Day Brightener

The mantra in the studio is "trust the process." Reduction woodcut is much different than other forms of block printing. I work from a cartoon, which is a road map for the print. I transfer the image to the block using carbon paper, though the block absorbs pigment, making the tracings almost invisible. The biggest challenge is color. Colors react to colors around them, but because I won't know how the colors will act until the print is done, I need to trust the palette I selected at the outset.

 Here you can see how the colors seem different. Another interesting thing is that the top color, a very light pink/beige, looked completely different when printed alone, more of a putty gray. But with the red under it, it casts a bit Pinker, which is why I printed in this order. I printed the brown over the green for the same reason -- printing red on green would have made the red too dark.

Opening The Blinds

Ever since I purchased my antique cast-iron book press in the fall of 2006, I've been struggling to master my process. Every step forward seemed to herald a step back. Through it all, I kep working on my artistic abilities, falling in deep mad love with cartooning and graphic novels. Occasionally, I would dive back into printmaking to test out some new theories  that I'd hope would open the doors to finally cracking the code to better prints.

Late last year I finally discovered the root of my issues: it's the antique book press itself. I know of only one other woodcut printmaker who uses one, and for good reason: the torque is not enough to allow a good smooth laydown of in. This, in addition to troubles with the wood I was using and even some ink problems, had me on the verge of leaving printmaking altogether.

Over the last year, I have studied other printmakers very closely. When you are self-taught and working alone, you need to be a good detective. You also need to be resilient. It's okay to give up, just as long as you start again as soon as possible. That's my MO: quit...for a minute.

So this week, I cracked the code. I'll get into it more in-depth later, but I have found the missing piece of the puzzle that allows me to use my press and still make prints with excellent coverage and true color saturation I demand. Here's a terrible photo of the print in mid-work. There are three colors left, and I'll be back then to give you more details, and I'll tell you how you can get a print for free!

Etsy Spotlight: Sweet Breeze

We spend a lot of time by the water, more and more as Buffalo's waterfront is transformed from a post-industrial waste zone into a crowd-packed zone balanced between fun and nature. I saw this sailboat zipping along the mouth of the Buffalo River one day in July and knew it would make a great woodcut. It's one of my favorites. Done in various shades of blue and yellow, with a subtle rainbow roll background, it really captured the light at that moment.

I love painting water, and boats. The irony, of course, is that I get easily, terribly seasick!

Premium Blend

Working in the larger format is a fairly recent development. Up until a few years ago, I worked almost exclusively in 5x7 image areas. The few attempts at larger 9x7 blocks always seemed to end in disaster. After I bought my press, I gave the larger size another try, and never looked back.

Unfortunately, I have been wary of using the rainbow roll on the larger blocks, mainly because the brayer I use is only 8", and that poses some challenges for the rainbow roll. I did have a 12" roller I bought several years ago, and I tried it out on this print, only to find the roller was uneven, and useless to me. There's $25 I won't see again.

I could have just done the rainbow roll on the top half of the block. I've done that before, but it has always caused problems with the successive colors, as they don't lay down properly. My solution was to print cleanly over the top, then print the bottom just to even out the ink. It worked very well, though right now the print looks scary. After the next color, a dark red, things should be back to normal.

Let's All Go to the Lobby

I have attempted this print before. If practice makes perfect, we should be seeing a real treat emerge here. The ink is laying down very well, and I'm not seeing any of the issues I had with the duck print.

This state defines what I love most about reduction woodcut printing: at a certain pint, you begin to see the bones of what will become the finished print. You can start to see where the cars will be, where the features of the cars will be.

The toughest part of this print is next, a two color sky. There are a few names for this in printing. In commercial printing and in screen printing, it's called a "split" or a "split fountain"; in relief printing, it's a "rainbow roll." In any case, when it's done well, it adds dimension and complexity to a print. At right
is a blurry photo of a split I did on a screen as I was figuring out colors.

