The world looks at art and experiences it a lot more than they notice. There is art almost everywhere, on many streets, on many corners, and it is sometimes hard to notice we are witnessing art just living our daily lives. Even when we do, we only know so much about that artwork. We are only left with what we see. Then how can we understand what we are looking at if we don’t see the whole thing? This article aims to bring light to the understated process of artists and what it means to see their work fully, with their process embedded. We will also introduce an artist making incredible moves with her work, and it makes us, as art enthusiasts think about how important the process can be.
The Layers of Work in Different Mediums
As anyone can imagine, different coats of work lead up to eye-catching artwork. It obviously can’t happen overnight; so much practice and hard work results in art, but there’s a process that simply cannot be missed. For instance, different mediums have different processes that have to take place. This doesn’t mean that every artist does the same thing, but rather how they approach those necessary steps determines their style and work. In a medium such as printmaking, there is so much that happens. First, the artist must think about their general idea, and they usually have a picture in their mind, which is their vision. This idea can be changed and played with in many ways, but it must be drawn or sketched first for clarity. Once that happens, the artist has a clearer idea of how they must achieve their goal of bringing that vision to paper.
Printmaking has many possible ways of happening. Some artists like using linoleum blocks to cut out their designs, whereas others are more interested in etching and copper plates. The processes can be very different, but both require the same level of preciseness and work. If a printmaker uses linoleum, they must cut out the sections of the piece that needs to be white and blank so that the ink sits on the left-behind parts of the linoleum. Once they are done cutting out the linoleum, they are ready to begin the print. The print can be made many times, and the artist can even make adjustments to the linoleum to make the print look different. And the same print can be made in different colors.
As for etching, there are copper plates, as well as glass plates, and other materials that can be used. Unlike linoleum, the printmaker must use their tools to draw their design on the plate. The difference is that the design left on the plate will be what absorbs the ink. Furthermore, the process has other steps, such as creating a color gradient in a special environment.
Different Mediums Together
While printmaking has a long and precise process, it can be combined with other mediums. For example, many prints can be used as shots in an animation film. This is a time-consuming and difficult task, but one exceptional artist has been doing this in her work. She is Yan Wang, a printmaking and animation artist based in New York City. Yan has been working on collections of prints for years and has been trained to explore the depths of this medium. She has an incredible vision that knows no barriers and continues to dive deeper into printmaking with animation. She creates her own animation by photographing her prints and changing them for the animation. Yan remarks how making animation with print is not easy, but it has definitely changed how she perceives mediums now. She calls it a “transformative experience.” Her animation has over 200 frames of prints and three different printmaking techniques: monotype, linocut relief printing, and silkscreen printing.
Yan’s most celebrated and personal piece is her animated short film, The Girls. She mentions how this piece opens up the themes she is most interested in discussing. To Yan, storytelling and sharing a unique narrative are really important, which is why she combines her imagery from prints with the moving aspect of animation. Yan has also successfully shared her work with a great audience. She has had multiple exhibitions and shows in New York, among many other states. Her most recent exhibition was a group show at Greenpoint Gallery in Brooklyn for their May Salon Show. She also showed her work in a remote group exhibition curated by HMVC Gallery. The exhibition was called Abstract is Abstract. She has had many group exhibitions and two solo exhibitions: On Being a Woman, a solo exhibition and screening at the Fox building gallery space, and A Lump of the Earth, which was showcased in Meyerhoff Piano Gallery. Both exhibitions were held in Baltimore, Maryland.
The work Yan puts in for her artistry has led her to many great discoveries of her own vision and many levels of success most artists dream of. She has been able to create an audience for herself in New York and beyond, which is one of the most important things to do. Yan truly believes in the magic of New York and how it can change an artist’s life. It begins with how they see the world and continues to influence their work and transform them into an unbelievably strong creator. She has been busy teaching workshops, participating in exhibitions, creating as an artist for galleries, and being present in some of the most important and prestigious events and opportunities New York has to offer. She continues to explore her narrative in animation through the lens of printmaking and is excited to share her upcoming work with her followers.
