Relics Of A Week Spent In Maine

A mysterious teaser; read right through to find out what this is!

Maine
So I'd been going to do a lot of drawings in Maine, but decided to Down East it up and do some classic watercolors instead. I went to the Bass Harbor light every day (yes), not for the lighthouse but just to see the rocks and the tide coming and going. The first two were done en plein air.




These are a bit more premeditated; the first one has me trying to do some linear work in the water, but still keep everything fluid and in the style of the medium.


In this one I did a sketch onsite and then filled in the colors later, using photographs for reference. (I took a lot of photos. I'll have to post my gull ones soon, they're superfunny.) It doesn't have much energy and I have to see if there's a way to pep up the water, but I like the colors.


Studio
Back in the studio last night, painted some things pink, tried to sand them down for some variegated background effects; think I need a new plate for my sander (something rougher like an 80) as not much went on. Sometimes I worry about breathing in acrylic dust.... :/ Anyway -

In between painting and sanding, began searching for a technique to maintain my underdrawing on Long White Cloud once it had been leafed. I wanted to do an indented line rather than the embossed lines I have been doing. Tried knocking it in with my silverpoint, but the wood of the panel is rather harder than I thought, and I just ended up silverpointing the drawing rather than sculpting it. But will remember that; it's amazing what you can silverpoint. I'd like to do some of those again sometime. Anyway -

Then I got out my printmaker's woodcut set (a gift of my dear friend Becca) which i was afraid wasn't very sharp, but things started going my way, and soon I had a woodcut that I will gild and paint. I forgot how much I love carving in wood and linoleum, I'll have to od a print show too, if I can get someone else to do the printing for me :P

Now my only problem is what do I put on the card: gilded polychromed wood or acrylic and gold leaf on panel?? Being an artist is hard.





P.S.
Seriously, though, it is dangerous work. In college I would tell people I didn't have to take tests or do readings and they'd be grumpy, but there are all kinds of bodily dangers involved in art: powdered cobalt, sharp blades, acid, the carpal tunnel flare-up triggered by last night's return to relief carving...hehe. I almost gouged my arm with my gouge last night. Luckily I have the motor skills of a cat and Bene Gesserit-like control over my own body.