Autumn Jess

Sometimes I would really like to get another dog. A few days ago I saw a lovely brindled whippet/cross scampering about in the woods. I could not help thinking on my late, much loved lurcher Jessie who I drew and painted so often.

So just for the sheer love of her and of course of a bit more printmaking practise I made a small print. I liked doing this so much that I plan a few more Jessie tributes.

It’s a two plate lino printed with blend rolls on Japanese paper.

Jessie sleeping amongst falling autumn oak leaves. image 16 x 11cms

Prints, Prints and more Prints

After the very enjoyable experience with the large print earlier this month I have started taking a closer look at the possibilities of overlaying prints and combining plates. I have made overlays before, sometimes just out of curiosity or even by mistake.
Now I am beginning to find the potential more intriguing, especially where I can combine different types of print: relief and intaglio, monoprint, wood and card or lino etc etc. the combinations are endless but I think this may be a way forward for me. There are technical problems. Plate heights to deal with, ink and paper issues and having the patience to LET THINGS DRY. Curbing my enthusiasm and impatience is sometimes very hard.

They are getting bigger too. A2 is actually beginning to seem a bit small!

 

A2 woodcuts ( from the big print) combined with added shapes. Up on the path in the woods the autumn Arum berries are a bright note in amongst the dark tree cover. The woodblocks were made with this walk very much in mind.

A3 prints combining relief and intaglio blocks.

   

A4 Trials

A2 Plates. Wood lino and card plates. They are loosely based on what I am seeing on the path at the moment, dappled light, twigs, stones, leaves etc

I like these.They are an interesting development.  For me they need more consideration in the way of content and composition etc etc.. and of course then there is the issue of colour.. Hmmmm… way to go. 

A Slightly Improved Pig

I am thinking that a-print-a-day on this blog might be very tedious for my kind readers and this blog tends to be a mishmash of many things so I have decided to corral all the print progress pics into a different blog. I will put any new developments here too but I think 20 different versions of one print could be too much. It’s just interesting for me to chart the progress.

But if you would like to see what is happening go to PRINTDAILY. There is a link in the side bar too.

This was a better print today using oil based inks for the final black.

Enthusiastic Pig with Acorns… 8” x 6”

Printmaking: Starting properly… with some pigs.

I am a very new printmaker. Yes I did a bit at college many years ago and some odds and ends since which I really enjoyed, but there is a lot to learn about paper, inks surfaces, tools and different combinations of all those things together. My first attempts here have been mixed usually due to rushing things so I am going to try to get stuck in this winter and really learn.. from basics up.

My very good friend Den over at Animal Art Blog pointed me to a group who have been posting prints throughout October on Twitter see (#printoctober.) There is some great work there. It’s a bit late for me to contribute but, duly inspired, I have rashly decided to try to print something every day for a while and blog/tweet it. #printdaily 

I had an interesting visit to the printmakers shop Intaglio on Saturday. I have to say that I feel very inadequate in these specialist shops. Other customers all seem supremely confident and knowledgeable, ask loudly for obscure things or are on first name terms with the staff. I sometimes feel an imposter..but hey.. you have to start somewhere. I came out with new inks and many unasked questions :)

Anyway continuing the the pig theme, I have been working on a small print with Chris’ Salute the Pig blog in mind and it may well fit into a new book/print project which is taking shape. I’m not concerned about making the perfect print, it’s all about experiment at the moment and a chance  to try different papers and inks and combinations of plates.

Some first prints..lots more to follow…

The prints are about 8”x 6” some hand printed,  some put though the press different papers etc etc .