Sunday, October 9, 2011

bug blocks


I finished carving my small-print, bug blocks.
There are five blocks total but I could have managed just four if I had planned better. There is a fair amount of redundancy of the information carried on each individual block.




Maybe I'll get to print tomorrow but I still have to moisten some proof and trial paper to check registration and color printing--I suspect I'll have to trim back one or two of the blocks but I am looking forward to printing this one. Hope it's not too blotchy.

Three of the blocks were picked up at a yard sale. They're meant to be used to plank-grill fish on the barbecue. At 1/2 " thick they're likely to warp during printing but they were cherry and really cheap (50cents each).
AND I'll still be able to use them on the grill once I'm done printing.

2 comments:

  1. These are fantastic! I was thinking of you yesterday. I'm reading a book called "1493" about the huge ecological changes that happened during the 16th century as Europeans (surely an invasive species) brought their critters to the Americas. Earthworms! The Americas didn't have earthworms until the Europeans brought them. Another level of meaning for me re: your earthworm print.

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  2. Thanks Annie;

    I knew about many invasive species but I didn't know that about earthworms. I do know that in some Northern forests they are changing the flora/fauna as they eat all the leaf litter and the deep layer of leaves and dead litter is absent in forests where earthworms have moved in.
    This is a big beetle. Both will print pretty close to life size the adult beetle is 2 1/4 inches long; the grub can reach 3-4" in length.

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