The Silly Harpist - Silent Night

The Dove

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away, and be at rest.

Psalm 55:6 

Our friend's mother passed away yesterday. I made the above print a few months ago with her in mind.

#17 - Testing... Testing... 1-2-3

Last week I went to see an exhibit of Japanese woodblock prints at the legion of honor. All of the prints there were done with a block for each color, and used registration guides cut into each block to register the colors together. I wanted to do a test of the sketch for the Comedy of Errors poster to see if I could do this technique, and to see if I could carve the intricate lines, so I just did a small portion of the image. Five colors!

The registration technique is very effective, and I didn't struggle with the carving. I am pleased with how well I was able to reproduce my drawing, even with the cruddy water-based ink I had to use to do this test (oil-based takes a day to dry, so this would have taken five days). The black would be more crisp in oil-based ink, so the detail could look even better.

I really, really hope that the sketch is a hit and that I get the (volunteer) job! It's difficult not to doubt myself and wonder why I just spent many hours making this little test. I continue to to have to remind myself at every step that one of my goals is to get over that doubt - so what if it's bad? I like it!

Click for a closer view.

#17 - The Comedy of Errors

 

I'm pretty sure I will have the privilege of doing the poster and program for San Jose Youth Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors". This is easy for me to get excited about, and picturing an image was not difficult. My daughter suggested using the playing card motif again since the play is all about twins. The drama masks just seemed like the right fit, and I didn't have to draw realistic faces.


This is still in the sketching stage, and there are things I want to improve about it, but overall I'm very pleased about this piece. Now: can I manage this fine carving, and can I line up 5 colors? I think you can see the piece full size if you click on the image.

I hope that the director likes this, because I really want get started!

I'll get back to your print soon, Dancer...

#16 - Artist's Block

So there's a lot to like in this sketch... and a lot to struggle with. The face, for example. Faces are a challenge for me, and this one will only be one inch tall. Not much room to easily carve a fine face. Not only that, I redrew the face so many times that I wore a hole in the paper. The face is the first struggle.

The second struggle is similar to the reason why I don't decorate my house. Making artistic decisions that I'll be stuck with makes me freeze up. I spent half the day working on color for this, and it just isn't clicking. I know that the colors will be pink and brown, but what to do with them? I am going to use a different production technique for this: a plate for each color. That will give me more control, but it will also increase the options so much that I'm losing my ability to decide on one choice.

Maybe what I need with this piece is an unreasonable deadline that will force me to make decisions, and leave me no choice but to live with them. I need to remember: the key is to just keep producing and don't over think.

#15 - The Baby Is Born

The last color came out well. The size of the piece is 3x5, so this represents pretty detailed carving. I'm proud of that, and I also like the how the colors layer softly. The four colors give it a watercolor look.

My friend N gives it the stamp of approval, complete with exclamation points. That makes me happy!!!! She has to wait until Christmas to get it...

#15 - Second and Third Color on This Baby

A baby! One of my loyal readers will want to frame this and put it in a place of distinction... and another reader will want it for target practice. You know who you are! One more color to go on this print. I made 13, with no flubs thus far. I don't love this piece of art, but I hope that it will please my friend! I know that she likes things to be concrete, so I wanted to stick with a realistic image.

#15 - Tantilizing First Color!

Tongue very firmly in cheek. This is just to be playful with my buddy N who is waiting, sometimes even patiently, for her "baby" print. The wait will soon be over. Check in for the second color tomorrow evening. Oh boy!

Paper Woes

I went to go purchase the paper for my next print. The block is ready to go. I'm ready to go. But... the store was out of the paper I needed. I caved and bought one sheet of the absurdly expensive $6 paper, and had them carefully roll it up for me. Sometime today it got squished. Now it's a useless piece of $6 paper. Painful. On top of that, I have to wait until the store gets the paper I want. A first world problem, but no fun nevertheless.

On the bright side, I have sold two prints and made a surprising profit... which will go towards supplies, natch.

I'm Drawing

I'm still here. I was away from my studio for almost a week, so I wasn't able to do any printing. But, I did some good drawings that are eventually going to turn into prints. Hopefully magically and without pain! All the carving and printing makes my shoulder mad.

I got an email from a devoted reader while I was away. Here is her sweet and subtle request:
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Mrs. Macauley,

On your blog you said you didn't know what to do next for a print. Your could do a print of a baby for me!!!!!!!! (hint, hint!)

-N.

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So, I'm will fulfill that order, tout suite! : )

The dancer is turning into a portrait, which is more meaningful for me. I have yet to put pencil to paper, but I have a nice photo of an arabesque pose of a most beautiful dancer. That's motivating.


I have also finished a first draft of a neuron. I like it, but need to work on how to take it from a scientific illustration to something more like art. It needs a twist. This piece will be for a doctor I know who specializes in brainzzzz.