Ripples, Waves, and Moire

Lately I placed part of my focus on perfecting the ebru print styles of the moire effect.

You see just like there are many different patterns to make in the tray, there are many alterations to the printing process. Many of which create new fascinating looks. Many of the different printing styles are regular features here such as the drag, masking, ripples, layers, spanish waves, and standard printing. The moire has always been on my list of must know techniques.

As you can see below, I have made great strides toward mastering this style too.


There is a bit of 3D illusion to it.


There is some depth and dimension to it too.

The moire is a fun technique, and its not to far from the ripple and wave printing styles I have such a blast making.
Check out these ripple and wave details from recent prints of mine.




I like when the ripples are so dramatic they look more like folds.





You will definitely see more of these printing styles gracing this blog in the future. I can't get enough of them.

In Other News
----Workshops----

I have my second paper marbling workshop at Art Supply Warehouse's Catalyst Gallery in Orange County, California. This August 22nd, We will be hand marbling paper at basic and advanced levels.
*sign-up for workshops in advance.

Are you interested in commissioning custom art or booking an ebru lesson, workshop, demo, party, or performance? Contact me at art@dannyebru.com

Peace & Love,
- Danny

Knotty Ebru

Everyone loves fancy knots!


handmade original, acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) on kozo paper.

The Celtics receive a lot of fame for their decorative knots. The Triquetra, a three cornered knot, being the most recognizable. The Triquetra has come to symbolize many threefold balance concepts such as the Triple Goddess or the Holy Trinity.


handmade original, acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) on kozo paper.

However, the Celts were not the only ones designing endless knots. Cord wrapping and weaving influenced artist and craftsmen in a variety of cultures across the world.


handmade original, acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) on kozo paper.

In India the Sri Vatsa, or Buddha Knot as its better known in the west, is a meditation tool symbolizing unity and eternity.


handmade original, double layered acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) on kozo paper.

Thats all the knotty ebru I have for now, but I look forward to trying more knot designs down the line.

- In Other News -

• I am spreading the healing vibes by displaying a few framed ebru pieces at the Portland Alternative Clinic in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon.

• I have an ebru workshop this weekend at The Village Gallery Of Arts. The next paper marbling class will be held on July 26th at the same location. It will be an all levels class so all are welcome.

• My premier fabric marbling class will be held on August 17th at The Village Gallery Of Arts. Once again it will be an all levels class, so all are welcome.

Please sign-up for my ebru workshops in advance by contacting me at art@dannyebru.com, or the village Gallery at (503)644-8001.


Marbling workshop at Village Gallery of Arts.

Interested in booking an ebru lesson or workshop? Contact me at art@dannyebru.com

Peace & Love,
- Danny

Focusing Divine Energy

The new ebru pieces I have been working on are embellished with the Japanese Jumon, Choku Rei (sho-ku-ray).


Handmade original, double layer acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) on kozo paper.

The Choku Rei is a symbol used in Reiki Healing to increase the flow of energy through the practitioner, thus increasing the healing potential. Choku Rei loosely means, focus divine energy here, and is informally referred to as the Power symbol.

Reiki roughly translated means, divine energy.  I see Ebru as a representation of the same energy.


The Choku Rei focuses the flow of the divine energy.

These pieces were made by utilizing a paper masking technique which requires me to go through the ebru process twice to define the symbol.




Peace & Love,
Danny

The New New

Hello everyone, happy new years. Its 2012, the year of the dragon, and the possibilities are looking limitless.


Shore of infinity.

I have been working on more abstract ebru. Trying out new ideas, and seeing were they take me. This shoreline looking ebru is one of the gems to come out the tray recently.

Also I have started several new embellished ebru projects that I plan on finishing over the next few months.


Guanyin the compassionate.

The Bodhisattva Guanyin, deliverer of mercy and compassion, is an enlightened being from the Buddhist tradition. I am very exited about this piece, so I will be working on it first. I will begin by making a frame, stretching screen mesh over it, and painting the design into the screen. Once the screen is done I will start the layered ebru process.


demon slayer Kali.

Kali the benevolent mother goddess, redeemer of the universe, will also be finding her way to my ebru tray and silkscreen mesh this year. I am really looking forward to this one too. Plus the Tantric goddess of time and change will not be the only hindu project I do this year. Keep an eye out for Narasimha, a lion headed form of Vishnu, and a new Ganesh with multiple heads.

