Thursday 26 May 2011

Nature Printing

Plant material + paper + ink.  A totally absorbing hobby.  The above photo shows the underside of sage leaves.  Just look at the intricate network of patterns.

Other suitable plant material for printing include rose leaves, ferns, strawberry leaves, mint and blackberry leaves, tree leaves, various herbs, dandelions etc.

Whilst looking in the garden for plants to print, I found this crushed rose on the ground.  Even in death her beauty shines through.  Her colours are vivid and her crumpled form displays interesting shapes.  I think I should like to paint her.  The marble table replicates the sky and the whole image has an ethereal quality.

Edited: I have put another two polls on the top right side of my blog.  It will be interesting to see the outcome of them.  I am asking these questions to guide me in my decision making processes!  The results of the previous two polls are at the bottom of my blog.  Thank you for taking part. x

19 comments:

  1. Your prints are beautiful, they remind me of those lovely old botanical drawings.
    I do hope you paint the rose, I would love to see the finished piece.
    Vivienne x

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  2. Beautiful prints - you have had fun!
    Gill xx

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  3. I do like your prints. I might try them with my class some time!
    xxx

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  4. Hello Simone! I did have problems with blogger not letting me comment earlier on but here I am now...I really love your leaf prints - they look so elegant in black and white and the details are so fascinating. Your blog is looking very elegant too. The faded rose is beautiful, isn't it - one flower which still looks lovely when past its prime.
    Helen x

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  5. I'm visiting you only now, but I had some problems yesterday with comments on other blogs.
    This hobby is just perfect for you, as it combines your love for nature with your love for arts!

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  6. So glad you visited me - i tried to leave you a message later when i was doing the awards and it wouldnt let me!
    Well deserved, and i really love these prints - see, you are versatile!
    Gill xx

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  7. Beautiful prints, they make me want to experiment and embroider them.
    Funny you should post about the dying rose, I was just looking at a magnificent yellow rose in the garden that is past its best and thinking that it is still quite beautiful even though it is fading. Quite the reverse of me.... lol
    Briony
    x

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  8. Hi, Simone. Love those leaf prints. Such a cool idea and a great result. So delicate and pretty. I wonder how it would work to combine that and watercolors. And I think you should definitely paint the rose. I had no trouble commenting.

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  9. No probs tonight (touch wood!!) Lovely printing they would make fab cards or tags or even wrapping paper xx

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  10. How lovely those leaf prints are- I agree with Michela that they express your love of arts and nature. I love how you personify the rose and your descriptive words:)

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  11. Love these prints, there is so much you could do with them! Now I was having problems leaving comments.....lets see if this one goes......
    xxx

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  12. Yeah it did!!!!
    love
    Lyn
    xxx

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  13. Good afternoon Simone,
    Your nature prints are beautiful, they look so absolutely perfect that I am sure it can't be that easy to do! I would want to frame some, they would look wonderful.
    The marble is such a good backdrop to show off the faded rose. It would be a lovely subject, so I hope you do paint it and show us.
    Have a lovely holiday weekend.x

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  14. I haven't done leaf prints in years - good thinking, must do some again! I use acrylic paints which work quite well too. I love the way people's blogs remind of things like that :-).

    It took me two tries to comment, might account for some of your odd stats!

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  15. These are beautiful. I've had good luck in the past making leaf prints with acrylic craft paint.

    I love your "Sowing and Growing" list in the sidebar, and am thinking of adding one to my blog. (If I do you'll get full credit.)

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  16. I really do want to try your leaf print technique Simone. Do you know I think I could actually do this! x

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  17. I haven't done any plant prints for ages! But I did learn a new craft (new for me) called flower pounding. Sounds dreadful, but you tap the flower against soft cotton fabric and the results are amazing. I like to combine that with pen and ink drawing. Your prints are beautiful, by the way. They'd be great on clothing or candle mats.

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  18. Beautiful quality prints. If I did them they'd be all smudgy. And that rose is fabulous, such an array of subtle colours .

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  19. What a great idea! I need to try this.

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