Slow progress, but carvings galore -

Hi everyone!!  I've been making slow, but steady progress on multiple pieces and haven't actually done any printing in the past 2 weeks.  I've been spending a lot of time with the Ice Cream linocut that I restarted.  I had planned on printing one day and instead spent that time carving instead.

Here we go though.... 

Ice Cream - 20x16"

I've been working fairly slowly on the new Ice Cream piece and carefully carving away the areas within the text of Ice Cream.  I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but since I created my own shadows there is a lot of confusion as to what is what when looking at the piece.  There is the white (paper) area that I'm trying to carve, but also the cast shadow, the pinkish/red outline of the lettering and the cast shadow across it. 

Lots of lines and possible areas for mistakes so I keep the reference photo on my desktop and try to pay close attention to the where the pinkish/red and white meet and then figure out on the lino where the cast shadows are in relation to what I'm looking at.  I'm getting there though.

Flo's - 12x16"

I just recently finished carving this piece.  It is now ready for the next color, but it's going to probably wait until after the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.  Most of the time I usually have available during the night or week has been mostly taken up by overtime at my job.  This piece will be one of the first pieces I plan on printing once I get my chance.

 

Flamingo - 8x6"

It has taken me a couple weeks to make a decision on this piece.  Every couple days I've looked at the print and pondered what to do about adding another color.

I made up my decision this past Thursday and carved the block and now I'm ready for one more color.  This piece will also be one of the first blocks I attempt to print.  I have an upcoming deadline for an exhibition and I think that I would like to submit this piece to that show.

#art #printmaking #linocut #reductionlinocut #flamingo #flos #icecream #neon #lightandshadow #printingprocess

Flamingo's, Coke, Flo's, Ice Cream and Starting Over.

 

Flamingo - 8x6" - 5(?) color reduction linocut - Complete(?)

This past week I managed to print the shadow red/pink color for the Flamingo.  I definitely like how the piece has turned out so far and was so happy to be done with it....problem is....it doesn't quite feel done to me.

A small part of me wants to add a 6th color to the piece.  It would be another shadow red that would be in only a couple small parts.  I'm still giving this piece some time.  I look at it every couple days and I'm still pretty conflicted as to whether it's done or not.  Guess time will tell.

Flamingo before the 5th color was printed and showing a color swatch of the mixed shadow color.

Ice Cream - 20x16" - 13 color reduction linocut

So............the piece that I've been really excited for.....I don't like.

I've invested around 8 hours into this piece so far and that's only with two printed layers.  I should've printed the yellows first, but instead wanted to print the shadow areas of the neon tubing.  The grey, even though it's very light, comes right through the highly transparent yellow causing it to turn a uncomfortable yellow-green.  I also discovered areas that should've been carved initially...sigh.

Even though I do not like this piece, I am still going to proceed with it and see how it turns out.  I'm also re-starting the piece as well.  Luckily, I kept the drawing and was able to easily transfer the drawing onto a new piece of linoleum.

 

Ice Cream - Starting Over

The second photo hear shows the tracing with Sharpie marker and even though the pic is two days old, I've managed to almost finish the tracing in marker.  I really like this piece and want to do it right.  No mistakes this time...if I do make one, this will be a costly piece.

Coca-Cola - 3x3" - 5 color reduction linocut

This piece is turning out very nice.  I do like it and I'm in the process of carving away for the final red shadow.  Once that is printed I will only have a small cast shadow to print along the one bottom edge.  Not too much to update on this piece.

Flo's - 12x16" - 9 color reduction linocut

Flo's is moving along nicely as well.  I printed the Turquoise coloring this past week and I'm really liking how it's turning out so far.  Registration has been on the whole way.  I like the colors so far as well.  Next up will be a dark turquoise for the shadow areas in and under the lettering.

After that I believe I'm left with two dark greys and a sky blue.  Very exciting progress on this one.

#art #printmaking #linocut #reductionlinocut #updates #reliefprint #icecream #cocacola #coke #flamingo #flos #neon #lightandshadow #startingover

The pink Flamingo

Flamingo - 8x6" - 5 color reduction lioncut

I'm down to only 1 color left for the neon Flamingo.  This piece has worked out better than anticipated.  I altered my registration unit to be more like the one I use for unmounted linoleum and for some reason...it just works.  I actually just realized the day while carving that I was actually down to a single color, that color being a cast shadow on the Flamingo itself.  I'm double checking my carving to make sure that I'm properly carving away the right areas.

Here is a quick picture of the inked block.  I should have the finished piece within a week..or maybe less.

I've also been carving away at the Ice Cream block.  Most of the block was pretty straight forward when it came to carving, but then all of a sudden I found myself confused by what needed carved in the actual swirled part of the sign.  I have it color coordinated and everything...and yet still I ran into many moments of indecision.  I wound up putting the actual image on my computer screen and zoomed in on whatever area I was currently working on.  Very excited to get this moving onto the next step.

On a side note, I've discovered that the ice cream neon sign at Disney's California Adventure has been removed to make way for the new Pixar theme.

Well, this is a pretty small and basic update...nothing to much has happened since the last one, but figured I'd at least share the Flamingo.  I'm also preparing to submit a couple works to some local exhibitions that are coming up.  Still kicking around which pieces are going to be involved and which aren't.

#art #printmaking #linocut #reductionlinocut #printingprocess #neon #flamingo #icecream