![]() It's a double whammy blog today - two prints in one place - catch up time! There's been adventures and happenings going on over the past while, as I mentioned in my previous blog, so I need to catch up with blogging the different things I've tried as #projectMagpie2 was a new process I hadn't tried before! I'll start with #projectPhoebe because it is much quicker; basically a normal linocut using Japanese vinyl taken from a drawing I did as part of #inktober2016 (that reminds me, I haven't shared those pictures yet either!). I finally got her inked up and printed using my Caligo Safe Wash inks in time for the fair at The Herbert Art Gallery last week, and I've also printed her up onto some brown cards too. It is definitely Phoebe at her most peaceful! (She's currently recovering from a mini-op to remove another cancerous sarcoma :-( However, prognosis is good, and she just has two more sleep in the 'cone of shame' before her stitches are out on Thursday and then we can take her for muddy walks again. Hooray!) There's some photos below of the process and inking up, but I hope you agree that she looks lovely in a frame too :-) Butter wouldn't melt... OK, onto #projectMagpie2..... so called because #projectMagpie1, as previously blogged on here, has ended up being a bit of a learning curve process, which could otherwise be called 'practise something before going at it straight away'. In a nutshell, the ink *still* hasn't dried properly as I think I printed my layers too close together before they dried properly and I am unhappy with the finish. You never know, they may even out one day...... Here's a quick photo of my finished #projectMagpie2 print.... more underneath.... Therefore I needed to work out how to fix it, so decided to try a multi-block print. I haven't done one before, so set about with another piece of vinyl and some tracing paper, working out where I needed to print the grey and the greeny-blue ink to be able to create the colours of the beak, legs and wood and the feathers on it's back and for the black second print layer, using the final cut of the previous project, to fit over the top of the coloured areas perfectly. Once this had been worked out I carved away some of the lino from around the shapes, but rather than removing it all, used a template made from tracing paper to get the ink onto the places of the block where it was needed Using my smaller rollers meant I could ink up two colours at once onto the print block - so printing the grey and the greeny-blue at the same time. In my search through the garage I managed to find the old glass splash back from behind our old cooker so I have re-purposed it as a surface for rolling ink out on. I cannot explain what a revelation this is to my printing environment! It also cleans up *so* much faster and easier than the plastic I was previously rolling the ink out on to too, and I feel that I am getting a better finish with the ink as I am able to roll it our to a better consistency as I have more room! I made up a registration plate to ensure that I would get the layers lined up properly for each print, and off I went, deciding on a print run of twelve birds. The first layer of print was then left to dry for a few days before I could then use the last cut from #projectMagpie1 to print over the top to create the layered effect. The registration (lining the prints up) worked perfectly on this print run, and all twelve of the prints have survived to be printed up with two layers of ink! Time to upload the photies! There's two slideshows below; the top one is #projectMagpie2 and the bottom one #projectPhoebe. In other news I have been beavering away setting up my NEW ONLINE SHOP, which will be using to sell my prints and products through the website. Just a few last legal beagle things to get sorted and I hope to launch it next week, which is very exciting! You may also have noticed my website address has changed. I am still being hosted by weebly but have upgraded (oo-er) so my web address is now www.alixalmond.com. You might notice a little picture as well, just up there on the tab next to the website name too at the top of your screen... and a couple of other touches round the site. Last weekend saw me selling at a charity event to support Aimee (my sister-in-law's sister) in raising fund for Children with Cancer UK as part of her fundraising before running the London Marathon in April next year. It was lovely to meet lots of new people and I had some very kind comments made about my work. I'm getting the hang of packing and unpacking my stall now, and am always on the lookout for fairs to attend - watch this space! I'm also squirreling away at a commission currently, and have another one in the pipeline, so if there is a piece of art work, be it a unique print or a drawing you would like, please get in touch. That's enough for now, there'll be plenty more coming up soon! alix x
2 Comments
Ruth
30/11/2017 08:48:17 pm
Wow! Great prints. Both Phoebe and the magpie have turned out brilliantly. Good luck with the on-line shop too. Congratulations 😀See you soon!
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