PRINTMAKING ARTIST

Below is a link to a good printmaking site with tons of interesting information. The artist is Maria Arango and, along with her wonderful art, she has posted links (look in the 'Artistry' section) that contain all kinds of printmaking ideas.

http://www.printmakingstudio.com/

'In The Park' (below) is a reduction woodblock print I did a few years ago.

PASTEL START AND TWO OLDER PRINTS

Started the base coat on my new pastel painting. Using water-soluble pastel sticks which are new to me. Also, posted a couple of older prints that I had forgot about. 'Devil Music' is a reduction woodblock print and 'The Farm' is a solarplate print.

EASY THINGS FIRST?

Each day I have these great intentions of getting back to work on my large woodblock project or, at the very least, finishing the linocut I started months ago. And then each day, I find an excuse to do something else. The woodblocks I purchased are giving me unexpected problems. I have always used Shina blocks but these are Mahogany (Luan) blocks that don't hold detail very well at all.

I did do a quick pastel from one of my pictures taken in Boothbay Harbor. Makes me feel a little less lazy.

JAZZ

Jazz is...an open-minded music designed for open minds. 

                      ~Author Unknown~

Devil Music

Reduction woodblock print

on Japanese Kozo paper

MICHAEL BOND ETCHINGS

My ongoing and never ending struggle with watercolors has me enjoying printmaking more and more. Woodblocks, linocuts and an occasional foray into etching help make me feel like I'm doing something artsy. In my search for information on technique, I came across Michael Bond's website. An artist raised in England, he moved to Wisconsin where he has create beautiful etchings for over twenty five years.

http://www.michaelbondetchings.com/

Below is an etching I did of my grandson. It is printed on Rives paper and hand-colored with watercolor (the only way I seem to be able to use the damn stuff)

WOODBLOCK PROJECT AND MONOPRINT

I have the first block cut (needs some clean-up) for the floral woodcut and the second block is ready to be carved. Will probably be the last time I use this kind of wood. It does not hold detail like the shina.

Also did a quick monoprint just to rest my brain for a while.

STARTED

After weeks of procrastination, I started working on my woodblocks last night. Floral subject on ten blocks including the key block.

MOKU-HANGA

I received an email asking me about the picture I have in the header of this blog. It is a print from the first woodcut (Moku-Hanga) I attempted. I did it after returning from a trip to Vermont where I watched Matt Brown demonstrate his technique. I was fascinated with how easy he made it look. I have done a number of different prints since then, but nothing that compares with Matt's work.

I am currently working on a four block print but have only pulled one color (background) so far.

NEW WOODBLOCK

I have been frustrating myself trying to paint something with watercolors that actually comes close to what I had in mind at the start. It's possible that I may never get there...in the mean- time I am starting a new woodblock project. The plan is to use two blocks and do reductions on both. I'm guessing that I will end up doing about six different cuts.

JAMMIN

Finished the last cut and pulled the prints on the reduction woodblock I've been working on. I ended up with an edition of five, two of which have already been promised to teachers at the high school.