Lobster Print

I just posted my new "lobster" print on my Etsy shop. I'm really excited about a new block printing material that I used for this project. I used a Gomuban plate that I've learned is a regular staple in Japanese classrooms. It's much softer than linoleum, but firmer than Easy-cut. It carves beautifully and can be printed using a press. Most of my other prints are printed by hand using the Easy-cut blocks, but this material is definitely something that I'm going to explore. The thickness of the Gomuban is only about an 1/8 of an inch, with blue on one side and green on the other, with a black core. The Akua inks that I used for the lobster print went onto the block nice and thin. Using a template on the press as well as pins and tabs, gave me strong color and excellent registration.

Plate on left with 2 color print stage on right

Final stage, wrapped and ready to go!

I'm also in the middle of another printing project using an Easy-cut block of a rushing stream. My daughter took the photo, but she is not sure exactly where it was taken---somewhere north of Plymouth.  It's similar to another mountain stream piece I finished recently. The Easy-cut is handy when I'm working at home without a printing press.

Feeling like summer is flying by way to quickly! So many projects, so little time!

*McClain's Printmaking Supply Catalog carries the Gomuban plates, and will send a free sample if requested.

California Vineyards

I just finished a new block print inspired by my trip to California last month. I'm excited to be mailing off prints this week to my friends who traveled with me. I'll post the process of making a multi-colored reduction block print so anyone stopping by can understand the various steps of this technique.

Here's the "easy-cut" block with the drawing on it. I usually outline everything with a black Sharpee marker first, so all the details stand out.

I also use a template to mark each layer so they will match up when I print the subsequent colors.

Here is the first color, printed by hand, on Rives Light paper using Akua inks. 

Layer 2 is a blend of two colors that make up the sky and some of the brown background. You can see the areas that are cut away so the first color shows through.

Layer 3--- green and gray

Layer 4---more green

Final Layer--the inked plate

The finished design---"Vineyard View"

Maybe I should open up that bottle of wine I brought back from California, to celebrate!