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| Fulcrum, 6"x8" moku hanga, woodblock print |
I moved into my new studio and finally had a chance to start in on the long backlog of prints I've been meaning to tackle in the last 2-3 Years.
But instead, a bit taken aback by the sudden freedom, I had trouble forging ahead and seemed a bit stuck.
Wood tends to be the muse that gets me thinking and in this case it was a box of 24 4"x6" Shina blocks I got on sale during the McClain's Summer Sale that got me working again. But, there are lots of ways to move. You can go forward, or backwards, or sometimes just pivot a bit while you wait for the momentum to build enough to get you actually moving.
This print is based on very simple drawing/a doodle really from my sketchbook done a few weeks ago--just a few lines making shapes that suggest other things.
The fulcrum is the subject and focal point but it's the large heavy mass above that interested me the most.
The color blocks were all carved in Okoume marine plywood--it has a pronounced wood grain that I tried to emphasize during the printing.
I printed this in two color variations--with either a blue or teal "sky".
One in blue and on thicker handmade paper and
Another in both color variations but on a variety of thinner papers.
All are printed on paper I sized during my last set of sizing experiments.
The only other significant variation is the addition of a subtle bokashi to the tip of the orange triangle to suggest a shadow from the mass above.
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| Fulcrum, 6"x8" moku hanga, color woodblock print | . |
Printed from 6 blocks and about 12 color impressions.
EV of 50 on hand-sized, thinner weight, varied, Japanese papers and another smaller edition of 12 on heavy Misumi Japanese washi.
Nice work Andrew! I like the blue best, also it seems a bit darker and has more depth. It's amazing how much dimension the addition of that one shape brings to the piece!
ReplyDeleteI love this print, Andrew. It has depth and beauty, and it's dynamic. I like the top one especially.
ReplyDeleteDear Annie and Janis, Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how a simple idea can turn into something bigger. This one clicked. Much of the depth comes from the beauty that black ink seems to have on good paper. It's a Mars Black/Sumi blend but just a tiny bit, printed twice from two blocks and between the wood grain, paper surface and goma zuri texture it just seems right. Thanks for looking and taking the time to comment. A.