Carving -- Christmas 2010

 I started carving the first block last night, just to get it off the ground. 

Back at it again today.  This took a couple hours.

And here's a close-up of the block.  I may have to clear away a little more around the elements.  I'll see when I test print it.  Still have more details to carve.

I have a couple small brayers and bake, or Japanese stencil brushes that should work nicely for inking.

Transfering Cartoon -- Christmas 2010

Transfering the cartoon to the blocks today.  I'm tracing the same image on both blocks, even tho I won't be carving the same elements on both.  Partly for alignment and partly because I'm obsessvie/compulsive about it.  ;- j

Here's the process.  I carved a couple of kento-like notches in the cartoon to aid in placement.

Here's where I've chalked the back of the cartoon so I can trace it onto the blocks.  Normally I use a pink or yellow chalk, which works really great with black dyed boards.  But I had to switch to black chalk for it to show up on the stained boards.  I just have to remember which system I'm using and stick with it.

I like to carve details like the stonework or the antlers freehand as I go.  There has to be some surprise in the piece to keep it lively.

Enough displacing.  Back to work.  ;- j

Coloring Cartoons

Working out the colors for the two blocks.  The first block will have the major areas of color -- sky, reindeer, Tay.

The second block will have the detailed bits -- stonework, antlers, harness, initials.

Actually I'll carve this:

And this:

I can roll on the major areas of color and tap on the fiddly bits, like the harness.

It works on paper.  We shall see if it works in wood.  ;- j

~*~

I restained the boards, so I won't be able to transfer the cartoons today.  Tomorrow.

Also, in restaining the boards, I noticed a straight line coming up on both boards.  Looks like a spot where one top laminate sheet was attached to another.  It's smooth to the touch, but I don't know if it will show on the print, like wood grain.  I've considered the cartoons, and I'll probably be able to avoid the area for most of the printing surface.  Guess we'll see.

Christmas Card Chimera

Here's my chimera.  Something only a mother could love.  ;- j  I'm about to draw my cartoon.  Then I'll sand and stain the boards.  Going for two this time...I hope.  We shall see!

cartoon

Design Stage -- Christmas Card

The Schuyler House Christmas card is in the design stage.  That's Tay, the office dog (or one of them, but he's there most days).  He greets everyone with the hope of getting up a game of tug or fetch.  I imagined him greeting Santa's team on the castle ramparts.*

I googled oodles of reindeer, castle crenellations, even the harness Santa prefers.  ;->  I don't know what I'd do without the internet for inspiration and research.

I might crop out some of the reindeer to give the impression of the rest of the team behind him.

*The Schuyler House logo is a castle.

Centerfold 8-]

Hey, I'm in a centerfold.  8-]

Ok, so it's for CHEM 13 news, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.  ;->

This from Jenn Shmitt, the co-ordinator:

It's that time again... more Periodic Table Print Project News.




The September issue of the Chem13 News features our project (we're even the centerfold!).  They were so inspired that they have started their own periodic table project--open to more media than just printmaking-- as part of the University's celebration of the Year of Chemistry, 2011. 

Here's my contribution to the project:  Titanium.

And the colophon:

Titanium, atomic number 22, is light, strong, lustrous and resistant to corrosion, even in sea water. It is a silvery-white metal and can be alloyed with iron, aluminium, vanadium and other elements to produce many lightweight alloys. It is used in everything from spacecraft to dental implants, and because it can burn in both air and nitrogen, it makes great fireworks.

Titanium was discovered in England in1791 and was named for the Titans of Greek mythology. I took my inspiration from the Titan allusion and have displayed the most famous Titan, Prometheus, who brought fire to mankind, against the wishes of an angry Zeus.

Here is Prometheus with a high-tech, titanium robotic arm, holding aloft a burst of fireworks. As serendipity would have it, fireworks can look remarkably like a spray of fennel blossoms, the seed of which Prometheus hid fire in to sneak it past the Gods.

No good deed goes unpunished, but that’s another story.

Tony's Pictures from Our Show

Here's a link for Tony's pictures from our studio show:

http://ghostmodeler.blogspot.com/2010/10/home-art-show-inauguration.html

He caught a few things we missed.

Thanx everybody for a great show!  8-]

Pictures from Our "Garden Party" Studio Show

I've uploaded pictures from our "garden party" studio show to this site:

http://usual-subjects.blogspot.com/2010/10/light-paint-ink-our-studio-show.html

It was a great experience and I'm so glad we did it, despite our trepidations.  I think I might even do it again sometime.  8-]

Light, Paint & Ink -- Our Studio Show

Wo0t! 8-]


What a great show! I can't believe how well it all went. We had perfect weather, a terrific display, and people came! ;-D

Of course we couldn't have done it without the help of our great friends.  I sure can't count and I was glad to have Karen to handle all the money so professionally.  Tom was indispensable with all the set-up, and always so cheerful -- even in the face of stressed-out artists.
 Laurie's food was scrumptious, and every time I turned around, there was Steph with a plate of cheese or cookies...even sandwiches.  It was nice to have the waters handy. I sure talked myself dry. (The wine was nice too.) ;->

Roy and Aida and others were all so helpful with the set-up and support. It's good to have such good friends.


And I can't believe people actually came in response to our postcards and e-mail! My friend Pat, who ended up buying something from both Tina and myself, only came because of that last e-postcard. Boy was that a smart idea!  We got great advice from Laura and Belinda and Maria and other old hands in the art fair and show biz.


There was art everywhere. Who knew we were so prolific?! It boggles the mind. Tina and Tony's pro panels looked really professional, but I have to say our pvc pipe and wire mesh panels worked really well too. We'd make a couple improvements to the system, but it stood up to the task (if the label cards did tend to blow thither and yon all day).

