More Hops

Here is the outcome of using the Humulus Lupulus block on fabric! I used oil based ink (black) and fabric from the local fabric store. I applied a hot iron to cure and washed them to make sure the ink was set.

I only printed two and had the edges rolled and sewn. I think they turned out well and will be experimenting with block printing on fabric in the future!

Another Cap Popped!

I had a chance to get to printing the final color of the second bottle cap over this past weekend.
Overall, I'm please with the way this one progressed and turned out despite shop temperatures barely fit for printing. Mounting the linoleum to a backing board vastly improved registration, wash-up and overall carving and handling. It seems like this one took longer than usual to wrap up but that's the beauty of not having deadlines...no stress.
Here are the pics:

As I've done in the past, I've decided to mix the redish color on the fly, making each one a little different. Some are a little lighter red, some darker; I think it adds to the individuality of the prints and printmaking.
Oh and if you're curious, learn more about the beer here.

Project Updates!

Yes, finally some updates on a few projects! It seems I always have a couple projects in various states of progress.
First off, more birthday card backgrounds printed up and awaiting the second color:

The second colors have been printed but I don't have photos yet.

More importantly, some progress on the second bottle cap project has been made:

I employed a spot inking technique for most, just inking and printing the edge of the cap. We'll see how this affects the final color.
I also printed one covering the entire block with the second color:

I did do some color experimentation prior to commencing with this project with some varying results, so we'll see how the final color will come out.
Also, I've finished carving the block for the third and final color. Photos to come!

Finally, I'm resurrecting an older block for use on a new and different medium:

More updates and pictures to come on this project and more...stay tuned.

Second Cap Continuation

I had some time to devote to the next step in the cap "series" and printed the first color; just a plain white and start carving the next step in the process.

At this point I'm predicting three to four colors but am taking the approach of leaving it open to see how things go.

Some Updates

So I went a little crazy printing a bunch of things recently and here's the run down:

For the final color on the bookmark lesson I added a yellow-orange:

"Shop-cat" Crosby decided to show his appreciation by sitting on one; can you tell? I liked the way these turned out, especially on the right reading side. I'll definitely continue to explore printing techniques and ink characteristics with these blocks!

The latest Magpie was proofed as well:

I'm pleased with how it turned out but I will be making some changes to the block prior to printing a run.

I have some new ideas for the Humulus Lupulus block and will be experimenting with papers and colors.

Thanks for lurking and stay tuned.

First Bottle Cap Finished

I finally had a chance to finish the first in the bottle cap series(?) project! This felt like a long time in the making but came out decent. We had and are still having a good amount of rain and humidity which, I think, played a roll in the registration.  Some are better than others but the mis-registration kind of gives it a pop-art feel.

Overall, I'm pleased and will continue with the next couple in the lineup/series(?).

One thing I'll probably change will be mounting the linoleum to a backing board to help registration and eliminate any changes in the linoleum itself but the paper is harder to predict how it will react to the changes in weather and humidity.

There are eleven total in the print run. Two color reduction (purple/silver), 12.5x12.5".
Cheers! Thanks for looking!

The Next Project

I've been collecting beer bottle caps for some time and have been trying to think of different projects I could do with them. Some got turned into refrigerator magnets, others (most) are awaiting their demise.

I have quite a few collected and quite a few given to me by friends (thanks for the inspiration, guys!) over the years. Some I haven't even seen yet.

So, what to do with them? Try some linocuts!

Here's the first one I'm attempting:

At this point, I'm thinking a two color reduction, 12.5" x 12.5". The first color is down and drying. The second color will be a silver of some sort.

So far, I have a line up of caps that I'm considering for this project. Perhaps a series, if you will . . . we'll see.

P.S. These are printed on a Neenah Paper Environment 80# Woodstock Smooth.