![\"Inspiration](\"http:\/\/blogs.pugetsound.edu\/admission\/files\/2014\/11\/IMG_6826.jpg\")
<\/a>Inspiration 1!<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Inspiration 2!<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>My image, drawn on my wood block<\/p><\/div>\n
Once I had transferred my image to my block, it was time to start carving using these neat (and SHARP) little tools. I definitely slipped and stabbed myself more than once. This was a reduction relief print, so the first part carved away was what I wanted to stay completely white.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Almost done…<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Completed carving!<\/p><\/div>\n
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Once I’d finished carving, it was time to mix colors and ink it! I decided to do what’s called a “rainbow roll,” essentially creating a gradient with multiple values by blending inks and applying them very uniformly.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Mixing ink!<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>All of my ink values rolled out and ready to apply!<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>First run all inked and ready to print!<\/p><\/div>\n
We had the choice to print either using the press or by hand. I trusted my hand a little better in getting these values to come through and had better results in my proofs, so I stuck with printing by hand.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Hand printing using a spoon for pressure<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>My finished first run!!<\/p><\/div>\n
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<\/a>More prints = a very sore hand<\/p><\/div>\n
Once I had completely printed my first run, that is, my first color(s), it was time to do more carving for my second run! This time I carved away what I wanted to stay part of the purple gradient, leaving only the bits that were supposed to be a different color.<\/p>\n
<\/a>All carved, plus my transparent charcoal ink mixed and ready to apply!<\/p><\/div>\n
And finally, here’s what my finished 11.5×8.5 print on Japanese Kitakata paper looked like!<\/p>\n
I was pretty happy with how this turned out, but registration (making sure the colors lined up with where they were supposed to print) was a huge pain. I even submitted it to Crosscurrents, the literary art magazine here on campus! Here’s hoping it makes it in!<\/p>\n Hard working printmakers!<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Somehow, amid the hours spent working on the sketch show, I found time to finish my first ever woodcut relief print for my printmaking class. I’ve never done something like this before, so I took a bunch of photos throughout … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>