Abbey Ysabella O'Keeffe

1st Year LSAD, Semester 2: Print Contemporary Practice, "IMPRINTS & IMPRESSIONS"

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Abbey O'Keeffe on TikTok

Abbey O'Keeffe's short video with ♬ Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

Print tik tok!

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IMPRINTS & IMPRESSIONS: Artist's Statement & Pieces To Be Exhibited

(28th/April/2023)

Statement:

My printmaking work is inspired by the natural beauty of flowers and trees. Through my art, I aim to capture the intricate imprints and patterns of these organic forms, while also promoting eco-friendly and chemical-free techniques. By using sustainable materials and processes, I hope to raise awareness about the importance of protecting our environment and preserving its natural resources. I believe that art has the power to inspire change, and I hope that my work will encourage others to adopt more sustainable practices in their own lives.

Chosen Pieces:

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Electro-Etching

(28th/April/2023)

My electro-etching design was inspired by a close-up image of some tree bark and i found that the contours and imprints of the bark made for an interesting pattern.

Electroetching is a metal etching process that involves the use of a solution of an electrolyte, an anode, and a cathode. The metal piece to be etched is connected to the positive pole of a source of direct electric current. A piece of the same metal is connected to the negative pole of the direct current source and is called the cathode.

Printmakers became aware that materials used in workshops and art schools were harmful to health and the environment. Research was focused in several areas: Acid mordants were replaced by sulfate and salt mordants or by etching with electricity - free of toxic fumes. Methanol based varnishes were replaced by acrylic and oil based resists. Rosin and asphaltum powders were replaced by acrylic sprays. Hydrocarbon solvents used for cleaning plates and inks were replaced by vegetable cleaning agents and cheap oil-seed products, in an effort to create a non-toxic environment and process.

Electro-etching artist:

Lix North

Mad creative, BMX rider, bike builder.

"There are no boundaries between my love for BMX and my creative world. I see each and every build like a fresh canvas and, in turn, my sketchpads are filled with concept sketches for build designs, BMX related illustrations, portraits and graphics. One of my illustrations can be seen on the cover of the March 2014 issue of Art BMX magazine, my cartoon alter-ego ‘Lightning Lix’ pulling a cherry picker."

Don Braisby

Experimental Printmaker from Cork.

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Drypoint, #2

(25th/April/2023)

I waned to create a series of drypoint prints in relation to my study of the flowers from around my house and garden. Based on the results of my last drypoint print, i etched out a more intricate and detailed design and much preferred the results of this print. I may try and apply splotches of watercolour paint for a touch of colour.

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Mokulito, 2nd attempt

(21st/April/2023)

My first attempt at mokulito didn't go so well due to me using a medium with not enough oil content, so for my second attempt I used oil pastels and simply traced over my original design and reapplied the gum arabic.

Upon printing, this gave a much more distinct and bolder line. it also took off some of the pink oil pastel when I printed. I could possibly incorporate this into future works.

I'm happy that this print was successful but I feel the lines are too bold and thick compared to the finer and intricate linework of my drypoint and lino prints. I also feel I lost the texture of the wood panel due to the heaviness of the lines.

Next time I would use a more finer drawing medium and perhaps print using Indian ink applied to leaves.

I don't think I will be using this print in my final exhibition.

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Mokulito

(20th/April/2023)

I attempted to print my mokulito print today. The patterns were inspired by the grooves and textures of tree bark. i Wasnt too happy with my print as the lines i had made were not made with an appropriate medium (3b pencil- not enough oil content) and so the print only appeared faintly. I also really liked the texture of the plywood block itself.

I then went back over the lines with a oil pastel (i used a single line of oil pastels in my first print and a hard line appeared).

The Mokulito process starts with a piece of plywood that has been well sanded to ensure a totally smooth surface absent of any grease. Marks are added using lithographic drawing materials, and once the image is dry, a thin layer of gum Arabic is applied as would be the case for an etch on a stone. This helps to push the grease from the drawing materials into the wood, as well as protecting the areas that will be unmarked in the final prints. The plate is then left in a sunny, warm environment for a few days. Prior to printing, the gum Arabic layer is washed away and ink is applied with a roller in multiple thin layers, slowly building up the tones. This process is also more environmentally friendly as there is 0 chemicals used.

I plan on preparing another plywood block and inking up leaves and flowers and printing them directly onto the plywood!

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Artist Research

Bernhard Cociancig

After a long career in the petroleum industry, Bernhard Cociancig pursued a full-time artistic career later in life. A contemporary artist with a great sense of socio-ecological responsibility, his artwork comes with a message. Bernhard tries to incorporate concerns about for instance discrimination, corruption, global warming, and endangered wildlife, into his artwork.

