Color Baskets

New 'Color Basket' drawings. Acryla Gouache on Ampersand Gessobord. 12 x 12 x .75 inches each.

New Color

Making new color block-printing pieces. I use a small, rubbery block to print rectangles in a grid. I mix the colors as I go along, generally beginning with a bright color and moving towards mixing a gray. Over all paper size 40 x 26 inches.

New 16x12 Collages

All based on the same format: 16 x 12 Arches watercolor Paper, Material cut to 1.5 inch squares, glued into a 9 x 7 grid. The first two are India ink on recycled cardboard (cereal boxes), the second is rubber stamp ink on Arches paper, and the last one is a 'Wheaties' cereal box that featured Serena Williams on it.

Michael McGuire -  Untitled Collage - 16x12 inches

Michael McGuire -  Untitled Collage - 16x12 inches

Michael McGuire -  Untitled Collage - 16x12 inches

Michael McGuire -  Untitled Collage - 16x12 inches

New 12 x 12 Panels

Michael McGuire - Untitled - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 12 x 12 x .75 inches

Detail

Back Side of Panel

Michael McGuire - 2 Untitled Panels - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 12 x 12 x .75 inches each

Michael  McGuire - Untitled - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 12 x 12 x .75 inches

16 x 12 It Is

At least for this week the 16 by 12 inch watercolor paper seems to be the best option for working at home. I have four Arches cold-press watercolor blocks at that size. Each block contains 20 sheets of paper so I have plenty of material for the next few weeks. Yesterday I moved over to washes with acrylic paint. I have had this idea on my mind for awhile now so I'm happy to get around to it finally. These three are just a start, I began with the gray and the color is a bit of a stretch for me, we will see where they go (if anywhere), but engaging for now.

Michael McGuire - 3 Untitled Drawings - Acrylic Paint on Arches Watercolor Paper - 16 x 12 inches each

Saturday, April 18, 2020
New drawings from the last couple of days. These pieces are rarely finished in one day as there are two or more layers on each one and one layer needs to dry completely before adding the next. I do work on multiples simultaneously making the progression a little inexact to track. As I have done in the past when I initially begin a color exploration I start with orange and blue, opposites on the color wheel, and generally making a neutral tone (gray) when mixed.

That is a lot of color and I backed off from the intense chroma. I am using some acrylic paint that I have on hand because I want the color to be permanent once it dries so I can lay on the next layer without disturbing the wash below. In my acrylic paints is a wonderful 'Indigo' color and once I ran across that (drawing above left) I had to make more using that color. I am still figuring out how dense the washes could be, things look more intense as the go on wet and mute a bit when dry. I am also thing about changing the arrangement of the rectangles on the page.

New Rubber Stamp Pieces

Between my Holiday cards and a large commission I have had the rubber stamping materials out this past week. As long as I have the process going I thought I might explore a couple ideas I never finished up the last time. Mixing these colors from a fairly basic set of water-based printing inks is always a good exercise. The results below in chronological order. 

Michael McGuire - Untitled - Block Printing Ink on Arches Paper - 40 x 26 inches

Michael McGuire - Untitled - Block Printing Ink on Arches Paper - 40 x 26 inches

Michael McGuire - Untitled - Block Printing Ink on Arches Paper - 40 x 26 inches

Michael McGuire - Untitled - Block Printing Ink on Arches Paper - 40 x 26 inches

More 12 x 12 Panels

I continue to make drawings on the 12 x 12 inch panels. They reflect the way my mind is working this month. Small ideas that may coalesce into something meaningful. I am enjoying it.

Michael McGuire - Four Untitled Drawings - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 12 x 12 x .75 inches each

Michael McGuire - Untitled Panel - Acrylic Paint on Panel - 12 x 12 x .75 inches

Michael McGuire - 34 Panels

Detail

New Work

Michael McGuire - Untitled Drawings - Printing Ink on Arches Watercolor Paper - 16x12 inches and 8x5.5 inches

Michael McGuire - Untitled - Printing Ink on Arches Watercolor Paper - 72x37 inches

Michael McGuire - Untitled Drawing - Printing Ink on Arches Watercolor Paper - 16x12 inches

Detail

Andersonville Arts Weekend

They have moved Andersonville Arts Weekend up a month this year and I'm not sure what I think about that. Coming off a busy summer I was hoping September would be a relaxing month—not so far. We will be hosting a cocktail party this coming Friday in conjunction with Andersonville Arts week and we will be featuring new work by Michelle Peterson Albandoz and myself. Stop by this Friday, September 14th from 6 until 9pm, it looks like it will be a beautiful evening and the bar will be open.

Michael McGuire -  Untitled - Block Printing Ink on Arches Watercolor Paper - 40x26 inches

Michael McGuire - Untitled - Block Printing Ink on Bristol Paper - 40 x 30 inches

Michael McGuire - Untitled - Block Printing Ink on Fabriano Watercolor Paper - 40x30 inches

Michael McGuire - 16 Untitled Drawings - Block Printing Ink on Arches Watercolor Paper - 12x16 inches each

Michael McGuire - 5 Drawings - 40x26 inches each

Smalls

I had an out of town client request photographs of 'smaller' drawings this morning. As long as I am making them I may as well share the photos here on my blog. It was a quick photo session and I apologize for less than idea images, but I do make smaller drawings.