February 7, 2016 - donkey 3

I like the viscosity and color density of the Akua inks.  I also like the water solubility and clean-up.  I am disappointed that over time they do not become permanent and will still activate with water after six weeks.  I have tried using a hair dryer on low heat to "set" the ink.  I will continue to experiment with both heat AND substrate to see if I can achieve permancy. 

Akua ink investigation using two inch brayer on donkey block.  Note that this ink sample is actually purple.

One of the fun aspects of relief printing is the capacity to create a herd and not just a solo donkey. in Of course that begs the issue of when one might have a need for a herd of donkeys.  With political frenzy  in full upswing, this is one animal that may provide some upcoming opportunities.

Multiple donkey prints using purple aqua ink.

I decided to keep some of the random relief marks on the donkey block for the initial prints.  It seems to add to his "artist" quality and contributes to the personality that comes through the image.

Donkey relief print - Purple Akua ink on 400 series Strathmore printmaker paper.

Even when color is added, the random relief marks enhance this particular image. 

Donkey relief print with hand color - Purple Akua ink and FW acrylic inks on 400 series Strathmore paper.

Happy Birthday to Penny and Erinn!

February 6, 2016 - donkey 2

One of the great donkeys of all time is the hero in "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble," by William Steig (best known as the author of Shrek.)  The book won a Caldecott Medal in 1970 and was the first of many awards for author Steig.

Sylvester Duncan, the personified donkey lead, reveals the classic moral "...be careful what you wish for!"  in this story of discovery, experimentation and separation. 

Donkey relief block ready for printing.

In this era of increased political frenzy, we could probably learn a lesson or two from Sylvester about wishing and lusting, greed, remorse and residual effects of fear.  On the donkey-democratic side, what IF the current frontrunner "wisher" wins?  What if someone new appears on the democratic ticket in the eleventh hour?  What if #2,  at the current time, moves into the White House? Who should be careful what "we" wish for?

Donkey relief block inked with black Akua water soluble relief ink.

Of course, the donkey references also pertains to the democratic candidates (well, in the strictest historical reference context,) and their current "popularity."  The donkey icon has actually been around since the 19th century; specifically the campaign of Andrew Jackson.  During the rhetoric phase of the pre-election, opponents called Jackson a "jackass."  He decided to turn the negative into a positive, and placed the image (now icon.....or.....would it now be an emoji?????) on his campaign posters.

Jackon beat the incumbent J.Q. Adams and political cartoonists, (particularly Thomas Nast,) began generalizing the use of the donkey to represent the entire democratic party.

Black Akua water soluble ink rolled with a 2" brayer and used to cover the raised surface of the donkey relief block.

More about the Republican's symbol in a couple of days.  It came a little later in time, but can also be linked to Nast.  It is interesting to note that the Republican Party did not form until 1854.  Lincoln was the first member of the party elected to the presidency.  Stay tuned......

February 5, 2016 - donkey 1

The Iowa caucus event has officially started the campaign frenzy for the next presidential election!  The news reports, candidate rhetoric, party debates, and talk show visits were all in preparation for Iowa and beyond! 

Democratic Donkey sketch - Graphite pencil on 400 series Strathmore tan paper.

I began with my donkey sketch about the time of the 2015 State of the Union  address, thinking about how I could make an critter generic enough to add candidate attributes.  At this point in time, it looks like the donkey will need to be able to either Hilaryized or Bernieized - I think either of these two are possible. 

Democratic Donkey - transfer paper of donkey in preparation for transfer to relief block.

Now I must seriously consider was visible attributes about Hilary are uniquely hers.  She is well known for wearing a two piece wool worsted suit in every color known to Pendleton weavers.  Then there is Bernie, criticized for his Einstein-like 'do and horn-rimmed glasses.  News reporters have recently had fun with his 1985 rap song, but that's not a daily attribute item.  I think I will print a few of these on sketch paper or 300 series and experiment with some ideas. 

Donkey relief Speedball block carved and ready for first proof.  Notice that I made the decision to remove the excess material in the lower right hand corner of the block to avoid the dreaded "random ink marks" concern.

A democratic Trump could result in a donkey with a blond comb-over - I'll have to save that for the republican icon!  Rubio was somewhat of a surprise, so I'll have to think carefully about his distinguishable attribute.....feel free to send a message through the blog if you have a visual inspiration!!!!

