Linocut in Progress: Starting another one!

Step 1 printed

There are sure signs of spring here on the Maine coast. While the weather remains erratic, and there is still snow on the ground, we are also enjoying more daylight and the tuning-up of the avian chorus. "My" chipmunks came out of their cozy dens this past week and are tearing around the yard and the wood pile in a frenzy of activity. 

There is promising news on the vaccination front, as well, and light at the end of the long, dark tunnel that has been this pandemic. Tentative plans are being made for summer workshops and exhibitions, which I find to be a huge relief. 

And, hey! Not to brag or anything, but my 2020 taxes are all calculated, paid, and filed. (With help, of course, from my fabulous accountant!)

With all that optimism I found myself more excited about starting a new linocut than I have been for a long time, so here we go! 

I told myself I was going to stop obsessing about this 3:1 proportional format for a while, but that only lasted for the duration of the plover print. This time, however, I have turned the composition in a vertical rather than horizontal aspect, creating a 24" x 8" image.

That decision has led to a couple of minor challenges... most notably the mechanics of carving. Twenty-four inches is a long way to reach to carve the top of the block, and a bit awkward on my drawing table. I've been alternating standing up at the drawing table with turning the entire block upside down and sideways. 

And of course these long, skinny things are even harder to photograph in my questionable lighting situation, so keep in mind that this first printing stage was not a blended ink roll. It's a flat, transparent, ochre-y color. Top of the photo is a pretty good representation, but you should ignore the bottom.

Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the ink rollout, because I was doing this print pass at 4:00 am (!!) and just didn't think of it. We had a big wind storm earlier this week, and the roaring sound buffeting my house was not conducive to sleep. I gave up, got up, and had this color pass done before breakfast. 

Reduction linocut in progress, Step 2 rollout

Step 2 printed

Bird geeks might have already identified the species that is the subject of this image, even with the limited amount of information available in the first color pass. If not, well, the second pass isn't going to do much to help you. But don't worry... it's more fun to try to figure it out as we go along, isn't it?

You might notice a difference between the color of the ink in the rollout above and the color as it appears on the print. I've warned you about poor photography, but that's not the entire explanation. See how transparent that turquoise-y color is on the glass? Remember that it was printed on top of a more yellow ochre-y color... and then ask yourself, "What happens when you mix sort-of yellow and sort-of blue?" You get sort-of green, of course! 

The reason for this greenish color will, I hope become more clear with the next color pass. Then again it might not. That's just how things roll around here. 

I hope to make some good progress on this piece through the weekend, since I have a commitment that will take me out of the studio during much of next week. There are a few important exhibition deadlines looming, so I'd like to finish this before the end of the month to see if it might be a contender. 

In the meantime, I hope things are looking brighter where you are, as well. Stay the course, stay healthy, and.... (ahem) press on!