Michael Gage

Molly and Marlow in the garden. Not quite finished, because Marlow decided that the modelling fee that I offered wasn't enough.
Ink and watercolour on paper, 28 x 9 cm.

I'll be teaching a two day weekend course, exploring contemporary and traditional bookmaking methods at the South East School of Art in East Grinstead.

13 - 14 August 2011, 10.30 - 4.30pm

  

This weekend course introduces bookmaking techniques from traditional casebound books to more surprising structures. This is an ideal introduction to bookbinding for both creating books as beautiful and useful objects, and as a starting point for making your own artist’s books. All the techniques that you’ll learn can be easily reproduced at home with minimal equipment.

• Make a minibook from a single sheet of paper.
• Learn how to create books with just a few folds and cuts.
• Make your own sketchbooks in ten minutes.
• Create your own hardback casebound journals.
• Fill and decorate your books with simple printmaking techniques.
• Explore the mysteries of books that move and twist.

You’re welcome to bring any photos or drawings that you’d like to include in your books, and plain or decorated papers for covering the books.

Fee: £120 for two days tuition, including materials, refreshments, and light lunches.

To book a place, or find out more, please contact the South East School of Art.

  

Ink and watercolour on paper, 28 x 9 cm.

Duke Street, Brighton. 11 July 2011, 11.10am.
Ink and watercolour on paper, 28 x 9 cm.

I made a linocut of one of my drawings from one of our recent life-drawing sessions. Keeping it simple: just black and white.


Linocut, 18 x 18cm.

The Sussex Arts Collective "Upfront" Exhibition runs from 9 - 28 June, 2011 at the Fishing Quarter Gallery, 203 Kings Road Arches (on the seafront, right next to the beach), Brighton, BN1 1NB.

Open every day, including Sundays, 11am - 5pm (Monday closes at 2pm).

A final dark layer completes the print.



The Courtyard, Nyman's. Five stage reduction linocut, 10 x 10 cm.

Phew. Just in time for the exhibition.

I cut away all of what was left of the view through the door, and some details on the door itself, and more of the leaves. Then I printed a darker green to brown to green blend over the previous layers. Fortunately, the mistake on the previous layers has been successfully covered.



One more layer, and it might be finished.

I cut away more of the distance, and the leaves around the door, and then printed the block in green.



As soon as I printed the first copy, I realised that I had cut away the leaves at the top too early: the blue of the previous layer shows through. I should have left the top solid for this layer, and then cut away the leaves on the next layer.

So after I'd printed all the copies for this stage, I cut a paper stencil that would expose just the top of the block, and just used a small roller to put more green ink directly onto the paper and hide the blue.



I think I'll get away with it...