The Printing Business

Back when Molly and I started the Studio six years ago, the primary purpose was to have a place for us to work on our art. We also assumed that we would teach some classes and use the space to do art/printmaking work for others. We both have done commissioned work and held classes, and a few print artists have rented the space for the purpose of printing editions of their work. A new variation of that came our way recently. I was contacted by e-mail (someone who saw my class listing on the BAC website and tracked me down) with a request to print an edition of her block. This was a type of job that I had always considered a possibility, since it is a function of the big print studios. So after a few e-mails, I met briefly with Ashley last weekend to see the blocks and discuss some details.

She has four cut blocks, three of which had never been proofed. She wants to have the prints in a show coming up next month, but for various reasons is unable to print them herself right now. At Saturday's meeting I learned the size of the blocks and we discussed edition size, paper, and prices for the work. I ordered the materials, which should arrive sometime in the next week. However, it's hard to pull an edition if you don't know what the print is actually supposed to look like. So I acquired a few sheets of a paper similar in size and color to what I ordered, and had Ashley bring the blocks back in today to be proofed under her supervision. For the three wood blocks (never inked) I pulled an initial proof on inexpensive drawing paper, then re-inked and pulled them on the print paper. It was the first time the artist saw the prints, and she was pleased with how they turned out. (this was also the first time she ever saw anyone hand print a block, or even heard of the process) The fourth print was the largest, and cut into a rubber printing block, a relatively recent development in the world of relief printing. (soft, easy to cut, popular especially for school students) This one was much more difficult to hand print, perhaps because the material is so soft. When we do the actual edition we'll use the press, but for today I was able to pull some good proofs (below) the old fashioned way.

Ashley took the blocks home (she may cut away some bits that accidentally picked up ink in the proofing), but left our finished proofs behind. These will serve as the guide for when the print the actual edition, sometime after the paper arrives.