Sunday, October 3, 2010

Hmm. Mayyyyybeeeee....

Work continued over the weekend on the current linocut, although for a long time yesterday I thought it was going to be a major "do over."

I'm not certain anymore how many times I fussed with the yellow-green-yellow-orange-yellow business... four passes, maybe? After mixing and rolling and printing and remixing I had this, and I was feeling pretty darn skeptical:


And, of course, at this point I realized I had a few little areas that I wanted to have lighter and NOT yellow or green or orange. So out came the white ink to make a light gray. At which point I was even more skeptical:


But three cheers for a dark color, which almost always makes me feel a little better about life, the universe and everything. I think I can finish this in two more passes, but I'm going to give it a day or two to dry (there are multiple wet layers here now) and see if some sort of brilliant aha! moment reveals the way things will go from this point.


As for the ongoing 100 Thumbnails project, I've got twelve so far for October, so I'm more or less right on schedule. My friend Roberta Smith has decided to join me in the challenge, and I can see already that she's going to keep me on my toes.

The week ahead is going to be a busy one (again! Didn't I think my schedule would be slowing down this month?) full of contract assignments and a trip down to Manitou Springs to deliver linocuts to a new gallery, The Green Horse. I'm also delighted to report that I've been invited to have shows at two different libraries in Colorado Springs this winter, as part of the Pikes Peak Library District's public art program. If you're in the Colorado Springs area, you'll have opportunities to see linocuts at the Penrose Library on Cascade in January and at the Ruth Holley Branch Library in February.

Do you hear the little voice? I do.

Must. Keep. Printing.

6 comments:

  1. Just watching how you print is making me sweat. I plan everything way ahead, and only allow for subtle changes but you! Noooo! You recklessly just start carving and printing. Such a brave soul. I loved the mix of colors before the white and know how much extra they will add to the final image.

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  2. I'm a beginning printmaking student and find your Blog so inspiring! I really appreciate your technical postings. (I studied your registration jig instructions and built one - and it works!!)
    I'd like to know what kind of inks you use.
    Thanks.

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  3. This is looking soooooooo exciting. I look forward to watching the progression. Congratulations on the library shows, I just wish I could visit them.

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  4. Thanks for the chuckle, Wendy. (The way I print makes me sweat sometimes, too... but mostly it makes me smack my forehead and wonder what I was thinking when I went off without a plan.)

    E'Lynn, welcome! At present I am using primarily Daniel Smith oil based relief inks. You built a jig! I hope it gives you many happy registration adventures.

    Lisa, I often think it would be incredibly useful to have a transporter device so we could all get to each other's exhibitions! Thanks for the cheer.

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  5. I wouldn't have thought of putting that light grey colour over the top of the darker ones. Very clever, and it worked so well.

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  6. This is all very inspiring. I am enjoying your blog and learning about how you make your prints but I would like to know what you use to draw the image on the lino blocks before you start cutting and printing.
    Thanks,
    Sarah

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Linocut in Progress: The Third Act

Time to wrap up this linocut ! And we are wrapping at warp speed (see what I did there?)... because there are deadlines. Exhibition deadline...