Deer Print part 13

It's been several days since I pulled my first proof of the new deer print.  I figure it's safe now to go back and work on it some more.

I don't think I need to make any major changes, just clean up what I had, and pull a better proof.  So back to the Studio, where I had left the block last week.  In case you don't remember, I had to use a lot of tape to cover over accidental inking but that is what I almost always have to do. In fact, in my classes I show the technique to my students. So the first step was to remove all the unneeded painter's tape I had used.

Made for quite a pile.  Can't be saved, and no need as I have a pretty big roll and you can get the stuff almost anywhere.  The next step was to use my woodcut tools to remove any unneeded black areas that were under that tape.  This is not particularly exciting a task, but one that had to be done.  Not only does it take away any potentially wet ink that I don't need, but removing the wood that took ink last time might mean that I don't get unwanted ink in those sections next time.  No guarantees it will work, but it can't hurt.  After having removed all these excess bits of ink from places I didn't want it in the first place, I went back with my tools and fixed up some areas that I had cut, but not well enough apparently.  Like details in the cranes, parts of the deer, the white trees, etc.  When I was done, I had this:

Probably doesn't look too different from what was there before, but as someone who spent a lot of time on this image, I can see all the differences.  I will find out for sure when I pull the next proof, but I'll do that another day.  And I'll have the tape handy just in case.

A few weeks ago I noticed that one of the doors on our main basement hallway had a hasp and padlock on it.  This space had been a storeroom, and was expanded to a larger room by adding what had been a hallway between the main hallway and the cafeteria (and what had functioned as our gallery annex for the crit sometimes), but now I wondered if it was to become another artist studio, as had been announced years ago.  Today that door was open and I saw someone busy making things in there and doing cleaning.  I didn't get her name, but her process is tintype photography, a very old fashioned variety that was mostly popular in the 1860's, after daguerrotype was popular and before modern photography.  Part of her work today was construction on what will be a dark room.  Not something I need to worry about, and my process is even older, considered cutting edge about 500 years ago.

Molly had been in since I was last there, but wasn't today, so I had music on. Didn't bring anything with me today, so relied on stuff from my library there.  Ended up listening to two albums from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.  Wrote about them last summer, so if want to learn more, that's where you'll find it.