Early Birds Printed

Callooh-Callay, a magical day!  I printed the whole run in one go.  8-]

That's never happened before.  And on a hot day too (when the ink dries out faster).  It just flowed.  8- ]

Of course I was using just one color, due to time constraints.  I'll mess with multi-colors on another run sometime.

 As soon as they're completely dry, I'll sign the backs and ship them off to Bea Gold and the Baren Forum Exchange #56.

This is the first time I've done a bleed print.  In fact the paper was a tad narrower than the block.  But I found it really easy to line it up because the block printed a rectangle on the liner paper underneath.

I like it when things conspire to work together.  8-]

So I guess I sign and number them on the back.  I'll get to that tomorrow, probably.  Then they'll wing their way to the moderator with my abject apologies for being so late.

Looking Out My Backdoor

Multi-tasking

Been editing a poetry collection.  Now back to printing my Early Bird.

Now I'm thinking I'll start with blue and see where it goes from there.  Thinking of adding red (to make purple) and yellow (to make green).

Mini-blocks and Puzzle Blocks

I have a passel of mini-blocks -- Shina grab bag from McClains
http://www.imcclains.com/catalog/blocks/shinagrabbag.html

I'm thinking of doing a bunch of little critter woodcuts -- perhaps my early bird demi-dino series.  

In other news, I got my block for the 

Fantastic Garden: Monumental Collaborative Puzzle Print

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/557726766/fantastic-garden-monumental-collaborative-puzzle-p?ref=card

I'm thinking an early-bird would make a perfect garden denizen.  8-]

Recarving

Recarving delicate lines today.  I have to sidle up to the concept 'cuz I'm pathologically incapable to carve deeper.  ;- j

Early Bird ~ Test Print

Black and white test print with the baren (and wooden spoon).  I'm liking it.

Cleaned, powdered and dried block.

I can see where I have to recarve some of the more delicate lines.

Messing with Colorways

Messing with colorways.  Had a brilliant (possibly cold-crazed) idea to print it in black with points of color highlights.

Here's a faux print w/ added color:

Red of eye, yellow of wing, blue of petal.  ;- ]

I think I like it.

~*~

Going to pull out my baren and do a couple test prints that way.  I don't do the baren well, but I'm not ready to "fire" up the press yet.  And it'll give me an idea  if my color spots will work.

Choose Paper

Choosing and tearing down paper today.  Opted for grey Rives BFK. 

Paper all torn down.  Good thing the instructions say approx. 10"x7.5".  ;->

Next step:  test printing.

~*~

Looking for the right colorway.  Not my strong suit, so I'm looking at others' art to see what they chose (and hopefully why).

Perhaps I should take a class...

~*~

Studying color online -- looking at color woodcuts.  Think I'll steep for awhile.