Trotzige Herzen - Canis lupus

It all started with the idea of an image transfer. I had a lot of emails and talking andexperiments with Silke (from "für große Mädchen") about image transfer. Some of you may remember my image transfers with aceton. But there are a lot of other techniques around the net and the idea of image transfer which is not digital (although I also love and use digital image editing possibilities) has something tempting. An image you made with your hands during every step has another feeling, at last for oneself (or for me). Every step was made and touched with the own fingers. I love to fell the different structures, all the used papers, the paints and the acrylic media. This picture is for me. Or in other words: A lot if not all of the picture is me. Captures the moment. 

What happened during the night at late hours was simple. I was writing at my thesis. I love and hate it at the same time. There are so many ideas and solutions for scientific problems I had to solve. So much which I learned the hard and long was and in the end is a big part of who I am and rather important also of who I want to be. Science is about a never ending curiosity. The same drive which keeps me crafting. painting, sewing, whatever, keeps me in the laboratory. But this also represents the biggest problem. I don't have a real distance to something which in the end is work, a job. And with every work comes politics, small societies with their own rules, being completly dependent, nececessities which have nothing to do with the actual work in the lab but are sometimes even more important. This all is also in my thesis and to be honest: I can't stand it anymore. It will be finished (no if, no when!) to the end of july. Maybe some little corrections... but nothing more.

Yes, Michelle (from "Mich L in LA", have a look her mystery guessing is going on again!), for me it is like giving it away. :) All the weight which comes along with it. Do I fear a little bit what may come after this? Of course. But also I am eager to go this way. A lot of job applications already went their way, also an application to study a second time (medicine) and there is the possibility of apllication for research grants (already there are some people and ideas behind). One of this will work out :)

The "doctor" in germany is translated into english with PhD. But like with a lot of things there are differences due to the systems in the different countries. I have my diploma in biology. This is like having a bachelor and master. So I am a really traditional natural scientist. During my main studies in the third and fourth year we had to chose three main courses in biology and one main course from another discipline (the first two years are the same for everyone with really verything, from zoology to physics, from microbiology to informatic). I had neurobiology (I guess most of you are not surprised ^^), microbiology, genetics and for the non-biology topic, molecular medicine.

After my diploma work (which is done in the fifth year after the oral exams) I started with my doctoral work. This is a research work for about three to five years (for a Dr. rerum naturalis or short Dr. rer. nat, yes, all our doctor titles have different prerequesites ^^). 

I already gave you in my last blog post the link to PhD comics but maybe just have a look at this youtube video and listen to the song: So true! One wants to laugh and cry at the same time. This video was sent in minutes through all labs and institutes! 

But in the end it is not only a work which teaches ones a lot about the own research but also about oneself. A lot of people go through the same experiences like me. At least, I am not alone ;) 

Back to the night... I just had to work with my hands and not on the computer. A small and little project I thought because time is limited.

 I transfered the wolf (Canis lupus) skull on old paper sites (from the book - Trotzige Herzen, which means defiant hearts). I played with several transfers and then started to paint on one. I had an old newspaper lying below to protect my table. After adding more and more details to the old book paper and the skull I thought that it would be a good idea to add a body and just started to expand my painting from the book site to the newspaper.

I used laquer pens, acrylic colours, water acrylic paints, 3D acrylib body art medium, pens and a paint which is named Inka-gold from viva decor (I used lava green). I applied it with brushed, sticks, paper and my fingers. Especially the last I used a lot of times. I found paint in my hair, in my face, on my lips and also on my nails at the next morning. ^^ 

Sometimes this happens with me: Painting in a rush without thinking. I belive that it keeps me sane and that the result is something which has a lot to do with me. And yes, I can find myself in the picture and even with all the negative influences, for me, in the end it is not negative at all (but that'll be all what I am writing to this topic).

This was my first try. You can still see that I was to fast working because some colour is missing (or smeared) and some paper is left. But it is nevertheless really easy. I am preparing a blog entry for the future about some results with different glues and acrylics for their use in image transfer. The pictures are already there for some time but the text is still missing. ^^

The pictures are from Karen "the graphics fairy". I already used a lot of her bones and skulls pictures! :)

The lines of the lung are to fine to really pop out from the background. I'll keep that in mind for future projects. By the way: All the pictures were printed with a laser printer!