It is wet windy and cold here at the moment with a ‘weather event’ looming – according to the weather forecasters. Nice weather for being inside drinking coffee, making winter comfort food and well procrastinating which seems to loom large for me in recent times.
I have however managed to complete one set of colour drafts of the set of 12 tawny expressions linocuts. I wasn’t sure how much to hand colour at this point so have gone in this set for the full colour with glowing yellow eyes look.
Below are the template images with just yellow eyes…
Tawny Expressions Linocut Templates
I was planning to have them framed using black core black mountboard with a black frame so the second image here is to give some idea of that.
I will probably sit on these images for a while (yes more procrastinating!) so I am going back to carving some more work and also further working on the Barn Owl image. I did the original drawing of this barn owl about 5 years ago and it has waffled around for all that time. I have come up with a whole new way of looking at it and may even drop the orginal idea in favour of developing the new images. I will post the process at some stage as it can be valuable for an artist to look at their own processes in a more ordered fashion required for blogging and may provide some small insights for others. Well hopefully anway!
Here a few quick tips on getting your linocut block prepared ready for printing.
* Before you start carving or printing a linocut block you can gently remove the waterproof coating. Linocut blocks are coated in a waterproof coating – if you place a drop of water on the surface it will bead and not soak in. I remove this coating with a superfine grade ‘wet’ sandpaper – using a small amount of water I gently rub the surface with the sandpaper. You will see the coating coming off easily – I then towel dry the block. If you then place a drop of water on the surface it will soak in.
* I trim the edges of the block to make a clean line for the print using a steel ruler and a sharp bladed knife. Traditional linocut blocks have a hessian backing.
* When you trim a linocut block this hessian backing needs to be further trimmed back to ensure none of the hessian stringing is left – this string can easily pick up ink when you are printing and create unsightly marks onto the surface of the print.
* I use scissors to trim – first from the front and then I turn the block over and check of there are any pieces of string that may slowly come undone whilst printing and I trim these back as well. I regularly check the block whilst printing to ensure no stray fine hairs are still there and picking up ink. It is easy to miss one and it is not until it marks the print that you realise it is there.
Within the black and white section of the above image on the left you can see a fine white line – this is one of the small and often extremely fine hairs that can easily ruin a great print – just ask me I know!! The image on the right shows the fine marks that can occur from these hairs picking up the ink. I have discarded many prints (which is quite costly) because of this. I try to keep a particular standard to the prints I include within an edition and work at improving my skills on an ongoing basis. I am finding that as my actual printing technique and knowledge of printmaking improves so the standards I want within each print of an edition, also increases. I am always seeking to learn new and improved techniques and tips through a variety of sources. I am very aware that over time my printmaking skills have improved and as a result so have the prints! I hope this information helps other linocut printmakers in identifying this and other common printing mistakes.
As you can all guess I finally got to print my Tawny Expressions blocks tonight – after spending time in Sydney, being unwell and the awful wet weather (that I tend to try to not print in – now that’s another issue of damp, limp paper in wet and humid weather) I have managed to do some printing this afternoon – fine sunny and actually quite warm for this time of year. Speaking of weather tonights printing listening music – Crowded House!
A quick update…I have been working…albeit it very slowly…on these small designs but not getting a long way.
Sometimes life and circumstances make for slow progress.
This is the current state – four small linocut carvings completed and starting on a fifth – only eight to go!
Tawny Expressions Linocut Templates
I have also had 2 more visits to our backyard from our local pair of tawny frogmouths in the last week or so which has been great and some new photos of their activities of course!
I have still been plodding along with the alphabet designs a bit as well – will post more about them soon.
Over a week ago I went to a see a local wildlife carer release two Tawny Frogmouths from his care.
These had been young baby Tawny Frogmouths when they had been found and have been cared for until they have reached this stage and are ready to be released. There was a strong bond with this pair and so it was decided to release them together.
Of course I took hundreds of photos (ah the wonders of digital cameras!!) and I have chosen just a few to share with you.
I love the way despite the “I am not really here – you can’t see me” typical Tawny Frogmouth pose which works very well when their feathering colour blends back into a nearby tree trunk, they still take this whole stance no matter where they are. They seem to have this complete belief that if they just sit very very still no-one can see them. A bit like a child covering their eyes thinking you can no longer see them.
The above is the first Tawny to be released and wide-eyed with wonder and interest.
The second Tawny who seemed a very quiet gentle bird took longer to move out into the world – the second photo seems to indicate a bit of displeasure at his comfortable existence being disturbed – he was looking right at all of us!
Or maybe he’s just concerned…
When we left it was dusk and the pair continued to sit and wait just assessing their current and new situation.
So – what’s next on the linocut front? Well it would have to be Tawny Frogmouths!! This is the template ready for carving “Tawny Expressions” and as you can tell from the above photos these birds have the most amazing array of expressions! Only problem is that now I can see so many more designs I could add….
Some photos I took today whilst visiting a local wildlife carer who is currently looking after this baby tawny frogmouth. it was afternoon and it was wide awake looking forward to a feed! Gorgeous birds!!
I love this image of a tawny frogmouth I took last year – basking in the sunshine pretending not here really – bit like today really…starting to feel like Spring…
I have just completed a second Tawny Frogmouthlinocut print – ‘Sleepy Tawny’. This image came from a young fledgling Tawny Frogmouth who spent a day in our backyard. I took many photos over the day but kept hearing soft clacking and hissing noises – when I looked up the parents of this obviously errant fledgling were above my head in our poinciana tree. I must have been getting too close – although I had a long lens so was not that close to their young one.
This image is of the young Tawny Frogmouth just drifting off to sleep.
It is a ‘companion’ print to ‘Tawny Stare’ which incidentally I just sold a linocut print of at the Wildlife Art @ Discovery in Canberra which I am quite chuffed about considering the current economic climate is not great for selling artwork.
