So, these viscosity monotypes from a few weeks ago have been needing a portrait. I did Galileo already and I moved onto Tesla, Darwin (my 6 yr old's recommendation), and Isaac Newton. My father-in-law has suggested Brahe and Kepler, so maybe there are more to come. Brahe was an interesting dude. His nose was partially chopped off in a dual. I think these guys should be on the same print and I'm already brainstorming that composition.
So, the pen and inks. How did I do them because they look pretty good? Well, I cheated big time. At first I was going to collage a laser print copy or do an image transfer, but then decided a pen and ink might seem more fitting. I took an empty frame and covered it with a piece of plexi, and under the plexi I put in 3 book lights.
I needed to work in the dark since the book lights aren't that bright so I could actually see the photocopy of each portrait.
I used Arches lightweight as my paper and placed it over the photocopy. Then I traced the basic outline of each great thinker using a quill pen and India ink.
Then I added a wash, then I went back in and made darker marks with varying water:ink ratios.
Voila. Darwin. At least with the preliminary tracing the features are in the right place and the correct ratio.
Here I've started out the same with Isaac Newton.
Here are my big thinkers all together. Now to cut out and collage onto my monotypes.
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