February 4, 2016 - crab 4

I tried mixing the Daniel Smith water soluble inks for a couple of different blocks, includ
ing the crab and the pig.   Salmon pink moves the crab persona further away from his ghost crab inspiration and closer to a flamingo, however.

Crab relief block with experimentation using Daniel Smith water soluble inks.  Notice the inking plate at the top, which also includes a palette knife and a 2# brayer.

I am continuing my quest for a relief ink that is water soluble, mixable with both colors and transparent medium, and dries permanent.  I discovered the Daniel Smith water solubles just as they were discontinuing this product line. 

Crab relief block, inking plate and card printed with the salmon pink Daniel Smith ink  on a tan card.

So, does this little crab look pensive or contemplative?  I have printed him to use on the cover of a small book, but am not sure who might want a pseudo ghost crab adorning their wall. 

Crab relief print on 300 series Strathmore mixed media paper and colored with FW acrylic inks. 

February 3, 2016 - crab 2

According to Punx Phil, he is predicting an early spring because he did NOT see his shadow.  He made this year's prediction at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday.  This is the 103rd time that there has been a prediction on weather made by a ground hog in Pennsylvania. 

Beach Crab - Black Daniel Smith water soluble ink printed on 400 series tan Strathmore paper and hand colored with FW acrylic and Golden acrylic paint.

This little beach crab was inspired by a small, ghost crab on Bonita Beach.  As he scuttled sideways, he exuded bravado and attitude.  Mother Nature has equipped the real crab well to blend in with the sand, shells and surf.  The burrow he hunkered into was in the middle of a pile of bleached, white shells and even though a portion of the large claw remained outside the burrow, he was impossible to distinguish. 

Beach Crab - Black Daniel Smith water soluble ink printed on 400 series Strathmore mixed media paper and hand colored with FW acrylic and Golden acrylic paint.

Kind of a fitting analogy to the forced emergence of the ground hog yesterday - too bad the crab is just dinner for some aggressive predator and not the weather indicator for beach goers.  "Crab Day???"  Hmmm, no matter how you consider that name, it's not so good! 

February 2, 2016 - crab 1

Happy Ground Hog's Day!

Beach Crab relief block - Speedball softcarve block inked with black Daniel Smith water soluble relief ink, ready to print.

Do you suppose the official ground hog is feeling "crabby" on his big day.   It is my understanding that just a few years ago the people of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania invested time and money to renovate the ground hog habitat.  They created a year-round environment fit for a GH King, and have a staff to maintain it.

Beach crab - Relief print using Daniel Smith black water soluble relief ink, on 400 series Strathmore tan paper.

So, how might it feel to a comfy ground hog to have hundreds of people gathered around your burrow-home at the crack of dawn to observe you arise for the day?  Did the GH architects include a special calendar so that the resident knows the significance of the day?  Is the burrow equipped with a special alarm informing the hallowed GH that "the big day has arrived?"  Or perhaps the local rabbit helps his buddy ground hog stay on top of his pending event, as suggested in the blog site image at the top.

Beach Crab - Relief print using black Daniel Smith water soluble ink on 400 series Strathmore printmaker paper.

Although Punxsutawney Phil is a ground hog, I imagine he is feeling a little crabby on this significant GH day.  So did he see his shadow?  He would if he were in SW Florida!

February 1, 2016 - sheep 3

Experimenting with both printing ink colors AND paper can be very time consuming and result in some visually appealing images!  Below is a quick print using white ink on darker paper.  I like the contrast between these colors and textures and would like to dedicate some time in the future to further explore these materials. 

Sheep variation - White Daniel Smith water soluble relief ink on tan 300 series Strathmore paper.

It would also be interesting to introduce different colors of gesso/ground underneath a light printing ink.  Since I am continuing to print in one color and hand paint for enhancement, I think gesso variations may provide another way to add color and texture - visual appeal!

Sheep Herd - with a good block and enough paper, you can make a delightful herd of sheep with the relief-printing process.  Notice that there are differences in the prints underneath the relief block.  This stack represents the revisions made to improve the clarity and quality of the image.

The is an unusually high number of prints in the revision process for me.  I continued to adjust and refine the sheep nine times.  The light on tan print (shown above, but not in the 'herd,') was actually very beneficial in seeing revision needs.  Light on dark provides a fresh look!!