I had a strange experience last night. I think that it was a dream but I could have been half-awake. Following the sense of a lack of direction that I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, quite suddenly I saw in great detail the possibility of another piece. I rarely have dreams that I can remember the following morning (which is one reason I’m not sure that it was a dream) but this one was still in clear view when I awoke this morning.
Not surprisingly, I made time today in order to try and realise this project. It was an unusual venture for me, involving mono-printing, but with the need to mask out some areas of the surface in order to accommodate subsequent elements. After I had done a little research on one of the elements I needed (lime flowers) I got out the materials and set to work. Progress was rapid at first, but then I ran into an impasse.
I have had a bottle of masking liquid for some time, although I bought it so far back that I have forgotten exactly when and for what purpose. Those readers who have more regular acquaintance with this stuff will be ahead of me now. Yes: it does deteriorate over time. The initial mono-printing stage went exactly according to plan, but when I got round to the second phase, in which areas of the surface were to be masked in preparation for a second layer, I discovered that what I had in the bottle was little more than a lump of rubber. Had I put in a little effort I could probably have turned it into a reasonably successful golf ball. Unfortunately my dream didn’t carry a “use by” date.
Sadly, of course, the local art shops are closed for the foreseeable future, so the idea will have to be parked for some time. There is probably a usable project in there, and today’s experience has suggested that perhaps I might come back to it at some point in the future. I have learned one thing, however, namely, that creative inspiration will not get you very far without the appropriate technical knowledge.
PS: The hedgehog, which has been unbelievably stroppy about the change in the brand of its food, seems to have capitulated. Last night’s dish was actually licked clean when I went to inspect it this morning.