Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Steppin' Out! Ibis linocut finished

"Steppin' Out," (white-faced ibis)
reduction linocut, 8" x 10"
Whew! I confess I was feeling really uncertain about this linocut after the previous color went down. It seemed a little flat, despite eleven (!) colors. But after this last pass (color 12) I feel much better.

As often happens, I think I could have spared myself one or two print stages. There are two pinks, for example, but in the end they're not different enough to matter much. I'm not in love with a few of the shapes I carved, either...

But I am happy with the color palette... it's different from what I usually do, as is the value range. Compositionally I like the bird's bill breaking the border on the left... I think in the future I'd like to try to do more of that. (As with the wire in the little warbler linocut.) I debated making the border dark, but in the end I think it was a good choice.

One of the things I love about this process is that it turns up so many ideas for the NEXT piece! Not sure what that will be... I have a large piece in the mental incubation stage, but I need another small one for an upcoming show.

But first I have to finish a client project, so that's where my brain will be the rest of the day!

13 comments:

  1. Sherrie, this is very beautiful. Got some praise for your Sunbittern in my house here in Tucson. I still love it! -Brian

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  2. Beautiful outcome, even though it was a few extra steps. I just love these guys staged across the image, and the beak of the left one on top of the black border - brillz!

    It's easy to find things to nitpick over in our completed works, but y'know, you're the only one who would notice, being your own worst critic and all ;).

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  3. I love it! It's a little more graphic in style than some of your pieces, but I like that! And the colors are lovely.

    My husband and I made a quick stop in Salida yesterday to visit his family on our way home from southern Colorado. He's really trying to convince me to move back there. We got home today and he already found a house online he'd like to buy and gave me the pick of two different rooms for my studio. hehehe Have you got room in Salida for another printmaker!? :)

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  4. This is one of my all time favourites among your prints - just goes to show that pressing on is often all it needs. :)

    I love the way you've broken the frame too, that can become addictive.

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  5. Love it especially the colour palette. Well worth the angst. I love the beak breaking the frame. Contributes to movement of the image. Well done.

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  6. You and your work never cease to amaze me!!

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  7. Brian! Who knew you were lurking out there? Thanks for checking in, and I'm glad the sun bittern is still a happy thing. Oh. Sun bittern. Lino? Maayyybbbeee.

    Thanks Marissa (it's nice to "see" you again!)

    Yeah, I know what you mean, Sonya. I started nitpicking from the first step, but sometimes ya just gotta stick your fingers in your own ears.

    Perfect? Snail, you flatter me.

    Jill, of COURSE we have room. There are actually several printmakers here... and one can rent time on a press at the college in BV if one were interested. Not practical for the way I work, but... Of course, once Presszilla finds a home...

    Just what I need, Robyn. Another addiction. ;-)

    Thanks Jennifer, I like the idea of the birds coming into frame on one side and going out the other. Next time in a more pronounced way, I think.

    Lani... Well. Shucks. Hey, are you doing the Abend show in December? I'm going to try to come up for it.

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  8. Very nice.
    We had lots of white ibis growing up in South Florida.
    These are quite lovely.
    Definite improvement with the last two colors. Needed the depth given to the brown bodies. Very nice composition and volume/contrast.

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  9. very nice :D love how you portray water in your prints

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  10. Great print as yours always are and I just love your technique.
    The whole reduction process is fasinating.
    I love the colours, composition and movement in the water.

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