Amidst the Snow

Coneflower, water-based ink on Fabriano paper, image: 6 x 4 inches, paper: 8 x 6 inches

B.A.T. in the lower left stands for bon à tirer.

From the Dictionary of Printmaking Terms:

"Once a printed image meets the artist's expectations, this becomes a bon à tirer ("good to pull") proof. This proof is often signed by the artist to indicate his approval and is used for comparison purposes by the printer."

Twenty Eighth in a Series of Small Eggs

Twenty Eighth, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

This series is done now. Thank you to all for stopping by here and watching this happen.

The piece with the 28 eggs is now assembled. Tomorrow, when February is over, I'll post it. The title is Full Circle.

Twenty Seventh in a Series of Small Eggs

Twenty Seven, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Missing Color

a scan of a draft for the design of a new print

We're in the midst of a winter storm here - and the graphic black and white of our world is making me ache for some color. While I wait for delivery of linoleum (6 x 4 inches) and paper (8 x 6 inches) I worked out this design based on a painting from last August - a coneflower with color as hot as summer.

Twenty Sixth in a Series of Small Eggs

Twenty Six, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Registering Radishes

Radishes, water-based ink on Fabriano paper, image: 3 x 4 inches, paper: 4.5 x 6.75 inches

Like my other prints, this one is based on an earlier oil painting (2006.)

The registration (centering of the image) on the paper isn't perfect and is a product of my deliberate-yet-simple printing process. When the print is matted and framed, the slight tilt won't show at all - so perfect registration isn't a problem for what I'm doing here. Still, I fight the urge to do-over and straighten things up. Printing brings out different responses and teaches new lessons.

My lesson for today? Delight in Imperfection

Twenty Fifth in a Series of Small Eggs

Twenty Five, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Juggling Eggs

photograph of the process of arranging and mounting the small egg paintings

February is coming to a close and the piece that is the compilation of these 28 small paintings is coming together. Here you see the mat board (laying on the floor and reflected in a mirror) with 224 holes pierced in it in such a way as to create a grid - 4 x 7. For a test, one of the small paintings has been laced onto the board (the one in the lower left in the mirror.) It wasn't too hard to do that. I used a very small crochet hook and, for now, light masking tape. I'll use archival linen tape for the final assembly.

I'm impatient to finish, and have dried, the last five small paintings. The most delightful part for me is arranging these elements, like musical notes, to make a harmonious whole. The mirror helps me to get some distance from the piece and to imagine it vertically. March is coming - I believe it now.

Twenty Fourth in a Series of Small Eggs

Twenty Four, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Satisfaction

Cherry, artist's proof, water-based ink on Fabriano paper, image: 4 x 3 inches, paper: 6.75 x 4.5 inches

This new print is based on a painting I did last year.

The post's title is based on a kind comment by Threadspider. She mentioned (in a comment on a post two posts previous) how satisfying printing these little pieces must be and I had to agree. Sometimes it's good to remember the reasons we do all of this and how simple those reasons really are.

Twenty Third in a Series of Small Eggs

Twenty Three, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

The Rub and a Proof

a scan of my polished stone used to rub the printing paper over the inked linoleum block

Bananas, artist's proof, water-based archival ink on Fabriano paper, 4 x 3 inch image, 6.75 x 4.5 inch paper

I missed my polished stone in the photograph of my printing mess. I think it's my favorite part of this process. It's only about 1.5 inches across and is of very little value by any other measure. But I can't imagine making prints without its magic now. It fits perfectly in my hand and creates just the right amount of embossing with the paper and the linoleum. The timing, I'm sure, also adds to its appeal. All of the printing elements - designed, carved and gathered - come together when the rock is in my hand.

Twenty Second in a Series of Small Eggs

Twenty Two, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Printing Mess

photograph (very candid) of today's printing efforts

On top (left) are three artist's proofs of a new little print of bananas - based on this little oil painting from 2006. I think the linoleum block is ready to go but I'm going to wait until tomorrow to decide for sure. In the end, I'll probably only pull 30 of these. It gets kind of old after that.

Things in the photograph:

• Plexiglas with linoleum duct-taped to it and a line drawn on it to register the paper
• brayer with ink
• wood c-clamped and duct-taped to the Formica table to provide resistance when carving
• my flower-pot teacup
• three AP prints
• roll of paper to rework the design
• water-based ink

Twenty First in a Series of Small Eggs

Twenty One, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Twentieth in a Series of Small Eggs

Twenty, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Nineteenth in a Series of Small Eggs

Nineteen, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Eighteenth in a Series of Small Eggs

Eighteen, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Seventeenth in a Series of Small Eggs

Seventeen, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Sixteenth in a Series of Small Eggs

Sixteen, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Fifteenth in a Series of Small Eggs

Fifteen, oil on paper, 6.57 x 4.5 inches

Fourteenth in a Series of Small Eggs

Fourteen, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Thirteenth in a Series of Small Eggs

Thirteen, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Twelfth in a Series of Small Eggs

Twelve, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Eleventh in a Series of Small Eggs

Eleven, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Tenth in a Series of Small Eggs

Ten, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Ninth in a Series of Small Eggs

Nine, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Eighth in a Series of Small Eggs

Eight, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Seventh in a Series of Small Eggs

Seven, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Eggs on a Line

photograph of the first six in the Small Eggs Series

Here's the beginning of my series of 28 small egg paintings created for each day of February 2009. When all done, they'll comprise a grid of four by seven - not unlike my series of rings in September of 2007. They will differ, however, in being permanently mounted together and framed under Plexiglas - eventually comprising a single piece.

edited 2.7.2009: Synchronicity: I just found Make28 - a February project put together by Consumatron (via Deanna Wood's Artist Emerging blog.) Consumatron is challenging his readers to make 28 things for the month of February. Check it out here.

edited 2.17.2009: Make28 now has a following of good people who like to make things. They've been gathering together to share thoughts and images at their new website: http://make28.ning.com

Sixth in a Series of Small Eggs

Six, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Fifth in a Series of Small Eggs

Five, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Fourth in a Series of Small Eggs

Four, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Pressing Prints

photograph of seven newly pulled prints laying on an old mirror (the branch of a large oak tree can be seen reflected in the mirror) and laying under a heavy sheet of glass.

Third in a Series of Small Eggs

Three, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

Second in a Series of Small Eggs

Two, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches

First in a Series of Small Eggs

One, oil on paper, 6.75 x 4.5 inches