"Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter". — Izaak Walton

Thanks for joining me! This is my first post Welcome!  I think I should have named my blog - The Messy Artist, because I can't seem to create art without making a big mess and I feel my art style is never quite as sleek as I would like.  I've taken so many classes trying to "find" my style when really I'm just fighting my natural style.  We are slowly coming to terms together and I'm enjoying art more because of it.

I named my blog Collecting Impressions because I am a printmaker and isn't that what art is about is your impressions on display for the world to see. 

My fun goal for 2019 is to try to collect an impression most days.  I'm starting early to get in the habit before I really begin. 

My first impression will be of the fall leaves still hanging around because of our weird warm fall.  I want to put the images on paper like you sometimes see on the concrete where the tannins bleed out and stain the concrete.

1. My first idea is to use ultraviolet lights and do a chlorophyll print using ultra- violet lights.  Since it's winter and I have no ultra-violet lights, it's going to have to wait until class starts and I have access to a light box.  I saw some of Binh Danh's chlorophyll prints at the Jordan Schnizter Museum of Art's display on the Vietnam war.  It's an amazing process.   I'm thinking that if you can burn an image into the leaves, then maybe I can get a leaf image onto paper as well?  
2. I tried rubbing the moist leaf with a hard object.  I was quite hopeful as when I rubbed beyond the leaf it colored the paper but when I pulled the leaf back it didn't do anything. : (   I am on the right track as I've found several sites that recommend pounding with a hammer.  Tomorrow's task she says with a wicked grin.  With this method you will have to spray the paper with an acrylic UV protection finish so the colors don't fade over time.
3. Now I'm reading about eco printing that they do on fabric and I'm thinking I should be able to do the same thing with cotton paper.  I have to make some rusty water it seems and then I can try it.  Made by Barb has a nice explanation for how to do it with fabric.

More to come...