by Stonetrigger Press available on Etsy

There are now 59 prints and drawings available on my Etsy store. and by the end of the week I plan to make that 62 items. More mythical monsters tomorrow night.