Gabby block Nearly Done

Might be done.  At least for a test print.

Faux print ~ greyscale mirrored image to see what it'll look like printed.

I'll be printing it with grey or tan or beige for Gabby's shading.  I'll be adding pan-pastel for color.

Of course I know I'll have to recarve some lines after I print.  The wood always swells and my lines are chronically too fine.  ;- j

More Gabby

Gabby Block Scan

Gabby so far.

BW view

Even darker to show what stands out.

More Gabby-girl

Gabby So Far

More Gabby Block

Lots of little fiddly bits.  I know I'm avoiding carving on Gabby.  ;- j

Gabby and the Wild Blue Yonder

Back to work on Gabby.  8-]

Gabby and the Wild Blue Yonder

I want to finish it in time for xmas. ;-]  I plan to print it in a very light grey or a tan or ecru (ochre?), then add pastel for color and highlights.

Paleo-Horsefly

Printed up a few paleo-horseflies while I had the inks out.  Not really satisfied with these either.  Maybe I'm just tired.  The blue was giving me a headache.  I was using small pouncing brushes (one a teensy Japanese brush), and I think I was loading up too much ink.  Something to work on next time.

Air Kraken Colophon

Paper size: chuban
Image size: 8”x6”
Block: shina
Ink(s): Daniel Smith water soluable
Paper: Rives BFK
Edition Size: 40

This is my second reduction block and I found it both exhilerating and frightening. I’m not used to doing a total edition at one time. There is always the danger of damaging the block and thus the whole run at any stage.

Overall I’m pleased with the result. I would have gone back and changed a couple things, but of course there is no going back with a reduction block.

There are two basic color effects, stemming from experiments with the lightest color. I like them both. It changes the mood of the print slightly.

I learned a lot with this project, chiefly that I am not afraid to realign the block to print multiple colors on one print. I’m ready to tackle a multiple block print now.

Printing Last Color

Finished printing color three.  All 52 (I thought there were 50, but I guess I can't count).  ;-j  At least 40 good ones.  No registration problems, surprisingly, but a few incidental marks on the paper.  I may be able to eliminate some of them with a cuttle fish.

A bit more of the process:

inking the block and brushing on the talc

running the block thru the press

pulling the block off the print

More Air Kraken Sketches

Tried an ochre/sienna colorway, and in the process I worked out the carving order.  I don't know if the monotone made it clear to my brain, or if the hind brain worked it out in my sleep.  But suddenly I get it.  Just about ready to make a cartoon and start carving.

~*~

Working on composition and colorways.

Which order the colors go in, etc.

As fun as this is, I have to stop displacing now and try something out on a block.  I need to make some tests and just see which colors go over which best.  Ink is going to act differently than pastels.

But it's awfully suductive just to play with my pastels.  ;-]

Air Kraken

Working on a sketch for my reduction block.  Only three colors to work with, so I'm thinking secondary colors.

This is the second composition.  Still working on that.  The basic elements are there.  Something for the Steampunk community.  ;- ]

Steampunk Airship

Another colorway. Closer to what I have in mind. Now I'm printing them on white sketch paper, as I'm running thru my newsprint!

I'll try a couple more things again today, then I'll have to move on to carving the next block. It's production city around here this month!



Ok, that looks like what I want. Blue with a dab of green; red with a dab of yellow. Red on the balloon and the gondola, with a bit of a halo around the ship, especially under the balloon. Then blue over the background and the ship. Works for me.

Need to work on the colophon now. Let's see, it's an airship. The theme is Voyages/Journeys, and an airship clearly applies. I wanted something airy, because there was so much talk about Wanda liking kites and kite-flying. I thought a balloon might apply as well. And then I wanted to do something in the steampunk fashion.

I'm considering Straight On 'Til Morning.



Here we go. Printed up half the run today. Ink gets dry, so after awhile I decided to pack it in for the day. Back to it tomorrow.

All done and off to Maria for Exchange #37. 8-] W00t!

Airship - test print

Not in love with the colors, but I was playing with dabbing on a second color.

Worked on some more colorways, but still unsatisfied with the way I'm inking it up. Going to try a couple new things later today. Going to add a little transparent medium to the color as well, to get a little woodgrain into the image. Or anyway, I'll see what I get.

Not there yet. Too much bleed-thru, muddying up the color.

Airship -- Coming Along

another faux print -- getting there

Oops, forgot to turn it around. ;-y Oh well, you get the idea.

Airship -- Up and Away

Up and away. Looking more like an airship.

scan of the block in progress

faux print -- what the block will look like

Airship -- Just Getting Off the Ground ;-j

Pretty hard to see yet, but it's started. I stained the block again, but this time I sealed it with a mixture of acrylic and white gesso, which gives it a kind of white-washed look. Lightly sanded, and it's nice and smooth.

Some carving, some sketching.

Latest Mouse-arr

That be no vermin on me ship. Arrr.

Mouse-Arrr

Test print. Nose area needs a little work yet. 8-]

Cat -- Arr

block-in-progress

Decided to do a lolcat next. This is cobbled together from two lolcats, a pirate cat and one that's holding a "mouse."