Block printing with a stamp pad and printer Ink
December 21,2022
Many years ago I took a printing course at the local university and worked on many variations of printmaking. We had the luxury of a lovely large electric printing press—most colleges have hand-cranked ones.
One process used etching ink.
I remember it being messy—particularly when late teen-age/early twenties college students were involved. I spent a significant amount of time cleaning up after them—if I wanted to make my prints properly to my satisfaction.
I was lucky enough to take another class through Winslow Art Center with Mollie Hashimoto. She uses etching ink for her prints along with a soft rubbery substance for her carvings.
I was not so lucky—that substance was all on back order and so I had to settle for linocuts and also a bizare dark gray very thin substrate that was difficult to mark and so thin I thought I might carve through to the other side.
However, I persisted and here is a conglomerate of my work.
I think I might get some acrylic paint and try printing them again. The owls might need to be re-done on a better substrate.
And if you are wondergin what these are for—-I’m illustrating a short story I wrote about the screech owl that lived in the mulberry tree in our back yard.
The story is written–obviously I will refine it a bit more—but then I need the illustrations to complete it.
Writing and illustrating my own books has been in the back of my mind for a long time—and now I have the time to make it work.
Sylvia Weir Art 