 I think we all did fabulously well for our first studio show. I sold a number of pieces -- including one to my sister who called during the show!)  I even made a commission and a trade.

Now I've got to get busy and print up a couple blocks.  And I've got the Loscon Art Show to get ready for.

No rest for the wicked.  ;-j

Almost There...

We set up the display panels and the pop-up in Tina & Tony's backyard.

The corners are staked and zippy-tied to hold them down.  We'll hang the art tomorrow morning.

Here's the pile-o-art all bagged up and ready to go into the van.  Like my vicious guard dogs?  ;-j

I just hope they don't chew on anything in the middle of the night!

Now off to bed and up with the birdies.

At the Wiring Stage

I'm at the wiring stage now -- 8 or 9 pics to go.  Everything's matted and framed.  Then on to labels.

I use my bed for arranging art for the panels, and for a record of what's in the show.  Here's one bedful.

It's not meant to be archival, just a guideline.  I find once I get to a show, I've forgotten what I have, let alone where I was going to hang it.  ;-]

Bill thinks we should arrange the panels in an X, for stability.  Sounds like a plan.  We're setting up panels and tables tomorrow, hanging art on Sun.  Down to the wire.

Oh yeah, wiring.  ;- j  Back to it.

Matting, Framing & Stashing

Matting, framing and stashing art for my studio show.  What a production!

Think I should've started this process awhile ago (but then I wouldn't be the champion of procrastination).  ;-j

Oh well, I wouldn't have so many pieces left to frame up if I didn't have all the art, so I guess it's a good thing.

SCAA Art Classic XXI

Woo and Hoo!  I sold Paleo-Horsefly, the woodcut I entered into the SCAA Art Classic XXI this year.  The reception and awards ceremony was today.

I'm happy it went to a good home, a horse lover with her own horse.  8-]

Here's a pic of myself and Sandra Cattell, my pleasant patron of the arts.

Two Weeks to Go!

Two weeks to go until our studio art show.  ;-]  Working on my e-mailing list now.  Just going thru my address book and making a couple groups.  I'm sure there'll be some duplicates, as my address book is very haphazard.  Hopefully people will let me know so I can remove the dupes.  I plan to use blind carbon copy in any case.

Of course I should be framing up some more woodcuts.  Oh well, they're not going to frame themselves.  ;->

Display Panel Production Line

Bill and I made three more display panels out of pvc pipe and fencing.  It went pretty quickly once we knew what we were doing.  ;-j

We'll tie them together with zippy-ties, but if we need to, we can add bracing bars across the top.

Our studio show is less than three weeks away.  Lots to do, but at least the display panels can be checked off the list.  ;-]

Prototype Display Panel

Less than a month until my three person studio show.  Lots to do to get ready. 

Bill and I worked on the second prototype display panel for my up-coming studio show.  The first one (pvc pipe and pegboard) was way too heavy.  This one is pvc pipe and wire fencing.  As you can see it works great.

The zippy ties have yet to be trimmed in this picture.  We plan to make 3 more and hook them all together in a zig-zag pattern which should be self-supporting.

I like the clean lines (and of course Bill likes the black and white motif).  ;- ]

Thanx Guys 8-]

I love it when people decide to follow my blog (even if I am a sporadic blogger).  ;-]

New people always take me to such interesting places and I get to add kewl blogs to the ones I already follow. 

Today I discovered:
http://www.anopensketchbook.com/
an open [sketch]book
creative journal of suzanne cabrera

And:
http://intalyo.blogspot.com/
INTALYO
Some Day Your Prints Will Come

;->

I learn so much from you guys!

Background Block, Cont'd

Carved some more on the background block for the little octopus.

It's weird to carve away the image.  I'm not used to carving multiple blocks, so this is new territory.

~*~

Wow, doesn't look like much does it?  Drew some guidelines so I can carve a bit more at the top.  Lighten up the water.

Carving Background Block

Started carving the background block for the li'l octopus.

I started with the initials so I could use my toh.  I haven't used it much and I thought I should get more acquainted with it.  It got easier as ideas occured to me, especially while carving the S-curves.  I only had two boo-boos, one of which I was able to glue back down.  ;-j

I'll see what all I can use it fore as I progress.

Li'l 'Pus

I printed the cartoon on transfer paper and applied it to the blocks -- twice.  Got it backwards the first time.  ;-j  Still do that, no matter how much care I take.  I think I'm image dyslexic or something.  Washed off the transfer with alcohol.  Take two was a success.

Sure hope I got the registration right!  I'm not used to doing multiple blocks.  To minimize the areas of possible conflict, I'll work in indistinct edges on the background block.  I'll also only carve the initials on one of them.

Little Purple Octopus

I found this little guy online (Facebook I think).  He's just too kewt.

I had to do something with him.  I've come up with this (I cut and pasted the little guy on my cartoon for convenience sake).

I'm thinking I'll carve two blocks -- background and everything else -- and see how that goes.

Some TPC Festival Pics

The TPC Art Festival had a successful reception.  I didn't take any pictures during the reception, but here is one of me in front of my work.

Here's our show on the Santa Clarita Art Association's self-contained display panels.  I love how they've arranged all the lights.

Here's the art display set up in the hall.  More works on easels were added just before the reception.

A number of pieces sold during the show.  It was fun to do and I'll be sure to do it again.  I got to chat with a number of artists and guests (tho not as many as I might have -- I'll have to work on my chatting skills).

One fellow does the most amazing scratchboard wild animals, and he was curious about the woodcut technique, perhaps to get some color in his work.  His style would translate well to wood engraving or resingrave.

The SCAA does a number of shows a year, plus displays at businesses around town.  They're quite active in the area.