02.05.11 Sketches & Evaluation

I was looking at the sketch I did of my daughter sleeping with her two cats on the bed with her, it was a really peaceful slightly dreamlike scene. I have been wondering what to do with it , as I like it but am not sure where to take it next.

I've  done a very quick sketch on a monoprint which had a lovely free quality to it , even though I'd added writing without thinking which was of course back to front , a lovely touch ! I've also tried screen printing it with stitch added afterwards and didn't like the way the stitch seemed to sit on the image making it look flat and it lacked movement. I want to try and catch that sleepy , dreamlike quality.

monoprint with writing chopped off !

screen-print with stitch

I thought I'd see what it looks like in lino, so have made a plate as a starting point. As I've only got a limited palette of water based inks the print is poor as the ink dries too quickly, so I've included a picture of the plate as its easier to see. The fabric is the one which I prepared in tea so it smells lovely , maybe not wholly right for this image but I wanted to see how it would feel .

the lino plate

the tea soaked calico print

I like the way this is beginning to feel, I'm going to look at it again tomorrow and am going to try and soak the calico in flower oils such as lavender , rose , jasmine, as it feels as though this dreamy state should smell like a garden at night. I want the feel of the whole thing to be floating , a bit like listening to the music at the beginning of the shipping forecast, so you just drift off into the image.
link to the shipping news music - 'sailing by'
I want it to feel comforting, nostalgic, familiar, which is how my home feels to me.