Drawing of Trees

Alice Cook, Horse Chestnut Tree, 2014

Some trees can be blocked in very simply, just needing
a certain amount of shading to indicate the masses.
 

Alice Cook, Ash Tree, 2014

The Ash tree is feathery in appearance with cloud-
like shapes.



Autumn Relief Print

Alice Cook, Autumn Fire, 2014, Relief

This is a relief print that was done for a fall themed show that I will be in.  I was sitting at Starbucks one day and started drawing a nearby tree.  I used that tree for the relief, but removed all the leaves to give it a autumn feel.  Otherwise the rest of the elements in the picture came from my imagination.  This relief was not done on linoleum, but on Easy Cut, which is a soft, pliable plate.  It was like cutting into butter.  I had to be careful when I hand pressed it, due to the soft material.  If pressed too hard the soft lines became blurred.  This print is the 5th edition.  Enjoy!

Linocut Selfie and Consumerism



To the left is a linocut relief print I did of myself.  It is called, Barcode Selfie.  The point of the self-portrait was to practice a portrait in linoleum and to comment on consumerism today.  The print will be done in six different colors, hopefully expressing different emotions through color.  This one is done in blue-violet.  The first three prints are done in cool colors and the final three prints will be done in warm colors.

Consumerism is rampant in our society, I know I often engage in it for various reasons.  At the scanner the barcode contains all the information about the product.  So in this print, a barcode across my face can be used on a scanner to reveal all the information about my self.  Below in the actual linoleum block the print was taken from.  Enjoy!



Selfie Self-Portrait

Alice Cook, Selfie, 2014, Mixed Media

This is my take on the selfie and the integration of technology into our everyday lives.  The self-portrait is done in acrylic, above is the electronic parts of a clock radio.  The clock radio was taken apart and cut to match the size in the matting.  Black and red wires attached to the radio, are also attached to my forehead.  With the advent of, basically, a computer that we carry around at all times, technology is taking up more space in our minds than ever before.  This selfie is a comment on that.  Enjoy!

Acrylic Self-Portrait

Alice Cook, Painted Selfie, 2014, Acrylic

From the same photograph that I used for the line drawing (see previous post) I created this acrylic self-portrait.  It is one part of a mixed media work commenting on technology and the use of self with the technology.  Layers of transparent and opaque acrylic was applied to the support, which is Bristol paper.  The size of the selfie is small, 6" X 6" approximately.  This is my first painted self-portrait, and I am happy with the results.  It does resemble me in small ways.  Enjoy!

Line Self-Portrait

Alice Cook, Line Selfie, 2014, Ink

I took a picture of myself with a camera, then enlarged the photograph to the desired size.  I drew this picture with a technical pen, mainly capturing the inside and outside contour lines.  This exercise was in preparation for a mixed media artwork and future relief print.  Currently I am interested in life drawing, and being unable to obtain a model at my convenience, I am using myself as the model.  Enjoy!

Surreal Sanity

Alice Cook, Stop The Insanity, 2014, oil

I designed this painting a few years ago in an oil painting class I was taking.  I started painting it in the class, but the instructor kind of took over some of the elements and painted them himself.  His vision for my work was not the same as mine.  So recently I picked up this painting, and painted over what was previously there.  I combined several styles in one painting and tried to make it a harmonious picture.  My interest in incorporating figures into my artwork was sparked by creating this picture.  Enjoy!

Mixed Media Landscape

Alice Cook, Aftermath, 2014, Mixed Media

This is a drypoint print I did recently.  It is the same landscape from the previous post, but utilizing a different wiping technique.  Here I wiped the zinc plate clean, leaving the ink only in the lines.  Then I hand painted it with watercolor.  I used a glazing technique, applying 7 to 8 layers of paint.  Since it was the first time I did glazing with watercolor, I am happy with the results.  The ink did not smear when the watercolor was applied, for I wasn't sure what would happen.  The BFK Rives paper took the watercolor paint well and hardly buckled.  I look forward to applying the watercolor glazing technique to future paintings.  Enjoy!