Behind The Print: Desoto Motel

In May of 2013, my wife and I were driving in the Southern Tier along the Pennsylvania border. We hadn't planned on going to Olean. If you know us, or you're AAA, you well know that we usually don't plan on anything. Soon we found ourselves touring the city and finding the aged neon signs and midcentury architecture engaging. It appears that sometime around the middle of the last century, Olean was flush with cash, saw a building boom, and then the boom went buss. As the floods of fortune ebbed, gems like the DeSoto Motel were left to bear witness to a better time.

Aficianados of mid century design, we were immediately struck by the DeSoto, which sits down the street from St. Bonaventure University. Not quite in a state of disrepair, as it has only been vacant a few years, it is definitely showing the wear and tear of a life unloved. The postcard photo to the right shows the motel in happier times.

There is hope for the DeSoto. It was bought by a Buffalo firm known for turning around neglected architectural gems.

The photo at left is my first attempt at the print. The print suffered from a number of problems, not least of all was poor registration. I also wasn't happy with the neon red color or the solid yellow. I think I was being over-influenced by Ed Ruscha's screenprints at the time. A drawing class and a rededication to the art of woodcut printmaking put me back on track for what eventually became "DeSoto Motel."

Alert Cat Press

"Solstice" is a six-color reduction woodcut I completed just before the July 4 holiday. Ticey, as we call her, picked me when we visited the Ten Lives Club back in March 2007. We had lost our Kalie after almost 12 years, and we were feeling broken-hearted, and the house seemed far too empty. We decided to stop by the shelter, just to see what was there.

Of course, we fell in love with all of them (and wow, there were lots). But Ticey fell in love with me, and followed me around, and wouldn't leave me alone. She was a scrawny little stray from Kentucky with a remarkable case of gingivitis which robbed her of all but one very sharp tooth (she lisps when she meows...no, that's not true; however, I do a lispy Ticey voice when I speak for her. Because that's how pet people are.) After all these years (7 already?!) she's still my buddy.

Hall of Heroes: Edvard Munch

I scream for Munch's "Scream."

This painting seems...familiar.

Although in my own work, I tend to gravitate toward the light and bright, that is certainly not where I live, day-to-day, as my poor wife will tell you. And while my output over the years has focused on the visual beauty of nature, my creativity feeds mainly on the stark, tortured and emotionally anguished images of the Expressionists. Favorite among them, of course, is Edvard Munch (pronounced "Moooonk", although if you pronounce it to rhyme with "crunch", it will make Expressionists around you laugh, and face it, they could use a smile).

Most famous for "The Scream," Munch is as well known for his woodcuts as he is for his paintings. In fact, he often did the same images in different media.



Munch is often referred to as "The Clown Prince of Norwegian Expressionism." Not.

I find his woodcuts severe, having a certain darkness that the paintings do not. He takes no opportunity to smooth out the gouges in the wood, and sometimes it looks like they were made by a prisoner who only had a nail and a board. That, of course, is a compliment.

It hasn't shown up yet, but Munch's inspiration is in me, somewhere. Maybe over there, in that cobwebbed, shadowy corner in my mind.

Green Light!

Well, here in the Western New York region, the past few days have been pretty chilly, and the James E. Strates Shows train has pulled into the village depot signalling a.) the start of the Erie County Fair and b.) the coming end of summer. I know, it's barely August, but knowing that, after the Fair, it's a pretty fast slide into dark mornings and frosty nights.

However, the bright green of the latest state for "Memorial Day" has cheered me immensely. There are three more colors left, and I hope to use them to really bring some depth to this print. The last three are dark green, dark blue and black.

I was very concerned about the green, because the color is made with pthalo green and hansa yellow, two very transparent inks. However, I got a nice surprise -- the ink worked well with the blue beneath it, toning down the yellow in the color and bringing out a more natural, summery leaf green.

Speaking of the Fair, my print "Autumn Camper" will be in competition in the Arts Building. It's been a while since I entered, and I'm happy to be back on the wall. Judging by the entries I saw on drop off day, the competition is stiff, with so much great art, from amateur to professional. I would hate to be a judge. I love to see other artists doing greatwork, and I hope to be soundly trounced.

