Lovely Stencil.

For a new project I needed a solitary tree, a slightly stylized tree, but very stark and leafless.                       I haven't cut many stencils before so this was going to be a challenge, and as I wanted to print at least 3 images I decided to cut the stencil from synthetic Yupo 'paper', thinking that it would be tough and wouldn't tear.

So far so good..................but when I tried to use the tree mask it stuck to the newly made gelatine plate and after one less than satisfactory print it tore when I tried to move it for the next try. Back to the drawing board, or at least to the screen, as my next try with the image will be to make a screen to print the tree from. I might try and buy some thicker Yupo paper too, as the weight I have to hand is only 100gsm.

Culprit!

 Now we know why our heating unit failed! A little Gecko decided to crawl in and keep warm, but managed to short circuit the heater and 'fry' itself. Poor Gecko, but we are almost $600 poorer!

More Colour Variations.

Using a different printing plate today, I've explored the idea of using 2 gelatine plates in tandem for  printing, and I can see such a lot of possibilities as a result.I love the light in the middle of the one above.

 The next 2prints are variations in colour only, but each suggests something completely different.

The print below looks very different to the others, but is just another colour variation. It was the first print using that particular plate and the ink hadn't as yet moved into all the cracks and crevasses.

 

Backgrounds Again.

At long last I managed to get back to my trusty home made gelatine plate for a very short printing session. These prints are all basically the same, but I have played around with different colour combinations.

                    This one makes me think of ice or patterns of tree branches against the sky.

The one above is quite a different printing plate, and I'm not at all sure that I will use it as a background, but it shows rather an interesting texture. I can see a hippo's head in it or the head of some other smaller animal looking down. It's the eye-like dot that gives ideas along these lines I think.

 

River Red Gum.

Along the creek of a local park are some wonderful old River Red Gum trees, many of which would be 100 years old. The tree that I photographed is unfortunately dead, but the dried tree trunk and branches now have the most beautiful patterns left behind as it dried.

Feathers.

 I think that this unfortunate Eastern Rosella managed to kill itself by flying into a glass window. However it was a wonderful opportunity to study the colours of the feathers on the different parts of its body.

      

    Not so colourful but just as interesting to see was this koala high up in the fork of a tree. Where once 20 years ago we would see 6 or so koalas on each bush walk, we are now very lucky to just one  occasionally. It's very sad to see the decline in numbers.

Stump Jump Plough.

Having visited the same area of rural Victoria for more than 20 years, I have come to know it all very well. Hidden in the bush on a small island in the swamp are some old pieces of farm equipment including a Stump Jump Plough, which I find fascinating with all its levers, springs and assorted workings. The first photo that I took was in 2005 and clearly shows rubber tyres on the rear wheels of the plough.

       

       In 2008 the tyres are still there and there isn't a great deal of difference in the vegetation.

                In 2009 however the rubber tyres have disappeared! Why and how I wonder. 

             After 2009 I didn't visit the machinery again until this weekend, 12 years later.

One can just see a bit of growth in the size of the trunk of the tree to the right and the sapling growing between the 'front' wheels is quite a lot bigger. It's a pity that I didn't take the photos from exactly the same angle each year, but it's still interesting to see what has been going on over the past 16 years.