Testing, testing...

Lots of trial and error today.  I've finally made the switch from photocopies to acetate and it's playing havoc with my exposure times so today was not full of failures but tests.

Hence test raccoon.

Test beaver...am tempted to call him Justin but I can't.  For now he's called Bobbit.

and further experiments for my disappearing girl. 

Purdy jars

So although the pressure is building as the print rooms close again for the summer this week I spent my weekend making jars all purdy for my friends wedding.  They're mostly for flowers and what-not-ery but it's amazing what you can do with a bit of double sided tape and a cocktail stick.  I only made half I hasten to add as I was aided by my partner in crime Beth Tearle who amongst other things was head of the bow tying department.

This is what they looked like at midnight after a few fruity drinks.

They looked much clearer in the morning!

It's a start.

I'm currently experimenting with screen prints for my new book.  The little girl is going to disappear so what I need to work on is how to make that happen but more of that next week.  For today this is all I have but it's a start.

I still need to work on what she actually looks like but lets put that off until next week too.  

Experiment

Today has been another lot of screen printing in pale colours so unless you want to tilt your screens and crane your necks I'll save you the trouble and just post a little carved person experiment.

Lottie hated being posted squint.

Photoshop is good for the soul...oh no wait...

Today has mostly been spent amazed at how long I've unintentionally managed to drag my photoshopping out.  I'm also crossing fingers and toes that the screen I've been trying to put images on at home might actually work.  But here's what I did yesterday which was way more fun.

 Can you spot the segment I forgot to carve?  No, there are no prizes.

And the photoshop, oh the photoshop.  I don't know which I prefer yet.

Inky Crows

A few classmates and myself spent yesterday perusing the Inky Crows Illustration Extravaganza.  We were surrounded by some beautiful artwork and plied with cake until our wallets loosened.  Apparently the moths released from mine aren't technically currency and so I could only afford one piece.   I'm now the proud owner of the Pam Smy print below.

Praying and swaying, vaulted and exalted.

You can see more of their work at inkycrows12.blogspot.co.uk.  It's all very much worth a look.

Nearly there

Only two pages and innumerable tweaks left to go so I've once again cleared my mantle and popped some cards on it.

What you can't see is the disgruntled mantelpiece things that have been pushed aside and are currently wondering why they're not good enough to be in the picture. 

I've re-jigged my endpapers and am still giddy about them.  It's the small things.

 Apologies for the pale and interesting birds but I couldn't bear to photoshop them some crazy colour.

Now I have to go think of a title and wait for more lino to arrive.