I have to praise the Erie County Fair for making the recarpeting of the Arts Building a priority. The building, which was formerly the racetrack's casino, had the garish floors only Donald Trump could love. They were downright disorienting. But now, they are a nice neutral, and there are quilt-like paintings on the ceilings. Great job -- it makes the building a lot more pleasant to spend time in.

Blue State

After a great deal of research and testing, I was able to concoct an ink that would cover the red yet retain the brightest blue I could create under the conditions.

The greatest issue one has in making a reduction print is coverage from layer to layer. As the ink builds up on the paper, unevenness of the layers becomes a very big issue.

When I first began over a decade ago, I printed with very thick, heavy inks, which gave the prints and almost impasto-like texture. The drawback to heavy inking is that small details and definition can get lost. I have since upgraded the quality of my inks and thin them liberally with burnt plate oil; this has solved the bulk of my issues.

Unfortunately, this has also empoldened me to continue to push the envelope by printing blues over reds, only to be left wondering "WHAT HAPPENED????!!!!"

Red Scare

Subtitle this post "Or How I Stopped Worrying And Learned To Love Potential Disaster." That is the nature of reduction printmaking.

The red is very strong, and I'm a little concerned about the next color, blue, going over it unbufferred. I really don't want to add another layer of white, but I will if I need to.

Some printmakers brush on colors only where they need them, and I have tried that in the past; it does make sense, when you consider that the only place I need the red is on the flag (I think you can see the flag pretty clearly, now). I haven't liked the end result of "spot colors" in my prints in the past, though it's been a while since I've tried, and maybe I'll try it on my next print.

I am particularly happy with my register on this print. By now, I've usually lost a few to a bouncy register. I don't know why things have clicked so well, although I do suspect that the extra-long drying time may help (due to my procrastination!)

I am eager to do some tests to see how I can get the blue down without a white layer, as that will leave me only three colors left.


The Lighter Side of Graveyards

As was the case for the last print, I had to overcome a very oppressive darker color to allow the brightness of future colors to show. The second color on "Memorial Day" was a very dark shadow gray, and the next color is a bright pink. I printed a buffer of plain white, which brought the color down to a more manageable shade.

The method at work here is called "reduction printing," in which one block is used, and areas are cut away for each color. The drawback to this method is trying to maintain the brightness of colors; you can usually tell a reduction print by the darkness of the colors; I have had prints start of with explosive, bright color, only to end up a muddy mess. A few talented printers out there have somehow beat the system (I recommend Gordon Mortenson as a prime example). I intend to be in that small crowd.

As you can see in the above photo, the white has buffered the dark gray back to a very light gray. This should accept the light pink very easily. It is hard to get an idea of where the print is going in this view, but in this backlit picture, you get a better idea of what I'm going for.

The next challenge is creating a vibrant pink and presenting it in a way that is going to breath some life into what at this stage looks like a very cold print!

Autumn Camping

Last night I finished this print, still untitled, and I have to say that I am extremely pleased with the result. I apologize for the picture quality (camera phone, poor light). The colors really seen to come out with the addition of the brown and black.

For those in the know, this is the second print I have done of one of these small vintage trailers. The first, "Little Camper" (2009) was a favorite at shows. It was never my favorite, believing I could do better work. That was...wow...four years ago now. I'm more confident with my style, I'm working in a larger format, and I have become far more knowledgeable of the subject. We see these beautiful little midcentury gems all over in our travels, and while I wasn't looking for a "trademark" subject, I can guarantee you will be seeing more of these in the near future.

"Little Camper" (2009) Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Dean
 

 

Not Out of the Woods Yet!

For state number six, I've added a dark gray which will approximate a brushed silver for certain elements such as door and window frames, the wheel cover and perhaps some small trees in the woods. The gray is very close to the beige color, so the photograph doesn't really do it justice. I'm really very happy with how the print is turning out now. The color of the sky is exactly what I wanted, and the reflecting puddles are much more pronounced than they were on the first attempt of this print.

The next color is the retro turquoise which will really make the camper the center of attention, and a deep red is going to pull the background and foreground together and help connect the color in the trees to the color on the ground.