Natasha Norman

"My work connects a Japanese cultural aesthetic with a formal South African print history. I am predominantly a relief print artist specialising in woodcut and monotype print with a focus on traditional Western relief and Japanese watercolour woodblock printing."

I really like the work of both these artists and they have greatly inspired me and my print journey.

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Lino Prints

(17th/April/2023)

Mini lino prints!

I think i might add patterns or frames to the backgrounds of these prints or maybe leave it and move onto another printing technique.

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Drypoint Etching

(22nd/March/2023)

i studied multiple photos i had taken of flowers and leaves from my house and garden and created the above composition.

I was inspired by the work of Jet James, an award-winning Australian artist recognised for printmaking, painting and mixed media artworks. Jet James has also been signed on by companies such as Bio Pak which saw his artwork on coffee cups across Australia & New Zealand and he has also had his artwork transformed onto glass doors at Schaffler Brau a German Brewery.

I may further my prints by using multiple inks on one acetate sheet and by using tinted paper.

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Lino Portraits!

(21st/March/2023)

On our first day of the print discipline we were tasked with creating mini portraits in lino. I enjoy working with lino and the final effect it gives as i feel it resembles German Expressionist works, which i like. I'm happy with my little portrait. I love drawing little punky/poppy characters based on my friends and I's looks and fashion and so chose to go with that sort of style.

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Primary Research

(21st/March/2023)

Upon given the brief of 'Imprints & Impressions", I decided to base my project on the natural imprints and occurring patterns in nature. I began by photographing plant life and tree bark as i found these to be interesting patterns and textures.

I plan on covering some of the flowers, leaves and bark i have found in an oily substance and apply it to the mokulito process!

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Project statement for 'MOVEMENT'

3rd/March/2023

My project began as a visual investigation into the Gothic Architectural and Literature movement. I began my primary research by looking at the ornamentation and structures of Gothic Churches and Stained-glass windows. I was interested in this theme as I am fascinated by the towering arches and decoration, and I am also a big fan of harry Clarke's work. This then led me to studying forms and people in a stylized way. 

I began with gesture drawings and then experimented with drawing on acetate to recreate the stained-glass window effect. I then continued this experiment into print through creating Lino stamps inspired by photos I had taken of Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg and printing onto acetate. 

Along with gothic architecture I studied Gothic Literature and illustrations. I enjoy and collect gothic poetry and literature and so took scans from my own book pages and sewed, tore, and applied them to show the decay and macabre of the genre of writing. I then created a Screenprint based on ‘The Raven’ by Edgar Allen Poe. 

I then approached the fashion module by basing my pieces on architectural features and fragmented forms. This led to my crochet piece, where I employed the technique of free form crochet. My crochet piece then inspired me to return to printing onto acetate. I took fragments of my crochet and created ‘panels’ and then cut out a stencil. I continued this combining of textiles and print by printing my Lino pieces onto fabric 

Overall, I am not incredibly happy with the work I produced this semester and felt I could have pushed myself more and to be more experimentative. However, I enjoyed being in the studios of my chosen electives (painting, print & fashion), and this gave me focus and enthusiasm towards them.  

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Print (Entaglio)

3rd/March/2023

Design for print I didn't have time to ink up. On an A3 sheet of acetate, I chose this design of my friends as I was inspired by the illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley, whose work is known for depicting scenes from parties and expressive and costumed characters.

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Gesture Drawings

(2nd March 2023)

i continued with drawing/printing onto acetate by making little slides with gesture drawings on them to achieve the look of stained glass. I chose photos from nights out based on my artist research into Aubrey Beardsley. If I had more time I would've hung each individual slide from string!

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Screen-Printing (day 3)

2nd/March/2023

Today, i printed the 3 layers of my screenprint. they came out quite messy because there was water leaking from the screen, but i am still happy with the overall design. i also printed onto acetate, again, to make a 'stained glass window' inspired by the patterns of my crochet piece. i had taken snippets of the piece and designed 'panels'.

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Screenprinting (day 2)

(28th February 2023)

For today's workshop, we were to create a multiple layer print and were shown registration.

I decided to create a print based on my crocheted piece and how the piece was based stained glass windows as being fragment of coloured glass and so I would like to print onto sheets of acetate, like a makeshift stained glass window.

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Print (lino)

27th/February/2023

My lino prints were inspired by gothic imagery; the ram's skulI is a prevalent symbol in gothic horror and literature and the circular print was inspired by the ornamentation of Gothic architecture. decided to print my Lino pieces onto a variety of surfaces, such as paper, sheets of acetate (to connect to my study of stain glass windows) and onto fabric (inter-disciplinary approach). I am happy with how the prints turned out but I feel I could've taken a more experimentative approach.