Another recent ink painting. The words read “There’s no freedom here”. I’m excited by the combination of phrases or short poems with artwork. This one will need to be done again as the ink has feathered slightly on the poor quality paper. I’ve been experimenting lately with different types of paper, looking for something archival quality that handles well with the inks. I used to have a paper that worked really well, but it seems they’ve changed the creation of the paper and it is no longer suitable, which is a shame. Still, there’s a lot to be gained from the process of experimenting if you don’t mind a few projects that don’t work out.

I have been working on creating a process for my ink paintings that streamlines everything. At the moment it’s very chaotic, I don’t have a preferred paper that is quality, I paint very different sizes which can make framing the works challenging, I don’t have a proper place to store the works safely, they are all over my studio in different boxes, files, drawers and nooks – which also makes laying may hands on a particular work tricky. I also lack a safe and simple system for transporting them once sold, or to galleries etc. Not good enough, I find creativity happens best for me in the space between order and chaos. I need both in the right quantities to function best, and at the moment inks are being overwhelmed by too much chaos. I want a paper I’m happy with, a storage system, a presentation method, and a transport system that is all simple, inexpensive, easy for me to remember, and where I can stock up on everything I need so when I have an ink obsessive week I can paint, draw, dry, store, present, and transport without needing to interrupt the process to go and buy supplies or problem solve weird sized paintings etc. 
I am getting very excited because I’ve thinking about this challenge, as well as the making of prints from the ink paintings, for quite some time now, trying different ideas and approaches. I think I am on the cusp of sorting it all out into something that I’m really happy with, that frees me to create to my heart’s content. A few more tests and trials and buying some supplies here and there and I think I’ve got it. Whee! 
The next challenge will be buying some more pens to use different coloured inks in, some more sample pots to paint with diluted inks, a set of the papers I finally decide on, the materials to store/present/transport the inks, and some full size ink bottles of the colours I’ll use most often – at the very least I need a new Noodlers Black. If I’m sensible and brave I’ll investigate arts grants to see if I can get some help to do that – but admin terrifies me so I’ll just see how things go. Also, to learn how to work the adobe software and create booklets of ink paintings or poems, get the printing of prints down to something I’ve trialled properly and can easily do, and finish my first digital story using ink paintings and a voice over… So much to do!  How I love it.