New Woodcut: A to Z, bud!

drawing on parchment, grid behind on paper

astral projection

markered up

detail

more detail

s'more detail

fini

let's get into cutting. This is the desk set up at the studio. ELO's "A New World Record" blaring in the background

Finished block, and what's that back there? A new giant mother brayer? Hells yes, it is!

Steven D Rollings, asking the heavens for inspiration

My brother, Jonathan Eduard Näf, simply the coolest guy I know. He's cutting plates for my upcoming etching series.

A happy man with a scoundrel's mustache and a finished block ready to go.

The stuff dreams are made of

elbow grease

havin' at 'er

inking the block

Placing le papier

On the bed

...and through the press she goes

pull!

Finished product. I printed half on 110 grm stonehenge and half on Kozuke. Both worked great.

3 Colour Masonite Print!

Bos Taurus (latin for Cow) is the title of this piece. I'm submitting it to this year's Royal Ontario Winter Fair for their art showcase. I wanted to create a piece that hearkened back to late 70's early 80's graphic design. Not unlike the feed bags, trucker hats, and farm brochures that were always kicking around the farm growing up. I hope you like it. So here I went through the process of printing this type of multi-colour work.

cutting

Three plates, half cut. The two on the right have the image offset to the board from the key line on the left.

cut some more

Cut with zeal

party

ink'er bud

line up tee and bar marking at each side of the paper

first layer!

Second layer, ready to go.

ink

...and pull, second layer complete

last layer

This is me trying to look candid even though I am the one taking the photo. What a nincompoop!

ink ye ol' key line

et fini!

Also, I decided to print another piece I had finished cutting some months ago. The imagery came to me in the bizarre and fantastical mental state between dream and consciousness. It made chuckle. It's called "Deth." Just in time for Halloween!

Etching: Process & Production

Let's go through the stages of altering and printing a copper plate etching, shall we?

Here are the stages the print has already gone through.

plate

Cover areas you do not want etch with hard ground, exposed area will later be burnt by an acid solution

Normally the aquatint process is done by dusting rosin onto a plate and then adhering the particles to the plate with heat. I am using spray paint because I am a schmuck. The distribution of paint particles on the plate will help create tone. The time a plate sits in the acid solution is also a factor.

Place the dried plate in the acid bath, I use Edinburgh etch. This is a mixture of Ferric Chloride and Citric Acid. Notice I am using safety approved gloves.

Rinse Plate thoroughly

Wipe Plate clean with Solvent

Ink the plate!

Wipe the plate! (first with tarleton, a cheesecloth-like material)

Then gently with newsprint

Buff the edges

Place plate on press bed

Get yer paper! This was soaked for 30mins and then placed in a stack with two dry pieces of cotton linter on either side & placed in plastic for a couple of hours before use.

Dampened paper is then placed on press bed accordingly

Blankets then cover plate and paper

Roll'er through the press!

Holla! We have ourselves a print!

final product