A Pod of Dolphins

Printing Bubbles today.  A friend wants a couple for presents.  So I printed up a pod.

I did half in medium blue and half in teal.  They're very similar:  blue is blue with a little white, teal is blue with a little white and green.  Because I can never just print something; I have to play.  ;- j

Piles to Files

It must be spring cleaning or something.  I've decided to organize my studio, starting with the piles of prints I have all over the place.  I swear I've got about two feet of prints all tolled.

I went thru every piece and made an inventory of each unique print.  Are you ready for this?  I have 106 separate woodcuts, etchings and monoprints!  That doesn't count multiples and variations either.  Wow.

Now I'm putting them in a gimungous plastic tub (I wish it weren't plastic, but it's the only thing I could find that would hold 11"x15" prints, of which I have a number).  I only have one print larger and I can solve that easily by framing it and hanging it on the wall.  ;- j  I don't want to put the lid on tho.  Maybe I'll drape a cloth over the top. 

I'm still filing but I'll be done soon.  Then I'll have to do some actual art.  ;- ]

Happy Air Kraken Day!

http://cephalopodteaparty.blogspot.com/2009/03/happy-air-kraken-day.html

Happy Air Kraken Day! on the Cephalopod Tea Party blog.

Who knew?!  And here I am working on an airship and kraken woodcut.  Not quite ready to carve yet, but I like this colorway best.

Now I have to make the airship look less like a flying saucer.  ;- j

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.

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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.  ;- ]

Paleo-Seahorse Block

This one's going quickly.  May still tweak it a bit, after a test print.  I want to work on some of the lines to add a bit more white.

I may or may not carve eyes.  Right now I'm planning to dab in details in ink.  That technique worked well with my paleo-horsefly.

Seahorse Block Scanned In

Scanned in the block.  Love the look of the grain.  I'm following it for the rock face background on my paleo-mythos critter for this one.

I'm not sure how many this makes in the set.  I should count them up.  Maybe a dozen.

Wow.  I just counted.  I found 26 paleo-themed prints, mostly woodcuts, but a few monoprints and intaglio etchings as well.  Add in my paleo-themed tapestries and it's closer to 30 (but I don't thing they count, so I'll leave them out).

Carving Seahorse

Carving the seahorse block.  A bit harder to see when the block is stained rather than painted black, but I like the look of the grain.  It's coming right along.

 

Seahorse

 

Transfered image with chalk, then went over it in pencil.  Next is to start carving.

I love the grain of the wood.  I'll see if I can follow it for the rock face.

Blue Moon Block

This is a reprint of an old block for the Loscon Artshow last Nov.  Love the stars.  One of my larger blocks.

This should have posted to the Nov. slot, but I guess you have to have something on the page to reserve the slot, so it posted here.

Going thru and adding labels to posts.  There are hundreds.  This is going to take some time.

Seahorse Sketch & Prep

Flipped the seahorse to the right and closed his mouth. This is looking more like what I want. I've got a 6"x8" block of shina for it. Think I'll stain it with wood stain (if I have any handy).

The stain is a little warmer, but the grain shows nicely in this scan. Rainy day so it'll take a while to dry. Then I'll transfer the image via chalk.

Paleo-Seahorse

Starting on a new paleo critter, as the scroll project will take some time. Bill is looking into getting or making a UV light box. But that's for another post.

The sketch is from a horse by Zeng Shanqing-- very angry and wild looking. I love this piece.

I liked the posture, so I drew it as a seahorse (hippocampus to be precise). I'll probably tone down the anger. Don't need that wide a mouth. And naturally I added the tail.

Scroll Project - Mantling

So I've been looking at mantling (the cloth sun covering for the helm that looks more like fancy ribbons) for the shield augmentation. I'm not a fan of the look, personally. So I have to find one I can stand to carve that still looks heraldic.

This one looks nice and woodcutty. I guess I just have to look at so many that I get used to them and then don't mind so much. Desensitize myself.

Wait 'til we get to supporters....

~*~

With appologies to Mary Tarin and her Pelican scroll for Bevin -- this is an example of actual ribbons for the mantling. Looks rather nice. The whole scroll can be seen here:

http://wiki.caid-commons.org/index.php/Image:Marytarinofglastonbury7.jpg

Scroll Project

approx. 11"x14"

Be it known to all...

that I plan to make William's Knighting Scroll. I've looked at 1000 scrolls from the Caid Scribe's website:
http://wiki.caid-commons.org/index.php/Category:Scrolls
There really are 1000 illuminated and caligraphed scrolls on it! Busy little bees.

