A Walk in the Woods

I recently read the book A Walk in the Woods and really enjoyed it.  I am looking forward to seeing the movie as well.

Yesterday, I went for a walk in the woods with some of my favorite people!  Here are some images from a great day.

Communing with nature

Beautiful Florida Panhandle scenery 

Blue Hole spring

Then we went spelunking 

This is from my 5 year old future famous photographer (like his Dad)

Toadally Chuffed!

I would like you to meet my new printing press "Endeavor".

The end of it's journey to my tiny corner of the garage

It has sat lonely and unloved for 16 years in a shed

Transport to my house

Slowly and carefully gentlemen!

I spent time oiling, cleaning and greasing it up.

Grease Boogers!

And then the magic happens!

Homemade boxcar with scrapbooking stamps, oil based ink

First two prints

Rollers are on order so I improvised an inking station

Larger, prettier stamp on pretty paper

It makes a good drying rack!

Stay tuned for more fun!

New print proof and morning reflections

Still chipping away at linocuts and trying to get good prints.

New block also copied from Pinterest

Old Speedball ink gifted by artist from Pensacola Book Arts Guild

Trying out new foam roller instead of rubber brayer.

Proof print!

Pretty cool.  These are all 4" X 5" blocks that I've sectioned from 8" X 10" blocks.  I bought a bulk package of these since it was significantly cheeper and I knew I needed something to practice on.  This print had lots of white lines as I've been studying Japanese white line prints.  I added retarder to the ink to keep it from drying out in about 5 minutes and added too much.  With the foam roller, it sank into the thinner lines on the left.  I carved a bit more on lower right and will print some more.  Possibly in blue.

Managed a walk yesterday morning and took my phone with me

Tried to capture reflections in puddles

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

Summer camp part 2

Yesterday's photos set the scene and today I will show working photos from classes and show and tell from other classes.  The instructors were the best, and the only thing that could make the experience better was more time.  All the classes were "drinking from the fire hose"!  Way too much to learn in too little time.

Images I brought to my computer generated book class

This class was my attempt to add content to my blank books.  I learned the basics of InDesign, online book publishing MagCloud, and various ways to combine just images into a  story.

Claudio demonstrating how little it takes to make wood relief prints

This was my favorite class Claudio was a perfect instructor.  The other students were so talented created amazing work.  It needed to be a six week class not four half days!

Karen Kunc's beautiful books

Karen had lots for us to play with.  Here she is doing a demo on a portable etching press.

Here is my print in progress. 

This was another great class with an incredible instructor.  Karen thinned oil based ink till it was transparent and we printed layers on top of layers.  It was much like silk painting or watercolor and I loved playing with the colors.  I did a bit of reduction cutting on the star in the center and that was interesting.  This is very thin rice paper (kozo) and I also played around with tearing holes and stitching on it. It held up surprisingly well and made a lovely tiny book.  Adam (Swedish conservator) showed me a cleaver slot and tab binding that I dearly love.   

Adam working magic

Anyway, here are some classes not taken.  

Accordion book class.  Amazing

Box class.  These guys worked around the clock!

I think this was simplified binding, three slightly different books.

Pulp painting!  It is so thin and light!

My roommate Sally took both the papermaking classes and made lots of beautiful papers.  She was also a talented printmaker and a great roommate.

Summer camp for book artists

I was fortunate to be accepted into Paper and Book Intensive last month in Saugatuck Michigan.  The experience was overwhelming and incredible!  Here are a few photos of the Ox Bow School of Art where we stayed and worked.

New Inn 

Old Inn build in 1870's

I stayed in the New Inn on the second floor.  14 rooms, 2 women per room, 2 bathrooms! We were lucky that we had heat! The Old Inn did not.  

Ox Bow is on a peninsula and surrounded by water.

So peaceful!

Lilac's were in bloom and smelled divine!

Lots of smaller outbuildings and cabins scattered about

All different and eclectic

Up the hill, through the snowbells to class every morning

To the Printing Building