tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-195340502024-03-13T20:15:05.498-07:00Judith Hoffman BlogJudith Hoffman BlogJudith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.comBlogger322125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-8051711346786616872024-02-28T14:53:00.000-08:002024-02-28T14:53:01.369-08:00Testing papers for transparencyTransparency tests. The tests are laid on a piece of black and a piece of white paper. Each is coated with Golden mat medium front and back up to about the halfway point. The papers are: 1. An unknown paper recommended, but discontinued. I have a stack. 2. Calligraphy paper. 3. Abaca from Talas. 4. Wet strength tissue. 5. Architect's tracing paper (Dick Blick calls it Canary Sketching and Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-50749804801968624902024-02-10T18:54:00.000-08:002024-02-10T18:54:21.674-08:00A dream about a drawing class.Quick sketch of me in the dream, done right after writing the dream down in the dark. I was lying down in bed. I sign up for a drawing class. The first day I'm a minute late. The instructor has locked the back door to the room so I have to go in the front one. He makes a comment because I'm late. I am embarrassed. The second class I'm in the bathroom when the bell rings. I Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-46638649832261954082024-01-19T14:54:00.000-08:002024-01-19T14:54:39.952-08:00A Krampus Mask you can download and make yourselfFor Christmas cards last year - in 2023 - I made a Krampus Mask. You can go here, download a pdf, and make your own mask. If you don't know who Krampus is - He used to be Santa Claus's sidekick. Maybe a balancing of good and evil? He seems to have been part of pre-Christian Northern European customs. I believe he was called Knecht Ruprecht in parts of Germany. There was a fad for Greetings Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-18382621395232900392023-01-06T20:02:00.002-08:002023-01-06T20:02:28.288-08:00Is there one correct way to do blind contour drawing?A piece of tracing paper with blind contour drawings. These sketches go into a box to possibly be used in collage later. None are considered finished at this point. They will be torn away from the main sheet and used individually. It's a low pressure way to work.There are a number of ways that artists do blind contour drawings. In general the purpose is to strengthen observational and drawing Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-45254181005658470582023-01-04T17:05:00.002-08:002023-01-04T17:05:53.832-08:00You can download and make this Green Man mask Green Man mask Christmas card. You can download the pdf and make your own.This was my Solstice/Christmas/New Years card this year. I still haven't mailed them all out. But here it is - you can download it from my website and make your own. There are instructions on the web page. It turns out the mask looks good either way. Turned over it covers your mouth and chin. It's a very effective Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-56181202837423946922022-10-06T16:02:00.000-07:002022-10-06T16:02:16.760-07:00Are you curious about critique groups?A page from my recent in-progress book, running figures that needed faces.Years ago when I mentioned critique groups to a friend she said “oh, no! I’m not interested in brutal criticism.” But that’s not what I’m talking about. In the groups I have been in people make suggestions, give feedback and say what they like. They don't attack. A critique is a way to hear what other people see in your Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-38379264190470409692022-08-07T14:44:00.000-07:002022-08-07T14:44:47.577-07:00A new kind of dip penKakimori dip pen test. I dipped the nib twice to get all these doodles. That's a lot of ink! Recently I saw a post on Jane Blundell's blog about a new dip pen. Of course I had to buy one. It came this week and I have played with it a bit. I do like it. I would say it's equivalent to a US medium. In the detail photo you can see the tip is not sharp. There is a stainless steel version that is Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-60866838736633744812022-08-07T13:53:00.002-07:002022-08-07T13:53:24.572-07:00Life and ArtMagnificent book shelves installed 6 years ago. They were a long time dream. The ones left of the fireplace were Jim's, most of his books went into his museum. The others were all mine, with books below and toy cameras on the top two shelves. They were lovely.At the end of this post is a little note about subscribing to my blog.I normally don't post about the complications of just being alive. &Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-14166943229468172922022-07-03T12:34:00.000-07:002022-07-03T12:34:30.290-07:00The