A relationship of idea and technique

For myself, as a beginning printmaker, It has been Important to establish a workable concept of the role of technique and Idea as they relate to my own work. The thesis work presented here Is based on the concept that It Is Idea which leads the way with technique rising to the Idea. The contention here is that as the artist develops keener Insight and perception In terms of idea, his technical skills will grow to the point of allowing him to express his Ideas. This Is In opposition to the concept of developing many and varying technical skills and then seeking out Ideas which conform to them. There Is, of course, no strict separation of technique and Idea since one cannot exist without the other. The symbiotic relationship between these two aspects of creativity broadens the artist\u27s possibilities for expression. However, the experiences encountered In my own work have led to the belief that It Is the Idea which Is to be expressed that must receive the first consideration. For this work, My approach has been to use a variety of Ideas, allowing the technique to provide a common bond between . Each piece has begun with a general Idea or theme which has been al lowed to crystallize as the work developed. For myself It seems to be more comfortable to work from the general to the specific rather than to Impose strict I Imitations early In the piece. In terms of technique, the basic structure of the prints was established with the use of etched line with the values added by whatever means seemed most desirable. In support of this contention, the work presented here reflects what feel Is a growth in Ideas and an Increasing awareness of those themes and Ideas my own nature dictates as being significant enough to express