Productive day yesterday

Since returning from Michigan, I have attempted to focus on relief printing and have slowly chipped away at a couple of prints.  Some of the effort has been to work out the kinks in tools.  I don't have the space for a nice big etching press but I have a Fiskar's Fuse that I bought hoping it would be versatile for scrapbooking techniques in bookbinding and relief printing.   I had bought a ten pack of  8X10 lino sheets from Dick Blick some time ago and chopped a few up into smaller blocks (4X5") to play with.

What's on my worktable Wednesday

First Linocut with collograph spanish moss

This is my second linocut.  One of the things I learned at PBI is copying is encouraged when you are starting out.  It is how you learn.  I was surprised how unconcerned everyone was borrowing someone else's images.  Images from the internet were used in all my classes as raw materials to be used as you wish.  Both these cuts were from an illustration found on line and modified.  

Two blocks 

Pretty cool, creepy print!  Need to work on registration a bit.

Now for yesterday's, just sit down and do it, results.  One of the things I have to work out is inks.  I have an odd ball assortment of water based Speedball inks and oil based relief inks bought on clearance.  The above prints are with the oil based that require mineral spirits to clean.  Below are the speedball inks with retarder to keep them wet.  Easy water clean up.  

Ex Libris bookplate!

My volunteer job at the Panama Publishing Museum is where I get to do letterpress printing.  Several weeks ago I printed some small cacher covers using vintage images.  Yesterday I added Historic St. Andrews Letterpress to the backs.  I used simple pamphlet stitch to bind a couple up with map endpapers and will finish the lot here at the house.  Some for me and some for the Museum.  

Vintage arrow and monotype