Linocut in Progress: The eiders - So close and yet so far

Ooph. I don't know when I might learn to leave well enough alone. Probably never. I should stop pretending it's even a possibility.

I finally drummed up the courage to do some tweaking of the female eider, a decision I don't really regret except for the extra time and aggravation that ensued at a time when efficiency was preferred.

Eider linocut: Step 10

A lighter brown in her head and across her back. It looks like a lot more here, but we're facing some wet ink glare.

Eider linocut: Step 11

And then the birder in me decided that I should really give her the appropriate grayish beak and lighter tail feathers. Fine. Good. It looks scary, but the next color should make everything all better. A transparent gray over the entire block.

Hm. Too wet. That's okay, I'll do it tomorrow.

Hm. Too wet. I'll wait another day.

Hm. Still too wet. @#$% white ink added to lighter color must be slowing everything down. Wait some more.

I started and stopped the gray pass three times, but finally have accomplished it. Just the black to go now, but of course everything's too wet. Again.

Eider linocut: Step 12

We'll call the female finished at this stage. Overall the piece is okay as it is, but I think one more dark in the male will really finish it off. 

I think I have time to do just one more black and white piece and then we'll call the exhibition done. There are a dozen more ideas I'd like to pursue, but time is just about up.