New Print is finished!

 I finished the final layers for the "Stony Beach" print. I'm very happy with the color palette, and the textures of the rocks. If you have been to Drake's Island in Wells, Maine, you might recognize this view.

                                                                        

                                                   1/16        6" x 9"    Akua Inks

The final state of the block itself is kind of interesting.  I think I could make some black and white prints from it, then hand-color them with watercolor paints. 

Hope you had a nice Valentines Day with some special treats!

Stony Beach Block Print

I've been working on a new reduction block print this month, of a winter beach in Well's Maine. I've come back to this same subject, one that I previously used in other print. That one focused more on the sky and water than this one, which focuses on the rocks. I'm drawn to the colors of winter landscapes. There are so many grays and other neutral tones, which really appeal to me. This color palette works well for a reduction block, as the colors layer well. I like the texture of the rocky shore with all the different shapes and hues. 

The original Soft-Kut block outlined with a black Sharpie

I used a pale yellow ochre for the first layer

After the yellow layer, I carved away all the areas that will remain that color

This image shows a light gray layer printed over the yellow one 

Carving away more rocks

This is the stage that I am at now. I went back over the sky and water to add a little more blue to those areas of the print. I have several more color layers to print before this image will be finished.

As I type this, we are in the middle of a snowstorm. Probably about 8 inches or more. It's very pretty, but I'll need to be heading out later for the second round of clean up! 

Winter Shore, Wells, Maine Block Print

 In my last post, I started demonstrating the process of making a reduction block print of a winter beach scene. I've been working pretty steadily on this print, and I'll take you through from start to finish. 

This was the beginning stage of the whole process. The image was transferred from the tracing paper drawing onto the Soft-Kut block, and outlined with a Sharpie marker. 

I prepared for the printing of the ink layers by creating a cardboard template that the block would rest in securely. I attached metal "pins" to the template for accurate registration. I cut Rives Light paper into the size I needed, and taped plastic tabs onto each sheet. I also numbered the sheets at this point. This will be an edition of 15 prints.

I decided to do a blue blend layer first that would only be inked in the sky area.

I used Akua Intaglio ink (works great on relief prints as well as intaglio etchings)

This is the first layer hanging up to dry.

A light gray layer is printed over the whole block. I ended up printing an even lighter gray blend over the first one, as I wanted more depth in the clouds, and more variety in the gray values in the clouds.

Some definition in the clouds is beginning to appear. If you look closely you can see different gray values.

The next layer is brown for the rock layers in the foreground.

I cut away some brown areas in the rocks before the next layer.

The next layer is a greenish gray for the water and the sand.

Next is a medium gray for the rocks. 

I used masking tape to keep the ink only on the sky, in the next layer, for another gray area of the clouds. I inked the block with the tape in place, then pealed it away to print on the paper.

The image below is after one more darker gray layer in the clouds and the rocks.

At this stage I am only going to need to add a dark gray for the rocks, and a darker green/gray for the horizon area. 

The finished print!

Hopefully this gives you a better understanding of the process of reduction block printing.