New Directions

I couldn't resist trying a little test. After my last Tiger print, I wanted to try something a little bigger--but there are limitations both in wood size (unless I get plywood) and paper size (the Japanese paper size I use is pricey and since I'm printing damp, difficult to physically maneuver as it gets bigger). SO I wanted to try a LITTLE, big print. I'm working off another textile idea and it will gradually make sense as I carve and print more.

Here's the first block that I finished carving this am. It's a 24" x 6" plank of Beech. It has a lovely, very pronounced vertical grain pattern and despite what the lumber dealer said, it's not so great for woodblock. It carves decently enough across the grain but I have a hard time carving with the grain and keeping my cuts straight.
This will be a print made up primarily of rectangles so it shouldn't matter other than it is going to take more time to carve/clear than I wanted to spend on an experiment.

Here's a close up just after carving the kento (corner registration) and here's the block upright, in what will be the eventual orientation of the print. Although I'm calling this a keyblock, about half of the lines carved will come off once I've used this as a template for the color blocks yet to come. I'm working the next four days so I'm not sure when I will be able to get back into the studio.