OTHER NEW STUFF:
• I am having a big sale in my online shop. SALE!
Due to discontinuing the size, all 13" x 19" ebru posters are on sale. That means an archival quality print of one of my embellished ebru pieces is only $10. *while supplies last.
• I will be showcasing select pieces of mine at the event "the fifth world" on 1/28/12 at Berbati's Pan in Portland, Oregon.

Peace & Love,
-Danny

Bom Shiva!

My latest embellished ebru project is focused on the Hindu deity Lord Shiva.

I have been working on this project for a few months now. Here are some of the process shots.

Hand painting the Sri Shiva screen on the floor while Chelsea Rose paints her tribute to Lakshmi.


Double layer ebru prints ready to be screen printed on.

Some know him as the Destroyer, and others know him as the Transformer. But Shiva spends most of his existence as the sage does, perched high in the mountains in a deep meditation.


original handmade two layer acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) mono-print embellished with Sri Shiva screen print on cotton paper. 19" x 24"

Shiva represents truth, wisdom, and humility.

Sitting in the lotus position with hands resting is the traditional gesture of meditation. The trident seen in his right hand represents the trinity of creation, protection, and destruction. While the drum in the left hand is said to be the source of the first sound from which all of creation resonated. Two more of his hands are reaching above his head with the index fingers touching the thumbs in the gesture of the Vitarka Mudra, a seal of knowledge and enlightenment.


The ultimate in self control, Shiva is the Lord of the Yogis.

Shiva is always seen with a cobra wrapped around his neck, showing his mastery over fear and death. The snake is wrapped around his neck three times symbolizing control over mind, body, and ego.

Shiva also has three lines of ash on his forehead which represent the mastery over the three stages of existence, birth, life, and death, and through the mastery of seeing beyond the illusions of this existence, the universe is cleansed of the impurity of desire through Shiva's third eye.

The third eye peering out of his forehead emits a cleansing flame from which the pure is reborn. No evil can escape the flame of the fully opened third eye of shiva.

In the top of his hair lies the goddess Ganga, from which the river Gangas flows down Shivas dreadlocks to the earth, where it purifies the people, as a statement of selfless compassion. Shiva is also associated with the waning moon which is a symbol of healing.


original handmade two layer acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) mono-print embellished with Sri Shiva screen print on cotton paper. 19" x 24"

Om Shiva Shankara Hari Hari Ganga! Bom Shiva!

~Other News
• on the topic of transformation, I recently used some ebru in the cover art for the new Bone And All podcast featuring Chelsea Rose's spoken word poetry, CHAOS CREATURE. Listen>>>

Chelsea Rose leads an exploration through consciousness and evolution.

• Also, later this month I will be doing an Ebru demo at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) as part of the monthly "OMSI After Dark" event. If you live in the Portland, OR. area, this is your chance to learn more about ebru first hand. See you there!

Peace & Love,
-Danny

Double Exposure

I have been working on a bunch of new pieces lately.

combing the acrylic paint across the size.

The pieces I have been working on are double layered mono-prints. So every piece of paper gets put through the whole ebru process twice.


and it looks twice as cool.

The plus side of double the work comes from overlaying the patterns, which brings a lot of new life to the pieces. The hues vary as the two layers interact and define new details to delight in.


kinda like double exposed film.

In other news,
I am also working on a new embellished ebru piece. It will combine an original Sri Shiva screen print design with double layered ebru.

Also, we at Lucid Optic Lab have been working hard on making some art pendants. We made a few pendants out of select embellished ebru pieces of mine, as well as a few original ebru pendants check out what we have in stock here.

Until next time.

Peace & Love,
Danny

Grow With The Flow

I am making a lot of abstract ebru lately.


original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print on cotton paper.

I made this piece by using a combination of traditional ebru technique and traditional suminagashi technique. I love the colors in this piece, and the perspective really draws me in. I am also spotting tons of hidden faces throughout. I bet this piece would do great in a creative space.


original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print on cotton paper.

With a much looser design and a minimal color palette this gel-git ebru is all about balance and simplicity.


original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print on kozo paper.

A tarakli ebru full of blues and purples. This piece is like a deep river, calm, yet full of flowing movement.

I have been on a bit of a blue kick lately. All the blue is quite refreshing during the heat of summer. You can check out more of my work here.

