More Possibilities.

I decided that although I don't have a stretch of time at the moment to print a collagraph plate , I could go ahead and make yet another version of my little figure. Here I've printed 2 copies of the original image to make a pair of figures, reduced the size of one pair and made each duo into a Thermofax screen. I'm looking forward to printing from each of these screens, probably onto a collagraph plate print that I wasn't entirely happy with. All I need now is time to devote to the process!

More Figures.

After carefully cutting around yesterday's cardboard figure, I gave both sides a coating of shellac. I rather like this collagraph plate as it is, without the bother of printing from it!

       I also carved a slightly smaller version of the figure from soft rubber, making it into a stamp.

New Collagraph.

Although there are a few small alterations to be done on the beetle book, I felt ready to go on to a new project. Here I've started cutting a new collagraph plate, a somewhat stylized shape of a human figure with lots of cut out shapes within it. The cut outs will print darker than the surrounding area, and when I have added gloss medium to a few spots for a whiter area, and a dark medium for just a few spots, I should have 4 different types of texture in the final print.

Finished!

 After several minor mishaps, I declare this book finished. Although I might still go back and change one thing that isn't quite right! Every second page has an quote featuring the word beetle printed onto heavy duty tracing type paper that is bound into the book itself. This can be folded back to reveal the whole of the printed page underneath the quote.

 This is a double page spread that has no quote, and here you can see the slip knot binding that I have used.

                                             Another double page spread with a quote page.

 I've actually used a very small commercial beetle stamp here as well as my own stamps, as I don't      think that I could carve the little legs quite this small.

                                              Another spread with the quote flipped over.

                             This is the front of the book with the 5 hole binding showing.

                I tried to have each facing page in similar colours but to show different beetles .

           The rectangular and oval shapes were made with small shaped gelatine plates.

Where I had carved stamps with spaces in the rubber, as in the beetle on the left and the lower one on the right, I painted in the colours with iridescent paint.

Another Step Along the Way.

I had intended binding small pages of quotes into the book itself, but the little pages are too flimsy and would tear too easily when turned over to read, so I ended up printing the text that I wanted to include on tracing paper. It was the only way that I could use the computer and printer to produce something translucent, that didn't stick to any backing paper that I used for stability during the printing process. I probably should have learnt the art of letter press use, but that can wait until next time. The image above will be the inside of the front cover.

 The image above is of the inside of the back cover, where you can see the edges of the fabric that I used to cover the cardboard. No text on this page I don't think.

This is the cloth covered back cover, with stamped beetle images. The cotton fabric is some that I hand dyed many years ago, so it's good to put it to use at last. You can see the awl holes on the left hand side through which  I will eventually thread the binding.

More Beetles.

 I'm leaving a blank space on each page in order to add some more text, but otherwise I think that this page has quite enough on it. Although I might paint in the spaces left on the black beetle, an iridescent blue maybe.

  This large beetle is the latest edition to the collection. It's probably some sort of scarab I think.

The Next Stage.

 The pages for my beetle book are moving slowly forward, with the next  layer of beetles being added as well as a bit of text.

 Each page is double sided, so there is plenty of variety in the stamps used, and those that are featured in black.

                 I want to add more text, but I'm not sure that my hand writing is up to the task!

 I've tried printing on tissue paper and rice paper using Freezer paper as a way of holding the light weight paper firm enough to print on from the computer, but it sticks too firmly and I could get neither paper off again.

The black beetle shown here is one that I carved several years ago, so once again it is coming out to play!

Work in Progress.

 These photos form part of a series of prints that I plan to make into an 'artist's book'. They aren't finished yet, but this about stage 3 of the process.

 All the beetles are my own hand carved stamps, and the background is printed from home-made gelatin plates of various sizes.

 The lettering is for the most part using commercial rubber letters, but some are my carved rubber letters  too.

 I'd like to add some vegetation to these pages, either in the form of my carved stamps, or prints made from real leaves.

So far so good, but I can't decided what sort of a book to make, a bound one or an accordion style.

Sunday Morning Walk.

 

Rocks and Water on a Sunday.

      I just loved the rock formations, evidence of some major earth upheavals in the distant past.

Just 8 Km from the city Centre, this wonderful parkland was the ideal place to have a walk before lunch with family. As a result of the heavy rain over the last day or so, the creek was running deep and fast; what a lovely spot for people to give their dogs a swim!