Finishing up the Bobcat print!

 I wanted to post the Bobcat print that I've been working on for a while. When it is fully dry, I'll be putting it on my Etsy site, JGTentas. Because of the multiple layers of Akua ink I'm using, it can take longer to dry. Also, I find the consistency of some of the inks tend to be more oily than others, especially the burnt umber. You have to stir all the Akua inks thoroughly before using them, as the oil separates from the pigments. It's still my favorite ink because it stays workable for so long, and it cleans up easily with Dawn detergent.

"Bobcat" Reduction Block Print  Limited edition of 16

Looking forward to some warmer temperatures this month, to melt all the ice and snow of February!

Happy Groundhog Day!

 It was sunny this morning, so I believe the groundhog saw his shadow. The tradition forecasts how many more weeks of winter we will have. The way it is going, we're still in for a bit more! January was very chilly with a lot of stretches of bitter cold! I missed being able to take outdoor walks, as the cold often came with very windy days! 

I've been working on the Bobcat block print. After our visit from the gorgeous animal, I was inspired by the colors of the snow, the trees, and the cat itself. There was so much white to carve away, it took a long time to move onto the inking of the blue shadows. The edition is 16 prints, and I do the printing of each, by hand with a wooden spoon or a baren. 

This is the block with white areas carved out

The light blue ink applied

A light first layer

I used a stencil to block out the rest of the block when I focused on the bobcat.

This where I am now. I've printed several layers on the bobcat's body, and one layer of brown on the rest of the image. I have a few darker areas to add to the fur and eyes, as well as some variations in the branches. 

The next step will be the carving away of most of the bobcat, leaving only the darkest spots for inking.

I'll update when there is more to show! Have a good week! And stay warm!

Foggy Coast Block Print

 I haven't posted for awhile, but I wanted to update the progress on a recent print that I had been working on. The subject is based on a photo I had taken on a visit to Portland Head Light in Maine. That day it was so foggy, you could barely see the water, and I liked the color scheme created by the mist. I also enjoy working with rocky textures!

Here is the finished image.

The print size is 6" x 9" and is part of an edition of 16.

Hope everyone is having a good week! Cool weather with rainy intervals in our forecast here. We had a couple hot days in the 90s last week, but things can change quickly, and the temperature is only 58 as I write this. Well at least the rain is great for the plants!

New Print for New year

 I'm working on a new print to start the new year. One of my favorite places to go is the coast of Maine. Several of my friends and I have been trying to do a weekly "field trip" that includes hiking on various trails, for fun and exercise. The trails in the Wells Preserve are a favorite destination, and on one trip, as we viewed from a staircase, the ocean was very rough, and at high tide. There was a nice contrast between the rocks, surf, and sky.

I traced the photo onto a piece of tracing paper, and then transferred the image onto an 8" x 10" Soft-Kut

block. As I don't have access to a printing press right now, I find the Soft-Kut block works best for hand printing.  I also use a Sharpie marker to keep my design clear on the block, as I will need to print and cut multiple layers, and I don't want the design totally fade away.

At this stage, I am cutting out the areas that I want to remain white in the final print. The water makes a complex pattern, and I am trying to capture the essence of the surf.

I will record the stages of this print, so the process of reduction block printing will be clear, and hopefully successful!

Stay well!!

 

Mid-summer Life

Despite a very warm July, I'm still trying to get some work done in my studio. Thank goodness for cooling fans! I love my view of the backyard as I work, and it's a quiet space, as my husband is still working from home. My cat Wiley, enjoys hanging out with me, even though she steals my swivel chair whenever I stand up.

I've been trying to finish up a few block prints that need to be completed before I move on to something else. I had some issues with the ink I used on the "boats" print. I used a combination of Akua and Daniel Smith inks, and it doesn't want to 100% dry. There is still some "stickiness" in areas, so I have to keep them hanging individually until that disappears.

For this print, I've used colored pencils to add a tint of color in areas. I figured I'd experiment as it needs something more for definition.

The "Winter Blues" design of bluebirds at my feeder, has also been challenging in terms of finding the right colors, and the way the various layers interact with each other. Warm and cool color tones can be tricky when placed on top of each other, as it can dull the intensity of the individual colors.

The newest print that I'm finishing is "Goffstown Brook". I started drawing out the design back in March, and didn't have much time while still doing remote learning to work on it. It's pretty much completed now, but I'm still contemplating adding one more layer to darken up the last layer.