I ran the mock up past Bruce Draconarius, and he made a couple wording changes and suggestions. He suggested supporters for the shield, so I'll have to get William working on that one. I don't think he has anything in mind. Loki and Freya? ;-j

I have to carve the shield and mantling block, and I'm going to carve at least the beginning phrase -- Be it known to all -- with the initial B illuminated. I know my limitations. I couldn't possibly carve the whole text!

My caligraphy isn't too great, but I guess I can work on it. I'd also like something closer to Caxton's original font, only more legible to modern eyes. I'll have to see what I can come up with.

I feel compelled to add that William is practically obsessive about the color black, so the fact that it's a black and white woodcut is a plus. I'll add a bit of color to the shield and mantling (black and silver) and possibly to the supporters, whatever they turn out to be (surely not zebras or pandas!). A couple letters here and there can be illuminated in the text as well. But it's minimalist by design.

Rainy Day Printing

I should print in the rain more often. 8-] My ink never dried out and I didn't have to clean my block until I was done. Ran out of paper.

Tore down another sheet and I may finish up the run after a lunch break.

There is definitely an advantage with the humidity. Don't know what I can do about it ordinarily tho, as this is So-Cal. Normally dry as a bone.

I know -- move to the Pacific North West! ;- j

~*~

A productive day indeed. Finished up the the prints for the exchange and then some. I wonder how I can get more humidity into the air when I'm printing? Swamp coolers tend to give me a sinus headache.

Barring that, I guess I need to keep my ink wetter longer.

Paper Prep

Tearing down paper today. Sidling up to printing.

~*~

Guess I sidled too close. ;-> Printed about half the number needed for the exchange and all but two are good. I'm a bit rusty, but it's coming back to me pretty quick.

Does anyone else find they have to clean the block often when using water soluable ink? I don't remember having to clean it that often during a print session, but like I say, I'm rusty. Or I may be getting the ink too thick. I'm using Daniel Smith and a bit of water.

Test Print

Test print of the typography exchange block. I like it. May touch up the beard a bit, but otherwise I think it's done. I did get some lines on the wall, which are printerly and add texture. I may touch them up a bit too, just to tone them down. Otherwise I think I'm ready to print.


I may make it on time yet!

Press Block So Far

Almost there. If I don't stop fiddling soon, I'll whittle it all away. Time for a test print.





This is more or less what it should look like. This is a mirror image of the block. I don't intend to make it blue -- it just looks that way in Paint Shop when I mess with the contrast.

Periodic Table Print Project in Globe and Mail

w00t!! Jenn Schmitt just sent around a notice that our Periodic Table Print Project appeared in the Globe and Mail, Ontario, Canada. 8-] The link is:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/style/headless-modelsrhylprintmaking-project/article1424170/

Mine is the one in the upper left hand corner, Titanium. Woo and hoo! 8- ]

Ok I Did It...

Carve out the wall, that is. No going back now! But I think it pops now. I'll work on the press next.

Thanx for the feedback, Viza. As you can see, I went the whole hog. ;- > But I think I like it. And there's bound to be some texture in the white anyway, with carving marks.

My husband, whose visage it is, likes it better now. I do think it leaps out more now.

White Walls

I'm contemplating making the walls white. It's beginning to have an overall grey tone and more white would allow me to lighten up the alcove, internal area of the press, etc.

I haven't done it yet. I just erased the background from a scan and played with it in Paint Shop. It's not my usual style. But I have a problem with not enough contrast as a rule.

I might have to lighten up the flooring, make that greyer.

Carving Press Block

Pencil sketch on block, 4"x6".


Starting to carve. This is really scary. I've never attempted to carve face detail this tiny before. I figured I should start with it tho in case I screw it up and have to start over with a new block. I'm going to leave it alone for awhile now. Don't want to press my luck.




A little more carving, some pencil sketching, some chalk. Shoulders are getting a little stiff so it's time for a break.






~*~


More carving.

Typography Block Sketch

This is for the typography exchange, but it is also for a long-standing project to depict early printmaking in the 15th century. I'm planning to do William's knighting scroll and this is one possibility for the artwork.

Printing Xmas Block

I like the reddish brown color. I've been playing around with tapping on accent color, but I don't like how it's coming out. This may be a one-color block afterall.

I practically recarved the whole block. I have a tendency to "draw" too lightly on the board. Someday I'm going to design a block that calls for bold images. ;- j

Almost Ready to Print

Faux image -- mirror scan of the block, colorized in PaintShop. About to print and see what needs recarving. ;- j

Poking Along on the Block

Lost the weekend to holiday doings, but I'm back to work on the xmas card block today. Carve, carve, carve.

Christmas Block

Wassail!

Block in progress -- mirror image scan. This'll be the Schuyler House Christmas card. I put the castle on one of the mugs. And I put a sleeping cat on the hearth for the absent Kitty (who worked for Schuyler House).