Leafy Swirl

This is the gnarled block with chine colle and a leaf. The leaf worked as a stencil and blanked out the ink. But it also left an interesting leafy pattern of veins.
I like this look and may do some more with leaves.

Another Variation

Another variation on chine colle. I like the effect of the angular colors of this and the previous print against the undulating lines.

Chine Colle

Gnarled printed on Somerset grey with chine colle. I overlapped a red and aqua Japanese tissue with flecks of silver and gold. Where they crossed they made a lavendar.

I used methyl celulose paste in the lab. It acted just like rice paste I've used at home. Difficult to lay flat, but not a problem to brush flat with the brush. Easy to overlay. Would like to play with different colors, maybe tissue paper.

Gnarled

4" square

Gnarled is a close-up of a gnarled tree, but it can be anything -- waves, clouds, motion. This is black on grey Somerset. Black on white is good too, but I like this. I'll play with some watercolor on some of the b&w ones to see what I get.

Art Expo Honorable Mention

Letting Go, reduction block print, won Honorable Mention at the Learning & Product Expo: Art! at the Burbank Hilton this weekend. 8-] Not only did I get a ribbon, but I got $100 gift certificate for Dick Blick! Woo-hoo.

I entered 3 pieces and 2 got in -- Letting Go and Paleo-Umi. The two pieces inspired by Will. Letting Go was from a dream, and Paleo-Umi was a commission to illustrate his game character in ancestor form.

I guess it's true when you invest emotion in a work it comes through. These are two emotional pieces for me.

Now I'll have to tell Will Letting Go is an award-winning print. He has his print hanging by the front door. I think I'll hang ours over the fireplace. 8-]

Favor

Valkyries 4"x6"

Here is an actual print of the block on Somerset grey paper. I like the stone effect, as it's a runestone. The block needs some clean-up. Too many extranious lines for my taste. Kitty liked it.

I can see why Vikings carved such angular runes -- it's so much easier to carve straight lines than curvy ones. I like my spiral "es" but it sure is harder carving it in wood. Perhaps I need to make a chop. The double line "P" I'm starting to use in SCA blocks is much easier represented in wood.