Back in Season

Got up early again this morning, and prepared several more small card sized pieces of paper. The sheets I had pulled out and started flattening last night included a piece of Rives Heavyweight, and a very heavy buff cold pressed paper, left over from the community college.  Plus I had all the card sized pieces of the bristol board type paper from yesterday, since all I had tried yesterday were the small scrap pieces.

After my usual morning routine and some other errands, I got up to the Studio in late morning, carried a bunch of stuff down to my space, and got to work.  First task was to finish grading some student works that I had received last week, since they will have to be returned tomorrow.  That was quick.  Second was to do more block cutting on my Christmas card.  Looking at yesterday's results, one solution would be to cut more out of the figures- faces, bodies, hats.  I had thought my cutting was accurate to the drawing, but I think some ink filled in a little bit.  Unfortunately, there is still ink on the block, so redrawing it in pencil isn't really possible.  Used my inspiring painting as a guide and did what is sometimes called drawing with a cutting tool.

Next step- get this thing printed.  Same ink, brayer, etc as yesterday.  The buff paper (probably a water color paper) is substantial, heavy enough to make a good holiday card.  However, being so stiff and rough, not easy to hand print.  Had three prepared pieces, but they didn't take relief printing well, eventually shifting on the block, so I ended up with just one acceptable proof. Which is one more than I had yesterday.  I had two pieces of the white Rives Heavyweight.  heavier than the one we usually use in class, but not quite card stock, and relatively soft.  May not be stiff enough to work as a card in an envelope, but would work for a photograph.  As I knew it would, it printed very well.

Next up, the prepared pieces of bristol board.  Dead white, the smoothest surface of the three papers I was trying out, but it's stiffness makes it tricky sometimes to keep in position. Yesterday they all shifted on me.  Today, with the card back to help hold it down, I was able to print several acceptable copies.  Each retained nicely the newly cut image.  When all was done, I had 9 acceptable proofs, on 3 different kinds of paper.  I packed all of them for the trip home.   Once again I decided to put off proofing my St Dwynwen print, and I had been informed I wasn't needed for babysitting duty, so I was able to take my time cleaning up, and got out of there with all my stuff before any major rain came.  Took all my watercolors home as well, but that will have to wait until the ink dries a little, sometime next week.