Carving Away

Almost done with the last carving. Carved away the hands, highlighted the sleeve, carved the hinge, working on the background for the blue man, gave grain to the hinge end of the door, and am enlarging the stars.

I should be able to print the 3rd color tomorrow -- Wed. at the latest.

2nd Printing

Color #2, alizarin crimson. I decided on stars for the "wallpaper." I've carved away the hands, etc., and am almost ready for color #3. So far so good. 8-]

New Look

Changed the look of my blog to Scribe. Just seeing what I can do with it.

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I'm not sure how this ended up here. It's not where I intended it to go. Oh well.

Still Carving

This is the 4th carving, more detail. I've been printing samples with varying success. I was trying for a transparent red, but it turned out to be way too tacky. So I'm back to straight aliz. crimson. I can eliminate the markings on the door panel by using a guide along the left side when I'm inking, and blotting away any ink that hits the block. Baby powder helps with this as well. Not a problem.

I was about to print the second color when I remembered I had to carve the first pass of the wallpaper. Then I had a crisis of design and hit the books. I was paging thru a Pre-Raphaelite book and was thinking of checking out William Morris as well, when I started noodling around with vines and stars and stuff. Much more noodling, including a session with pumpkin spice coffee at Java 'n Jazz, and I believe I have my design.

Yellow stars with red rays on a blue field. Blue may turn out more purply, have to see. But the centers of the stars will be yellow with yellow rays interposed with red ones, which will transition into blue on the final printing. (See Once In a Blue Moon for an idea of the stars.)

So that's where I am at the moment. 8-]

Next Carving

Carved away pattern on door, highlights on hands, hinge. I'll test print it on Wed., carve more if necessary. Then do the second printing in transparent aliz. crimson.

Under the Tuscan Moon

Viscosity monotype, 4"x4". An attempt at a Tuscany style print. On the dark side.

First Printing

I bit the bullet and printed the first color of my reduction print, a yellow/orange (process yellow, vermillion relief ink). I printed 16 1/4 sheets (11"x15") Arches cover, dry, 2/10 setting on the relief press.

Next stage: carve away the door, cut hatch lines into hands for lighter tone, carve away light areas on hinge and hatch lines for shading.

Possibly also: carve first botanical pattern into wallpaper.

Second inking will be alizarin crimson in transparent print base.