I'm A Steady Rollin' Man part 9

 My plan for today was to get up to the Studio in the morning and pull a proof of the newest block.   If it was perfect (or at least as close as I will get), then I have a first proof of the block suitable for framing, and if not, I will know what needs to be done.   When I got up there, I pulled the box from behind my rack, where I assumed I had some sheets of the lightweight left.  I did find a nice sized sheet of paper, but if felt a bit heavier than what I was used to.  However, I decided to use it anyway, and cut a sheet in half, using my tear bar, two properly size pieces for what I had planned.  

I got out everything I needed, opened my current can of ink, and got ready to print. I haven't printed since early in the summer, so the top of the ink had dried out a bit, but what was under that crust was fine.   I inked up the block, then tried to pull a proof.   

This paper was a little heavier than what I have used to print other prints in this series, which I noticed as I was hand rubbing the back of it.  But even before I tried to print it, I had noticed some potential problems. Some things that I just didn't cut, but needed to be.  And this heavier paper had shifted slightly in the printing process, so the proof is not usable.  And a few areas just didn't get enough ink, a problem with first proofs.  However, it taught me a few things about the block, and the next time I print it, I'll deal with all those problems.  Another thing you may have noticed in the above photo is that one of the letters is backwards on a whisky bottle label.  I may be able to fix that in printing, or maybe not.   I'll find out when I print it next time.  

On the whole, it's not a bad print, so I hope the next proof is a better print than this one was.   I know what I need to do, so it's just a matter of doing it.   As part of my clean up, I used the last of the bottle of oil that I had.  Not a problem, as I had a new bottle ready to go, one that I bought a few months ago.  Put it in my printing bag, and will use it next time.

One thing I had to do today, on October 27th of this year, was to listen to the one disc I have that was also recorded on October 27th, the birthday concert for WNEW-FM (102.7 fm) in 1990.  That was a show by Robert Cray and his band, broadcast that night over the radio.  At the tine I taped it onto a cassette, and later burned it to a disc, probably in the early 21st century.  I think I made a copy of that disc to keep in the Studio, which is why I have it now, as part of my jazz/blues book.  I first recorded it in 1990, and the digital copy I have sounds as good as it ever did, some 35 years later.  The radio station is long gone, but the music lives on.  

I'm A Steady Rollin' Man part 8

All I had left was part of the text (lyric and attribution), so I expected it wouldn't take long.   And I guess it didn't, as I was done by noon, although it took a bit longer than I thought.  Part of that was the particularly hard wood in one corner.  Even my good tools did not want to cut through it, but eventually I got it done.  I took a photo of my newly finished block, which you can see below:

Next time I go in, I will ink it up and see what it actually looks like.  Don't know when that is yet, as I have a lot of medical related appointments in the coming weeks, and mostly around the time of day when I like to go into the Studio.  But one day I will get there, and when I do, printing is on the agenda.   If it looks good, I'll declare it done and move on to the next thing, whatever it is.

I'm A Steady Rollin' Man part 7

 With the image area done (for now), today's task was to take on the text of the print- the lyrics and credit.  However, I had to take care of a few things first.  One was to decide if it needed quotes (") or not.  I knew I had not put them in, but I didn't know if I had stopped doing that before.  Only way was to check the past prints.  The one I had in a frame had them, and when I looked in the rack I could see that the last print I had completed (the current set of three) had the quotes, so I figured I should put them in this one.  I saw that the first line had enough room at the end to handle such a thing, so I put some in and moved everything down a letter.  This led to the second thing- redrawing all the letters to make them a little nicer before cutting anything out.   I got a little more than half the adapted lyrics done during the planned session, which is about what I expected.  Results are below:

One more session of cutting should do it.  I've done enough of these Robert Johnson prints that I know what to expect in cutting these, plus I've been cutting wood for most of my life now, and I know a thing or two about cutting wood.   Then I will print the whole thing and see what I have.

