description
"Classic Rubber Fish":The Best Of The Best in this amalgam of two classes: "Dancing Rubber Fish" and "Spritz Me, Baby". The techniques and exercises utilized in this composite class are intended to familiarize students with certain graphic tools such as color, value, composition, and focused interest. We also examine the multiple properties of thermography powders used with variable valued under-printing.
Students will first gather (or bring previously gathered) plants to print later. As plants are pressing, students will examine the diffused watercolor effects utilized in the Spritz class. We’ll explore these effects on printmaking paper in a variety of sizes and utilize a stamp positioner to further understand focused interest. Students will have the opportunity to learn by replication of a larger finished piece.
Presuming a lunch break, upon our return we’ll move into further exploring the potential of thermography (embossing) powders. Students will see how to integrate a variable valued under-print, accenting and highlighting with powders, and then adding that final pizzazz with watercolor touches. To become familiar with these concepts, we’ll begin with rubber stamps, but move on to applying these techniques to actual botanical prints made with the plants gathered in the first part of the session.
There will also be a short demonstration on how to make colored transparent powders using alcohol inks.
Students will then familiarize themselves with cropping these finishes images for use (and sale?) on provided, pre-printed notes.
Conceived and brought forth sometime in the waning years of the Truman administration, Fred B. Mullett spent much of his formative years bouncing between his familial home in Kansas City, and various venues, such as Wisconsin, Arkansas, the hinterlands of Kansas and Missouri, and the mountains of Colorado. His traipsing about finally landed him in Seattle, WA in 1983, where he still resides.
After becoming enchanted by the art of nature printing - and especially Gyotaku (fish printing), Fred started his first rubber stamp company ("Fred B. Mullett, Stamps From Nature Prints") in 1993. It was intended as a part-time endeavor while attending the University of Washington/School of Fine Art for his second degree. One thing led to another, and in 1997 all other employment, recreational and educational activities were put on hold in order to concentrate on the business of being in business. He still finds time, however, to ponder both the big and little questions of it all, and break out the toys in order to make really big paintings about nothing in particular.
Member of the Nature Printing Society, arts educator, Master Mixologist (capitalized only for effect), ex-part-time actor, and owner of at least one rubber stamp company, Fred B. Mullett will be at Artfest 2009 to "do that voodoo that he do so well".
