House Project part 13

Over the past few days, I have added colors to the second proof of the house block. It was a gradual process, owing to both my busy schedule and the need to see how each new color worked before adding another one. I finished it early this morning. The photo above shows the final state. I don't know that this is the absolutely best color scheme, but I think it works well enough and today's 1 pm deadline clinched it.

After looking at the minimal margins around the image and the slightly buckled state of the colored paper, I changed my plan and decided to just go ahead and glue it all directly to pine plank. Based on my tests the other day, I knew it would work and look pretty good. But before committing my only good proof, I wanted to test glazing techniques on those test pieces. Molly had said that sometimes she used a dilute PVA on top of her wood mounted pieces, but she's working with dried silkscreen ink, while my piece is watercolor that could release from the paper if it gets wet enough. When I tried it on one of my test pieces I found it mostly worked, but a little of a dark color migrated into a lighter area, and with all the detail in the current piece, there was more danger of that. The alternate was a spray coating- sticks where it's sprayed, and not waterbased so it shouldn't cause a problem. I didn't have any handy, so I made a quick run to the store for some.

Back at home I started the last phase of this piece. I cut the paper margins down to about a half inch around the actual image, carefully figured out how to center it on my plank surface, and secured it in place. I started at one end and gradually glued the print to the wood, smoothing it down as I went. After it was dry I took it outside to the parking lot behind my building. Small wood screws were inserted into the back in predetermined locations, to provide mounts for the hanging wire. I trimmed the excess paper and smoothed the edge of the wood. I used a spare empty box as an impromptu spray booth, and gave the mounted print several passes with the clear acrylic coating. I left it in the box outside for a few minutes to dry and air out. Calculating that it would be dry to the touch by the time I got to Belmar, I threw it all in the back of my car and drove to the Boatworks.

Got there just in time for the deadline. Still a whiff of the solvents from the clear coating, but it was indeed dry enough to handle. Got a very good response to the piece from the people at the intake desk, and from other BAC regulars helping out. This was based purely on the visuals, since I didn't have time to explain the piece to anyone. They had a station set up to photograph all works as they came in, so I used the opportunity to take my own photo of the completed piece.

My piece was number 87 on the intake sheet. Two more came in before they closed up for the day. Most were already stacked up in the side room, so I couldn't see all of them, but from what was visible, it's going to be a very diverse show. Artists took the instruction to make use of the board in any way they wanted and ran with it. The show opens with a reception next Saturday, March 3rd, from 5 to 8 pm.

Glad to have gotten my piece finished in time for the show, but I'm not done with this print. I'd like to have a copy of the print with the chosen color scheme to show at the next critique group, so I drove from Belmar to the Studio, and got out the now dry block. In the course of coloring the two previous proofs I had noticed a few tiny things that hadn't been cut, so I took care of those. Then I pulled a quick proof, which I hung up to dry. It should be ready to color by midweek, but it can wait until next weekend if necessary. Now that I know the colors, the process will go relatively quickly next time.