slightly wonky

So, I FINALLY finished carving the linoleum.  I printed it!  It turned out okay…I think that I’m going to try printing it again, to get the ink to not look as blotchy.  This blotchy ink might be because: 1. I printed wet ink onto wet ink 2. of the type of ink that i used  3. I had large expanses of uncarved areas.  If anyone out there is an experienced linoleum block printer…PLEASE give me some feedback!  Any helpful suggestions for printing would be SO helpful.  So here is the print:

Not bad…needs some work.  I am also going  to try printing it on different paper.  I need to get more of that paper, though, so I’ll be heading to Utrecht at some point.

I also did a drypoint as well.  I really like drypoint now.  I didn’t at first.  I’m not sure why I like it again.  Perhaps because it is somewhat similar to just drawing.  I am looking forward to layering my drypoints.  The first print is the drypoint as is:

I know…boring/blech…I added chine colle, and it’s much better:

The blotches on the print are actually shadows from stuff on our windows.  Yes, we need our windows washed, but it needs to get above freezing first.  This morning, it was 17 degrees.   Brrr.   I’ll have to come up with a new excuse in the summer why I still can’t wash the windows.  Right now, the temperature outside is to blame.

I made four solarplates, to be printed next week.  I also made two carborundum collagraphs.  This is a kind of sandy grit that you put onto a plate with acrylic medium.  When it’s dry, you can ink the plate and the grit will hold ink.  So, instead of etching texture into a plate, I’m adding it on the surface.  Here are the plates:

I know.  Hard to see because of the clear plate.  Here is another one made on foamcore:

This should be neat.  I’ll print it next week, and hopefully post the images.  Unless, of course, they’re horrendous.  Actually, I generally would post that anyway!

We did a group crit at one of my printmaking classes.  It was the first time that I’ve had actual printmakers look at my work.  It was great to hear their comments and feedback.  As I’m a complete amateur, I don’t have an overall aesthetic to my work…so it’s kind of chaotic.  My printmaking teacher used the word, “exuberant”, instead of chaotic. Perhaps I’ll stick with that for now.