allure of photographing other worldsPinhole photo taken with matchbox camera on color film.While working on my web site I have been looking through pinhole photos I have taken in the past. I think I am not done with pinhole photography. Driveway reflection taken with matchbox pinhole camera. Wonderful distortion and light leaks.Pinhole photography compels me. I live in this world, which is concrete all around me. At the same Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-76865111780269833732022-06-15T12:36:00.000-07:002022-06-15T12:36:13.556-07:00Effie Wood Goes on Holiday Effie Goes on Holiday, accordion fold book by Judith HoffmanEffie Goes on Holiday, ©2021. 3.5 x 4 x .75 Collage on watercolor paper, drawing, family photos scanned and printed on Epson SC P-700 printer. See the whole book on my web site. When I was a kid we had many family holidays at my grandparents house in Cincinnati. There was an assortment of ladies that seemed very old to me. I Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-63770171096312188452022-06-09T16:13:00.002-07:002022-06-09T16:13:54.960-07:00My Compendium of Medical FearsMy Compendium of Medical Fears, eco-dyed paper, collage and drawing.I finished this book at least a month ago, took the photos several weeks ago, and finally have processed them. So I have a web page for the book. All photos and information are on the web page. I have tons of medical fears at my age (77). It just now occurred to me, if 7 is a lucky number, 77 must either be double lucky or bad Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-50048815580735101102022-05-15T16:10:00.000-07:002022-05-15T16:10:09.225-07:00More tests with pen, ink and matte mediumI worry about the unknowable future. A scan from a book that's almost finished. Collage on eco-dyed paperLast year I suggested d'Atramentis inks for drawing because I was finding them to be waterproof. Recently I have been having more bleeding when I collage drawings down with matte medium. I am not sure what's going on, it may be that I'm using a different architect's tracing paper. I did use upJudith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-37721278802770969352022-04-14T14:40:00.002-07:002022-04-14T14:44:27.568-07:00My hubris bites me in the rearMy shiny new web site at judithhoffman.artMany years ago the software I used to make my original web site got eaten up by Adobe and then stopped working under new operating systems. I couldn't add pages or edit. Several years ago I said I could whip out a new web site with Dreamweaver. Easy peasy I thought. And Bob's your uncle. And other simplistic thoughts. I got a basic skeleton together and Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-8225117129180183662021-12-18T12:08:00.000-08:002021-12-18T12:08:49.397-08:00My book is purchased by McCabe Library at Swarthmore CollageLife is short, suddenly it's over. Try to be present every day. I am so pleased to tell you my book, In Which Our Main Character Has a Revelation of Wonderment, has been purchased by the McCabe Library. I'm sure every artist is delighted when their work goes somewhere where it will be appreciated. I am no different. The book was purchased out of the Philadelphia Center for the Book exhibit, Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-28582272513533091782021-12-04T20:37:00.005-08:002021-12-04T20:37:42.033-08:00A finished bookWhere are they now? by Judith Hoffman, drum leaf accordion, Arches cover paper, collage, paint, ink. About 3 x 4 inches.It's the same old story - I had a dozen pages left from a book I made years ago. I wanted to use them, and started playing with some mark making and collage. The dozen collaged pages seemed to divide into two themes, so two books. But I needed to make more pages so I could Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-37074410932773809612021-10-29T20:15:00.002-07:002021-10-29T20:15:57.122-07:00Pens, Inks and Drawing in Inktober 2021Blind contour drawing - that's me, but it doesn't look like me, thanks to the blind contour.Be sure to read the last paragraph about subscribing to this blog. Signing up for notifications is changing .October is Inktober - a month when many people who are nuts about drawing with pen and ink, or brush, or markers, challenge themselves to do a drawing a day. This seems like a good time for a post Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-23206520500908598062021-10-15T16:03:00.002-07:002021-10-15T16:03:48.174-07:00Sending two books to the Philadelphia Center for the Book exhibitStolen Shadows by Judith Hoffman is on its way to the Looking Out/Looking in exhibit at the Philadelphia Center for the Book.I am delighted to say I just sent Stolen