I'm A Steady Rollin' Man part 6

 I knew from looking at the last photo that I hadn't put in the gray tone to represent the bottled bourbon whiskey in the foreground bottle, so I took care of that first.   Easiest thing I had to do the whole session.  My main project was redrawing and then cutting the ring, including the ring box.  I had brought a ring box with me, minus the ring that had been inside it. (besides being relatively valuable, as a male ring, it wouldn't have been useful anyway)  However, when this was done, I still had some time left in what I planned for the session, so I decided to do that background money, and the pills, in that corner of the block.   It all got cut and in time for me to get home and have some lunch before my appointment later in the afternoon.  I took a photo of the result, which is down below:

The one surprising thing was that every space in the front was taken, even the two handicapped spaces, so had to go to the back to park, and not the only car back there.  Luckily, some people had some work to do in the back room of the basement and the door at the top of the ramp was open, so I didn't have to walk around the whole building to get in.   And they were still working when I left, so that door at the top of the ramp was still propped open, so I could easily leave and get to my car in the back parking lot.  Home was usual, and I had time to eat before going out again.

What is left is the text area of the block, the lyrics of the song.   These were pencilled in roughly, so I know they will fit, but I need to redraw them before I cut them out.  I figure a day or two to take care of that, then I can print this up and see what I have and if I need to do more.  It will be interesting.  

I'm A Steady Rollin' Man part 5

 Today I not only remembered my camera, more importantly, I remembered to bring the block with me to have something to work on.  I got to the Studio just fine, got myself set up to work, and started cutting.  Today was working on the upper right corner, so the label on one of the bottles, and some of the money behind the bottles in that corner.  The money took longer.  I temporarily moved one of Molly's towels (water based silk screen ink dries very fast, so dry days ago) to document my work today.   Results can be seen below:

Before I start cutting the ring I want to look at examples online again, so I should do that in the next few days, when I expect to be home.  Because that's the last big thing to cut in this composition.  Haven't done any of the lyrics yet, but that's pretty standard stuff.

I'm A Steady Rollin' Man part 4

 Went to the Studio today.  Molly had been there, but that didn't affect me too much.  (by the way, I had a beer with Molly on Sunday- her idea)  If I had planned to photograph today's work, I'd have to move one of her towels out of the way, but I forgot my camera at home, so it turned out not to be an issue.  As I planned, I got to work on the key rings, my version of existing key fobs for a Cadillac and a Lexus.  Had a little more time to spare, so got started on the bottles of whisky.  Maybe finished to Johnnie Walker Black, but definitely did not finish the other bottle, but that can wait until next time.  Brought the block home with me and photographed today's work in my backyard.  Results are below:

Next time I finish that second bottle, then probably the money in the background.  After that, I'll decide on the spot what gets cut next.  On my way out, I stopped by the studio of Rosie Rounds, a former student from my drawing class, and one of the collaborators who had the print show open last week.  I wanted to find out how the opening went (I was told it was well attended, probably thanks to another collaborator who knows a lot of people) and that hanging so much work was a challenge for someone who has not had many shows.  They were working on that to the last minute.  But they got everything up, people came, so it was a success.  She also encouraged me to teach another woodcut class.  Fine by me, but it's really up to the office.  

I'm A Steady Rollin' Man part 3

I decided to put in a rare 3rd visit this week.  I want this piece done, and sitting at home isn't going to do it.  So this morning, while still at home, I did a little more research on princess phones, sketching the basic form again, as well as looking at the rotary dial.  The latter was especially important, as I wasn't satisfied at all with what I had put down on the block already.  In case I finished that early, I also made note of the proper lettering for the Maker's Mark label.  It is a very distinctive font used to spell out the name, and while only half of it is part of this composition, I might as well get that part right.

I started with the phone of course.  This would also include the cord as well, the spiral thing that connected the main phone to the headset.  

Perhaps one could have predicted that I would barely have time to do the phone today, and didn't get to the bottles at all.  No problem really- I have no deadline as of now to get this thing done.  I'll put in my two days next week and finish this thing in time.  Next time I will probably do the keys and money on this side and finish the left side of the wooden composition, but those bottles will be available in case I finish early.

By the way, tonight is the opening reception for latest exhibition at the Jersey Shore Arts Center, something called, "From Classroom to Collective: Printmaking and Collaboration."  It seems four students of various classes (the group includes a former student of mine from my drawing class) at the JSAC decided to form a printmaking collective, which led to this show.  It's up right now, and it's not really my style- lots of layers of everything, and lots of color.  Still, I like to promote printmaking in general, and would have got to the opening if I didn't have another family commitment.  The reception in from 5:30-7:30 tonight, and she show remains up through October 31st.