Year Of The Tiger Print

The official (for me) Year of the Tiger print for the Baren Forum Chinese New Year's Card Exchange. I had delusions of color, but decided I liked the black and white image just fine. I have two more tigers carved, in woodblock and test printed. This Bengal tiger is the one going to travel around the world, however. (If you want a tiger to travel to your house, drop me an email and I'll send one packing as soon as I get the exchange prints on their way.)

The Exchange Rules:

Baren Forum began sponsoring its annual New Year's Card Exchange for the 2000 new year and has continued this popular exchange in each subsequent year. The exchange prints are to be designed around that year's Chinese Zodiac Animal. Each year, members sign up by providing their name and mailing address, then print and mail a card to every other participant by mid-February of the new year. Prints should be hand-pulled, about 4 x 6 inches and may be in any media (not limited to woodblock). There is no 'moderator' -- you are on your honor to mail a print to each person on the list just as each of them are on their honor to mail one to you.

4" x 6" Lino block print
Hand rubbed with wooden spoon on Masa paper
Daniel Smith water-soluble relief ink - Lamp Black
Open edition

Lino Block Print of the Month - February

In response to a challenge from a friend - and to take a break from carving other prints - I did this lino print in a few hours. It was drawn directly on the block, carved and printed as soon as it was finished. The carving took the majority of the time, as my hands got tired quickly working on the unmounted linoleum. It wanted to buck and buckle and leap out of the bench hook at the most inopportune times. But several cut fingers later (Note to self: Keep tools sharp!), I was ready to print.

The carved lino block - 8 x 10 inches

The objective was to 'go with the flow' so to speak, and not be so uptight about the art. The drawback of being a drafts(wo)man, is getting anal at times about sketching and drawing. No guts, no glory with this print. Marker to block, and carve away. Scary, and a little bit traumatic, but I seemed to have survived. Will I make it a habit? Um, a definite maybe?

Finished print 9 x 12 in
Black water soluble ink from Graphic Chemical
Hand rubbed on unbleached mulberry paper
with a bamboo baren and wooden spoon
Open Edition

Baren Print Exchange # 42

All turned in to the exchange coordinator, so I can move on to creating other prints. Although I have urges to do an etching on metal plate of the same drawing, just because I can. Or think I can. It all depends on if I get my etching press balanced this weekend.

Title: Red-Winged

• Medium:Woodblock print (hand rubbed or pulled on a press, B&W or colour, any pigments, any paper). Note: The Baren Exchange is a program for forum members to create, exchange and display editions of woodblock prints. Relief prints pulled from wood substitutes and wood-like materials, including linoleum, corian, MDF, resingrave, and similar are acceptable as are collagraphs. Coordinators are obligated to reject prints whose primary method of production is by other means. For example: monotype, intaglio, stencil, lithography, ink jet, laser, photocopy, etc are to be rejected by the coordinator.
• Theme: Open
• Image size: Any size and orientation within the paper
• Paper size: Chu-tanzaku, about 3 x 9 inches (7.62 x 22.86 cm)
• Paper type: No restriction

Six colors over three lino blocks. My registration technique needs work, but all in all, I'm almost feeling brave enough to tackle a moku hanga print. I used the same methods on the lino blocks, so now I just have to get some good quality knives and gouges to carve the wood blocks.



I just ordered a wonderful eBook from printmaker David Bull called Your First Print. It's basically a "complete overview of the making of a woodblock print using the traditional Japanese techniques."

Just in case anyone out there *cough* Anonymous *cough* had a sudden urge to delve into the ancient art of Japanese woodblock printmaking. Because having hobbies like spinning sheep and dog fur into yarn just isn't enough for some people . . . .