Shadows and In Which Our Main Character Has a Moment of Wonderment to the Looking Out/Looking In exhibit at the Philadelphia Center for the Book. I haven't accomplished much in the last few years so it's nice to be able to shareJudith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-43190641153455792092021-10-10T20:29:00.000-07:002021-10-10T20:29:10.986-07:00In Which Our Main Character Has a Revelation of Wonderment In Which Our Main Character Has a Revelation of Wonderment, 2019, 5.75 x 4 x 1 inch. Materials: Eco dyed Bagasse paper, eco dyed linen thread, architect’s tracing paper, found papers, acrylic paint, ink. Techniques: eco dying, collage, drawing, rubber stamping. I took good photos a few months after finishing this, and then forgot to post them anywhere, so here they are at Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-32026329891186559882021-09-19T19:59:00.000-07:002021-09-19T19:59:24.738-07:00Zymoglyphic Residents at the 1122 Gallery Diorama by Sam David, Museum as Muse exhibit, 1122 Gallery. About 2.5 feet wide.I just came from The Museum as Muse exhibit, the result of a summers worth of work for six residents at the Zymoglyphic Museum. (Full disclaimer - Jim Stewart, owner and curator of the museum is my husband. Click on any image to enlarge.) The show is held at the 1122 Gallery in Portland, Oregon. I wentJudith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-8600375183376584082021-09-19T12:12:00.004-07:002021-09-19T12:20:09.947-07:00I'm in the PSBA member's exhibit!A Child's Introduction to the Wonders of Space by Judith Hoffman. Artist book, coptic bound, 10 inches wide. I am so delighted to say I was juried into the Puget Sound Book Artists almost-annual members exhibit. Last year's exhibit was postponed because of Covid. I'm showing A Child's Introduction to the Wonders of Space, which I am particularly fond of. (the link is to a blog post - Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-58046667562781237612021-08-12T17:50:00.005-07:002021-08-12T17:51:52.694-07:00Tetrapak Mark Making and Printing Tests I always have to make a book and take a photo. Even the funky tests. Single sheet binding, instructions from Keith Smith.I have been testing a lot of mark making tools on Tetrapak. Above is a little book I made myself. Below are all the tests. Most of the tools I used are in the photos. The paper is Stonehenge, ink is Akua carbon black. Not all the tests printed equally well, but it's Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-68713211628711517622021-08-03T12:56:00.108-07:002021-08-03T19:27:45.735-07:00My tetrapak baby dollTetrapak print of old baby doll. Above is an experiment with printing a Tetrapak plate on a pasta maker. I used an etching tool to scratch lines and a scalpel to cut away the black areas to peel off the aluminum layer. You can see the folds in the packaging. On the right is the original and on the left is the ghost print. Mostly I use mulberry paper for the ghost. They will go into my Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-86900232578988259842021-07-08T15:38:00.000-07:002021-07-08T15:38:07.566-07:00My pasta machine can do that? My first pasta machine printsAbove are the prints I made during the class I took from Bettina Pauly with the Jaffe Center for the Book Arts. (All images enlarge) This was a good introductory class. I was able to get familiar with all the basics and gain some confidence. I really thought I would hate printmaking, but I like any low tech approach so I gave it a try. The image on the upper Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-65103654149039332232021-06-28T17:57:00.001-07:002021-06-28T17:57:22.644-07:00Pasta maker and tetrapak printing tetrapak plate, two prints on Stonehenge and Kitikata papersWell, this is exciting. I have been playing with the pasta maker printing and I think it's working. It's very hot so my ink gets thick and hard to wipe in less than a minute. I'm using Blick waterproof block printing ink. However, I think the light print from the last post was due to not rubbing the ink into the incised lines. I Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19534050.post-84844683743890785672021-06-25T19:45:00.005-07:002021-06-25T19:45:58.068-07:00Another day, another workshopTest print, Tetra Pak plate I resolved weeks ago to not take anymore workshops. It takes time to experiment with new techniques and for things to sink in. Then I saw a post about a pasta machine printing workshop at the Jaffe Center for the Book Arts. I signed up, of course. It's something I had been curious about. Right now we seem to have a bounty of online workshops.Judith Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068951492456665446noreply@blogger.com2