I have also finished another buddha screen print piece.

original handmade acrylic ebru (Turkish paper marbling) mono-print on kozo paper with 3 color buddha screen print. 12.5"x19".

the ebru in this piece has a ripple effect to it know as the spanish wave. Its a cool effect that is created by altering the printing portion of the ebru process.

I am very busy creating so there will be plenty more to share next time. Until then.

Peace & Love,
Danny

Busy, Busy, Busy - Art Vending

Summer is almost past, but the momentum of the season is still going strong. I am finding myself running all over town to prepare for showing or selling my art, and then running all over town yet again to show and or sell. It has been a very busy summer. It has been a very fruitful summer too, so it is busy in a good way.

This last week was Last Thursday Art Walk on Alberta Street, which happens every last thursday of every month so long as the weather is not to wet. This August we had tons of sun, so I set up a booth with my partner, artist Chelsea Rose. When we work together we call ourselves Lucid Optic Lab.

the Lucid Optic Lab sidewalk booth set up at August's Last Thursday Art Walk on Alberta Street in Portland, Oregon.

We arrived on Alberta Street around noon and set up a sidewalk friendly booth display. On the curbside of the sidewalk I displayed my ebru and embellished ebru, plus a few screen print shirts and some tie dye. I displayed art on both sides of my wall so everyone could see something no matter what side of the street they were on. On the opposite side of the 10' sidewalk Chelsea Rose displayed her acrylic faery art and body painting photography.

Last Thursday is a fun event, we get to hang out with friends, artist, crafters, and musicians all day while we sell our art. Then when the evening sets in and the air cools a bit, the officials close the street and the people flood in. The costumes, stilts, fire bending, and drum circles are impossible to miss. When the streets close we rearrange the booth to bring in flow from the street. Offering a safe haven to appreciate our arts.

the Lucid Optic Lab booth at June's Last Thursday Art Walk on Alberta in Portland, Oregon.


the Lucid Optic Lab booth at July's Last Thursday Art Walk on Alberta in Portland, Oregon.

Lucid Optic Lab is also out selling art at the Portland Saturday Market every Saturday too. Its a fun outdoor arts and craft market that features all local artist who make and sell their handmade work.

Lucid Optic Lab booth at Portland Saturday Market 8-27-11

A weird place indeed, this last saturday we were frequented by random happenings all day. One of the oddest things that stands out is when a very much alive Jimi Hendrix proclaimed his interst in my art and insisted he get his picture taken with me.

Jimi Hendrix is alive and well, and hanging out at the Portland Saturday Market. Jimi was a fan of my ebru art, and he was quite persistent in insisting that he got a picture taken with me.

An exited Jimi Hendrix was quite persistent about the photo. "Over here in front of your art", he said as he rushed me to the front of my wall."Let me see the peace sign", he said "No, up higher like this!" Unfortunately the camera operator, who was a random market goer, cropped out the peace sign in the photo, however he managed to get a shot of Jimi showing me the proper way to do a peace sign.

There is not much summer left, but there is still plenty of fairs, artwalks, and markets to show and sell some art at. See you in the streets.

Peace and Love,
Danny

Abstract Expressions and the Buddha

One of my favorite things about ebru, is the mediums ability to capture abstract visual representation of fluid movement. I think this recent piece of mine is a good example of that.

original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print on kozo paper. 8.5"x11" by Danny

Another name given to ebru is water painting. This is partly due to the fluid effect, but is mostly due to the fact that ebru is actually made by floating paint on top of a fluid referred to as size. Size is the name given to water that has a thickening agent, like carrageenan, added to it.

Using the right technique of pushing and pulling the paint across the size creates lines that lead the eye from one point to the next, visually suggesting movement.

original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print on cotton paper. 8"x10" by Danny

I love getting swept up in the movement of the abstract ebru pieces. I find them to be a great way to add life to a room.

I have also been working on embellished ebru pieces featuring a three color screen print of Buddha.

"Abhaya Buddha Ebru", original handmade acrylic ebru mono-print with three color Buddha screen print on cotton paper. 12"x18" by Danny

This is a very positive piece to have around the house or place of work, and will surely bring light into where ever it finds a home.

Every ebru piece I use I make by hand in my home studio. I also make all screen prints by hand too. Not only do I build the frames and stretch screen mesh crossed them, I also hand paint the print design onto the screen/screens. Then I do all the screen printing myself.

thats all for now.

Peace & Love,
-danny