In spite of the pandemic, I've had some enjoyable outings in local areas. I had a fun day at Sunapee State Park while trying out my new inflatable paddle board. While it's supposed to be a stand up board, I spent most of my time on my knees!

Hope everyone is staying well, and finding ways to enjoy the summer!

The Nest

I've been so neglectful of this site recently, but thought I might share a little print I made for the arrival of Spring. Little did I know this would be a spring like no other, but the birds don't know it, and they are going on with life as usual, even if we are not. Watching the birds is one of the activities that is still possible as I'm engaged in "remote learning." My students are in their homes, and I am in mine, but one can see out the window, or take a nice walk outdoors as a break from the computer.
I saw red-winged blackbirds and grackles for the first time today, and of course the regulars are still here. Lots of cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, titmouse, sparrows, nuthatches, crows, starlings, gold finches, woodpeckers, and mourning doves are enjoying the food we put out. Even a couple of raccoons were visiting the other morning.

First Layer

 


 Inking the block

the reveal of the last layer of ink

 The final print

Stay healthy! Get outside if you can, and enjoy the longer days and hopefully warmer temperatures!

xoxo

Mermaid Print

I've been working on a Mermaid print for a while, and the final layer of ink has been printed. I did an edition of twelve full-color images, a few variations, and a black and white series, upon which I will be adding watercolor paints. Below is the finished full-color version.

Mermaid Dreams (6" x 14")

I also played around this past week with some monoprints. I had a week off from school for February Vacation, that allowed me to experiment with some different ideas and materials. 

                                            

The lighting is not the best but you can see the Gelli plate in the center, and a few variations, as well as some stencils that I cut out to make designs. I used Golden Open brand acrylic paints as they are made to be slow drying, and usable for monoprinting.

Here is one variation created with the Golden Open paints. I'm not entirely pleased with any of these prints, but they are fun to work with. This experiment led me to try making individual printing strips that I carved to look like birch trees. Below are the tree trunks made from soft-cut blocks. They are easily cut apart with an X-acto knife. I used black Akua ink for this print.

                   I used a light weight rice paper and a wooden spoon to print my design.

3 Birches (7" x 12")

I like the graphic look of the print, but I plan on doing more experimenting with the image.

It is March, and the yard is almost free of snow. The blue jays, cardinals, titmice, gold finches, sparrows, crows, nuthatches, and woodpeckers are enjoying the seeds we have been putting out all winter. Of course the squirrels are finding their fair share. The days are lighter longer, but it is still technically winter, and there will probably be a few more snowstorms before it gives up!

Sunflower Print Layer # 5

Over the last month, I've been working on a linoleum block print of sunflowers, and I've  just printed the fifth color layer. Here are a few images of the process so far.

Yellow, light green, and ochre layers

layer 3

dark green layer #4

printing plate with brown layer #5

lifting off the print 

     

A drawer full of sunflowers layer #5

Now I will have to carve away the areas that I wish to remain brown, and print layer #6. Another dark green, then the background color should finish it up. 

A Tiny Butterfly

This is the smallest reductive block print that I have ever made! It's for the "2015 Minumental Show" at the NH Institute of Art. Every artwork must be no larger than 4" x 4" in size for this show, and be priced for $55.95 or less. The show opens on January 28th.

They used to be no larger than 2" x 2" for previous shows. I guess I should have read the fine print before I carved the block. It's so cute though!

Still winter here!

Spring is supposed to arrive in about a week and a half, but it doesn't look it here. I took these photos today of my house and surrounding lot to chronicle how much snow we still have on the ground. It's definitely melting with the brighter, stronger March sunshine, but next week's forecast has a chance of a little more snow as a possibility. Let's hope not! 

 This is the new print that I'm working on. It will be a multiple layer reduction block print of the seacoast at Odiorne State Park. I have printed one base layer so far, and will post my progress as I continue figuring out the color sequence.

Have a great week!

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!

Whiskers

Illustration Friday "whiskers" (colored pencil and watercolor)

I had a very nice Thanksgiving holiday with family, and I am especially thankful for the long weekend to get organized for the month ahead. On top of all the Christmas insanity, I'm getting my work together for several art shows that have deadlines in December. I've also been working on a couple of prints. I finished a new reduction print of a crow which I'm hoping to get on my Etsy shop today. Here's a sneak peak of it.

It's very similar to a smaller 4"x 4" print I had made several years ago of the same subject, but this one is 5"x 7" with 2 layers of ink over a red-orangy rainbow roll.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! Yesterday was mild, but today the wind picked up and brought in some much cooler, wintery temperatures. Brrrr...