The last to colors I've planned are brown and black, which will finish the print. Estimated completion date is Sunday.

Everything's Better With Buffer!

What? Did it snow?

Well, I warned you that drastic changes were coming to this print. But don't be afraid; it's all by design.

As I mentioned in the last post, the red, while beautiful, was too intense to print the next colors over it. So, after carving out the red areas, I printed a "buffer" layer of white. The change is quite amazing, and if I hadn't been here before, I'd be scared.

But I have the benefit of knowing what colors come next. You're just going to have to trust me!

It may be hard to believe, but the finished print will have a very rich and red forest floor, and a brilliant blue sky. 

I could have opted to forgo the white layer and to just print the next color, beighe, but I was concerned that the red would affect the beige too much. I think, given how pink the white looks, I made the right call.

That Awkward Stage

So, now the print enters the awkward stage. You start gambling on colors, maybe start improvising here and there. The only thing to guide you at this point is the vision you have in your mind, the one that got you started down this road in the first place.

I particularly hate printing light colors over dark colors. Although this state completes the form of the trailer, the details of the woods around it are only hinted at. As I mentioned in the last post, I knew that the yellow going over the turquoise would present special challenges.

However, I added red to the yellow ink (which has a naturally green cast). The extra red helped curb the color's tendency to blend with the turquoise and make a lime green. The result is a gold that I think will blend well with the oranges and reds to come. I hemmed and hawed about printing another yellow, but I think the gold will serve the autumnal feel well.

Every print I've done has had this awkward stage, and I've learned to just push through it. I know I'll be rewarded if I stop fretting about it and concentrate on carving and printing the next colors.

Five colors to go!

So, having moved back from the cruel city to our home in Hamburg, NY (where it all began), I now have a comfortable though incomplete studio setup in our very toasty basement. The first order of business was to try to get back to a woodcut I began over the summer. Unfortunately, the print wouldn't take the ink, so I had to scrap the prints I'd begun. However, I am still going to finish the print, minus the two colors I'd already printed -- gray and orange.

The design is based on mental imagery I got from listening to one of Ken Nordine's color poems, "Maroon." If you have a moment, pop over to Youtube and check it out. "there's a singer's croon...as she sings a tune...to an orange moon...like a crazy loon." Not a literal translation of the poem/song, but a fun little excercise. It will probably just be a three-color print, a little something to get me back in the water.

The picture here is one of the states of the print, the maroon layer, printed on linen as a test to see how well the material takes the ink. The intention is that Amy & I will collaborate on a future project, so stay tuned for that.

The Etsy shop is presently closed, and probably will remain closed until after the holidays. Please check back for updates, and "like" Napping Cat Press on Facebook to get alerts to the latest work.

Boo!

I love this print, the concept of it. Campers safely snuggled away in their tent listening to someone telling a ghost story, complete with flashlight-under-the-chin special effects.

Meanwhile out in the dark, dark forest lurks a few disembodied spirits eager to hear the tale!

I love the dark background of gnarled trees -- done in blue-gray, blue black and, finally, black. The back rows of trees are a subtle contrast against the black, and give the close-up viewer a little bit of a surprise. The tent absolutely glows in the foreground and really brings a mood of camping fun and comfort -- evin amid the menacing surroundings. Six color reduction woodcut printed on cotton paper with oil-based inks from a single birch plywood block.

In the BEGINNING....

...the printmaker said, "LET THERE BE a LIGHT source within the confines of the orange canvas tent." AND THERE WAS a LIGHT source within the confines of the orange canvas tent. Stay tuned as I take you through each state of this "Ghost Story."

Under the stars.....

Here is "Little Camper," a fresh woodcut just completed yesterday. Inspired by the Bee Line brand of tiny trailers (which I now find are collectors' items and showpieces) I often saw when I was a kid. I will try to get a better photo for you because the camera here fails to pick up the turqoise/aqua retro striping that defines the front end of the trailer.


An edition of 7, this is a 6"x4" 6-color reduction woodcut printed from birch plywood on acid-free off white Rives cotton paper. Available. $30 unframed.