second play with wood .....

I had no idea that there could be so much fun to be had with wood prints.  Until recently I had no interest whatsoever in making woodblock prints until I saw what Ann Symes was doing with Japanese woodblocks  - bringing her own unique interpretation of technique and design to her work.

I hesitate to send you scurrying over to her website, as once you look at her prints in the portfolio you will realise how elementary my marks are - but everyone has to start somewhere.  I only have black, white and paynes grey water based printing inks and as yet have not tried doing any work with the watercolours and gouache which will enable me to work with very soft and subdued colours.

Like everything we do it is important to learn the techniques and then find a way of using them with some authenticity - I have yet to do either but think that after another experimental morning, I now know what I will be looking for in the way of wood texture before I head down onto the block with Steve and the chainsaw!  I am also thinking I will be more confident now to work in situ when I see gorgeous marks on logs that are way too large to bring up hear the house. I am really looking forward to trying to lift some of the calligraphic marks made by scribbly gum borers around the yard.  Will have to go for an explore and make a mud map of all the logs and marks I want to 'lift'.

A slab of wood that I have had lying around the studio which I have used for displaying some of my books.

Not all that easy to ink the wood as it is curved and does not take happily to the roller.  I love the colour of the wood showing through the soft greys.

Starting to work out what makes for interesting texture, and to go in harder and work some areas into darker shades.

This photo is too dark really - I was braver here rubbing part of the print then turning the paper around and lifting off areas on other parts of the block.  I like the overlays.  

The next couple of photos show up the wood texture much more effectively and accurately.

I cut up strips of the work that came out of my first play earlier in the week.  I can see how effective multiple techniques will be.  I like my images all to appear on one surface though, not collaging them, so I will need to find ways to print my etched marks, wood marks and rubbing all on one piece of paper. I don't think that will be too difficult - or I hope not.

Just having fun with overlapping pieces of very light weight papers.

Camera bogun - there is no blue here really! But I quite like it .....

Lots of bits with which to play.