Self-Confidence

This is really more an experiment than an art page. I'm exploring stamping and stencilling techniques and I read somewhere that cutting stamps from potatoes was a cheap way of experimenting! According to BB, this is a skill that every Irish school kid of our generation got to practise. Well, potato is not such a big part of Belgian culture, except in the form of chips of course. So, maybe that's why I have no memory of potato painting from my school days. I remember using a big pin to punch holes in paper on top of squares of brown felt. What was that called? And now that I think of it, I can't believe they put those pins in the hands of 4- and 5-year-olds! But no potato stamping! Anyways, I had to try this - I painted my pattern on a halved potato with a felt pen, then I used a sharp knife to cut it. It was very straightforward, the straight lines more so than the snail swirl, but even that was quite easy. I applied acrylic paint, and off I went. As you can see, I did get slightly carried away!! I also used letter stamps I found at the back of a press - I only have blue and purple stamping ink, so the colours are not very harmonious. Like I said, this was just an experiment. I should really buy sepia or black. Next time I'm in the Art & Hobby shop I'll have a look!