Art of Ivan Locke: 2007

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Christmas Wish List

Ink:
Daniel Smith Oil Relief Ink Set to add some color to my prints.

Blocks:
Shina Grab Bag to try some wood meant for printmaking.

Wood Burning:
Needle Point Replaceable Tip to use for very fine detail or textures.
Small Calligraphy Replaceable Tip to try for text - if I can write calligraphy in reverse.
Micro Replaceable Tip for small lines.
Replaceable Tip Handle to ease switching between to tips.
Ultra Flex Cord to try instead of the heavier cord I have now.

Magnification:
Two Arm Table Lamp and Magnifier
Lens Power Booster

How to Ink and Wipe a Wood Pyrograph Plate for Intaglio

The following techniques have been working well for me. They are based on the techniques of others I have read for wiping etching or drypoint.

1. I spread ink across the plate using a plastic putty knife or a credit card making sure to press into lines.
2. Scrape off excess ink with the putty knife or credit card.
3. Wipe with phone book pages until clean. I use a page folded into quarters wrapped around an object with a flat surface - for me it is a plastic canister of toothpicks. Using my hand to wipe with phone book pages, I found I pulled ink out of wider lines.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Sunflowers, Relief

Plate type: Wood Pyrograph
Printing technique: Relief
Image size: 2-1/2in by 3-1/2in
Paper size: 5in by 7in
Paper type: Rives Lightweight
Ink type: Daniel Smith Oil Relief Ink

Sunflowers, Intaglio

Plate type: Wood Pyrograph
Printing technique: Intaglio
Image size: 2-1/2in by 3-1/2in
Paper size: 5in by 7in
Paper type: Rives Lightweight
Ink type: Daniel Smith Oil Etching Ink

Finished the Sunflowers

I tried to fix the mistake of burning the back edge of the vase through the flower stems by filling the line with a wood filler (Plastic Wood). With the small size, I used a toothpick to apply the filler, but didn't do a very good job. I probably needed to fill it high and a little larger area and then once it had set, sand it flat. As I didn't do this, the filler ended up bellow the surface of the wood and didn't help fix the mistake for printing.

I printed both intaglio and relief. The prints came out well with fine detail. The grain of the wood inked differently and showed up more than I had expected resulting in several stripes across the image. I'll have to take the grain into account in future prints.

I also need to work on meshing the textures and lines. The petals could be more defined, while the leaves could be less defined.

Overall, I think it was a success.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Sunflowers In-Progress II

The block is complete, except for a mistake. Can you find it? I am going to try to fill it with wood putty.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Sunflowers In-Progress

I have finally started burning this sunflower block. It is the first I have done of this style, so I am not sure how it is going to print. I do like how it is starting out. I am not sure how I want to define the petals; a solid line seems too heavy, so I might try a dotted line or some kind of broken lines.
The picture is based on a reference image submitted by tessp on the WetCanvas Reference Image Library.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Website Favicon

Here is the icon I am adding for a favicon: . It is supposed to be a blog post with some text and picture (of a rabbit). Seems to work on some browsers, but not others.

For information on changing the favicon and other blog customizing, see the Tips for New Bloggers blog.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Working on Projects, Nothing to Show

I've been working and thinking about multiple projects this past weekend and couple of days. Nothing is far enough along to show, but here are some descriptions on what I am working on.

PVC Pipe Pin Press:
I am looking to make some improvements on the pvc pin press. I am making a new set of end caps with the correct smaller sized hole for the plastic handles I am now using. I plan to use my wood lathe to clamp the pipe cap with a Nova Chuck and have a drill chuck for the tailstock; I should be able to achieve a precisely centered hole. A threaded rod the full length of the roller will ensure the handles are in line.

PVC Pipe Roller Press:
I want to try to use the pin press roller design to make a press roller. I am thinking 18" wide with the 4" pvc pipe I am using now. The frame will be wood 4"x4" with steel threaded rod taking the load from the rollers. Solid bearings (bushings) instead of ball bearings will keep cost down and hopefully work just as well. I want to gear the hand drive and modify a vernier caliper for an accurate height gauge.

Pyrography for Printmaking and Miniature Attempt:
I am working on one of my first miniature prints for the October Monthly Miniature Challenge on the WetCanvas Miniature Forum. I have the sunflowers drawn on a 2-1/2" by 3-1/2" block ready to burn. I am looking at getting a needle point burning tip. It looks like it would be great for miniatures and textures.

Monday, October 8, 2007

House Plant, Intaglio

2-1/2in by 3-1/2in Poplar Pyrograph; Intaglio; Daniel Smith Oil Etching Ink; 5in by 7in Rives BFK Paper

House Plant, Relief

2-1/2in by 3-1/2in Poplar Pyrograph; Relief; Daniel Smith Oil Relief Ink; 5in by 7in Rives BFK Paper

Experimenting with Intaglio and the Pin Press

Previous discussion of the pin press can be found at http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=447590. My first test print (a relief) with the pin press was http://ilocke.blogspot.com/2007/09/park.html.

This past week and weekend, I started experimenting with pulling an intaglio with the pin press. I burned a small 2-1/2in by 3-1/2in poplar block. I used Daniel Smith oil etching ink and Rives BFK paper. My first attempts were dismal. The paper moved as I rolled back and forth. Only half the lines were pulled when I wiped well; when I wiped less, I achieved more lines, although still not all, but they became thick and undefined. After half a dozen such attempt, I gave up for the moment.

I decided to go ahead and print the block relief so that I could at least get something from it, and was disappointed even further. Usually I have no movement of paper on relief prints as the paper sticks well to the inked surface, however due to the small size of this print, the paper also moved and I ended up with an okay image, but nothing great.

On a last ditch effort at relief printing, I spritz a couple papers with water. Maybe the damp paper will stick better to the block, and damp paper always prints better. It did. It was slick. Why didn't I print with damp paper in the first place. With my success of damp paper for relief, I misted some additional pieces and bagged them up for the night to print intaglio the next day. They printed just as beautiful. There was no slippage of the paper, and the lines pulled crisp. You can see the final relief and intaglio prints in the following two posts.