Pink Eye and Printers' Fair

Big thanks to everyone who came by the Craft Council Craft Fair this past week! I'm looking forward to being at these two great events this coming weekend: Pink Eye Autumn Art Sale on Saturday and the annual Printers' Fair on Sunday. Both are happening at The Rocket (upstairs in the studio space), Water Street, St. John's. I'll have my t-shirts and linocuts at both these events.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1252727028086666/
https://www.facebook.com/events/925758634167355/

Tuxedo final

I finished printing the second colour on the "Tuxedo" linocut earlier today and promptly continued cutting the plate for the third and final colour. Here's a proof. I'm happy with it. So the next 24 hours will be a frenzy of printing so I can do packaging on Tuesday and have them ready for the Craft Fair on Wednesday evening (Jack Byrne Arena, Torbay, Nov. 11-15). I haven't done a final tally yet but I'm expecting to have around 50 prints in the run.

Tuxedo linocut, 2nd colour

This is a frantic week of making and packaging. On the making side of things, I'm working on this linocut "Tuxedo." I pulled this quick proof of the 2nd colour tonight. Hoping to have this available next week at the Craft Council Craft Fair at the Jack Byrne arena in Torbay, NL (Nov. 11-15).

Mechacod Linocut

Mechacod: the linocut. Since doing the t-shirts, I had a few requests for prints. I'm not currently set up for screen-printing on paper so I made a new linocut plate. Edition of 60.

Duelling Squid

Printing Duelling Squid linocuts this week. Will have some of these limited edition prints available this weekend at the Downhome Expo at the Glacier, Mount Pearl, April 17-19, 2015.

Iceberg lino, 2nd colour

After a few test prints and few nips n' tucks of the plate, here's where I landed with the second colour.

Iceberg linocut progress

Above is the first of three colours printed for my latest iceberg linocut. Below that is a progress shot of the second plate as it's being chipped away. Pretty satisfied with the progress so far. The clouds gave me some pause as I didn't have a firm plan for them but I think I've got them sorted. Sometimes you just need to plow through the doubt and see what happens.

Linocut registration

I made a registration jig for my next 2-colour linocut. Crudely built with workshop scraps... it's not pretty but it should do the job. The idea is that the linocut is sandwiched into the same position for each pressing and the paper will be consistently hinged on the dowels. Now to cut the first plate.

New Hava Java show

Just installed a new show at Hava Java: paintings and prints by myself, Nick Kokis and Kathryn Welbourn. If you're in downtown St. John's, drop by and check it out!

Hava Java show

I've got some paintings and linocuts showing at Hava Java's The Tower Corporate Campus location (that's the former Littledale facility on Waterford Bridge Road, St. John's). If you've got some business down that way, drop by and check them out! Nine pieces total including "The Daily Squawk"... should be up for the next month or so.

Cornelius Cod linocut

Printed this guy last week. Cornelius is the third in the postage stamp series I started this year. Last night I started working on screens for t-shirts but had some issues. The short of it is that I ruined 3 screens over the course of the evening. Then I had to spend this morning cleaning, de-hazing, and de-greasing said screens. Frustrating. So this afternoon I got the Cornelius plate out and spent some time making prints... clearly relief printing is my happy place. Made some nice crisp prints that I was really pleased with. Found my center again. Ready to try the screens again tomorrow.

Linocut progress

Chip-chip-chipping away at the latest (and probably last for the series) postage stamp linocut. Hoping to have prints available for markets on the weekend. Will post a proper pic when he's presentable.

Alphonse Moose linocut

Finished Alphonse last week, just in time for Saturday's market. He was a big hit.

Some people questioned the "14 points" and counted them out.

"I only see eight" they'd say.

"Hunting accident," I'd reply.

Still chip-chip-chipping away at the new linocut... day 2. Should finish on Thursday or early Friday. Hoping to have prints for the Some Good Market on Saturday (Canonwood Hall, 10-4). This is a pic of the top of the plate. I seem to be working from the outside in. Glad I did all the lettering first... the rest seems relaxing by comparison.

Linocut process pic

Working on a new linocut which I'm hoping to print by the end of the week. The blue is from the transfer paper. I started the illustration in Sketchbook Pro (iPad) finished it in Illustrator. When everything is just so, I print it out and use the transfer paper to, well, y'know... transfer to the linoleum plate. Then the knives come out and the real fun begins. I'm using Xacto blades for the lettering this time around to get cleaner lines.

This is my major art project for the week. Printing on Friday for Saturday is a realistic goal as I'm using water-based inks these days. Got a big market on the weekend, hence the deadline.

If you're in St. John's, drop by Canonwood Hall for Some Good Market (10am-4pm), Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013. I'll be there with my linos and painting prints.

Charles Puffin linocut

I posted the linocut plate last week but neglected to post the final result on the blog so here he is, in all his stamp-like glory, Charles Puffin.

Hand-pulled prints are available at my Etsy shop. (Which is gradually filling up with personified puffins.)

Linocut progress

Been working on this all week. Monday I was working on the digital image in Illustrator. Tuesday I transferred the image to the linoleum via carbon paper (yes, that was ridiculously time-consuming). Started cutting the plate last night. Spent the day chip-chip-chipping away. Still much to cut but I think another full day will get me there. The really tricky bits are the letters which are all done now.

I’m not going to say what it is but you might be able to figure it out.

Yes, there’s a puffin involved.

If the stars align in the coming days, I should have a print to post by Friday. Will have to use water-based inks for this so that I can have dry prints for Saturday’s market.

Now I’m having a beer. I hear it’s good for tired eyes. Better have two.

Bags, bags and more bags

I remember the first market of this year -- my first in about 10 years -- someone was buying one of my embossed pieces and I asked if she wanted a bag. She said yes and as I fumbled around my gear beneath the table I realized I had run out of my small stash of plastic grocery bags. Oops.

Five or six markets later, I finally ordered some proper paper kraft bags which arrived last week. I’m tinkering with a linocut to apply some homespun branding.

Got another Some Good Market in Makinsons this Saturday! In other market news, I’ve been accepted as a vendor at the St. John’s Farmers Market for this season. Hopefully I will find out in the coming days what my schedule will be.

Market wares

As a part of my application to the St. John’s Farmers Market, I had to submit photos of my products as they have a juried process. So I thought I’d pop them up here as well. I didn’t have any good display shots from other markets this year so did a little market re-enactment in the dining room this morning.

And speaking of which, I’ll be at Some Good Market in Makinsons, Newfoundland, this Saturday, 10am-4pm. Drop out for a visit and pick up your last minute Mother’s Day gift!

Yin Yang Fish linocut

Had a great late-night printing session last night! Finally had a chance to use the variety of printmaking papers I received for Christmas. Yum! Now inspired to cut some new plates. I’m happy with my little Yin Yang Fish but I’d like to see a larger version of it with more fish detail.