REDUCTION CUT

On Watch.Learn.Play. we talked about printmaking and the different ways to do it.  I got excited about doing a lino reduction cut and was off and running.  

I still had some leftover linoneum from days gone along with other supplies I'd need.

I made a drawing of my favorite teacup:

The next day I transferred the drawing to the linoleum and got to work.  I had to get out some inks.  I still had some Akua Inks from years ago.  They needed stirring up, but seemed to be okay.  They all went on okay except the Hansa Yellow, which was still a bit lumpy, but I was able to break that up when I mixed it on the palette (glass). 

So, first I cut away the background and rolled on some off-white ink I mixed.

Then  cut away the white 

and rolled on some yellow

Here's one of the prints with the white and the yellow.

Then I cut away the yellow parts and printed some orange.

I didn't get pictures of the rest of the process.  Next would be cutting away the parts I wanted to stay orange and inking on some green and printing that.  Then cutting away the parts to stay green, roll on some blue, printing that, and the last color was a brown in the cup for the tea (or coffee).

And they were done!

That was fun, but I don't think I'll be doing it again soon.

The poor linoleum looks pretty bad when this process is done, and is spent. 

 

PRINTED THE FRONT OF CARDS

Went straight up to the studio this morning after I braved the snow to go get a Starbucks jolt.

Nothing better than being in a warm studio when it's snowing outside!

First I had to dust off Harley, my Ettan Press...

Then get it all set up with papers under the jig and a pressing mat board.

Then stir up the ink...

Roll the ink onto the plate...

And pull the first print and make adjustments if needed...

And just keep repeating until the pile of paper is gone...

I was done before 10am - time for a walk.  The snow has stopped, the sun is shining, but the temperature has dropped, better bundle up.

Still lots to do before these cards are ready to mail.

Stay tuned.

PRINTING THE YEAR OF THE HORSE PRINT

I cut some paper and set everything up and printed about eight of the 'color' plate with Akua Carbon Black. Good thing I decided to check the registration with the 'line' plate, which turned out to be good, because it was the inks that weren't going to work.  I used Akua Mars Black, thinking it would be significantly darker and stand out over the Carbon Black, but it didn't.

I added a little Akua Titanium White to the Carbon Black and tried again.  It looked so great I was doing a little happy dance.

I took a picture of the first "Rupert".

Are you peeking?

I didn't have time to finish them all today.  I got only 8 made and this is a busy week.  I don't know when I'll get around to finishing the rest.  I was hoping I'd get them in the mail by this Friday, Chinese New Year, but it's not looking like that will happen.  But soon.

29 FACES - NUMBER 11

Someone challenged me to take one of my little sketches and turn it into a print.  I've been thinking about it for quite a while and putting it off.  Now seemed like a good time to experiment.

A START ON A CELTIC SNAKE

It's time I got started on my Year of the Snake Print for BarenForum's Chinese New Year's Exchange.

First, come up with a drawing and transfer it to some wood blocks.  I'm going with two.  I haven't even figured out how many colors, but I'm only doing two blocks.

Peeling the paper off, and hopefully leaving the drawing.

Mixing a very transparent yellow using Akua inks.

Rolling  the first color directly onto the card.

I'm starting with 60 cards.  

I'm hoping Bentley the cat stays off them while they are drying.

CLASSICAL ELEMENTS FINISHED

Finally finished with Four Oceans Press Classical Elements Exchange. Yeah!

I started this project with the idea of portraying the elements as we encounter them today in our urban environments. We have limited exposure to the elements, or have tamed them for our convenience.

This last one, Fire, was the one I had the initial idea about. We seldom use fire in our urban lives. Even cooking, we use heat, not fire; and with the microwave, we don't even use heat!

FIRE - FIRST DAY PRINTING

I finalized my drawing for my last Classical Element, 'Fire' on Sunday and carved the key block. Yesterday, I transfered the keyblock carving to two more blank lino-blocks. I decided on the colors this morning and carved the first color block.

Today, I finally got ink on paper and just finished the first run.

I set my Zune to play just 'rock', turned up the stereo and set about the repetitive job of inking the block and running the papers through the press. It's mindless but fun. The hardest part is to keep from completely zoning out and not repeating each step exactly the same.

I must reiterate: I love Akua inks, I love my Ettan press and I love the registration system I learned from PrintMakerGuy on Wetcanvas, Andrew Gott.

I think I'm finally getting the hang of it.

I'm going back up to the studio now to carve the next color block.

See ya soon!