Wood block prints

[Claw Hama]

Love being able to try so many things involving the use of wood. Even my scrap can be used to great enjoyment. I had some nice A4 size pieces of Kauri left floating around the workshop and thought they might be nice turned into some wood block prints. The picture of the fox was from a recent hunting trip. Carved out the fox, rolled on some block ink and used a few F clamps to give it the squeeze. Heaps of fun. I have a few more ideas that are just busting to get out.

[schaf]

Good effort. I like the result.

Terry

[underfoot]

Nice one Claw
I've found that wood block prints are really good pressies for friends and rels,
don't forget to limit the edition, sign and number them.

[Frank&Earnest]

Thanks for sharing Claw. One of the 100 projects I always have at some stage of progression is to do some woodprints. At the moment I have only got as far as cutting 3 roughly a4 size tablets of cherry wood, they will soon be dry and ready for final planing. Your good results are an encouragement to continue.

[Woodwould]

Excellent!

[artme]

Like it Claw!!

You might be able to do your own version of "Floralegum".

[Claw Hama]

Thanks Guys, its a lot of fun fast and easy, you just have to master seeing things in relief, which is a little tricky. I mounted the best one on a slab of Camphor for my mate that I was away hunting with. Just spray glue nothing fancy. He was very happy with it, the proof will be if it is on the wall next time I go round.

[Claw Hama]

I have done another couple of wood block prints for a local art exhibition titled "Bowled Over" I did the Ohno a week or so back. This photo shows a few variations but I did another thismorning after sharpening up and adusting the block a little. I then mounted it on a small slab of Kauri and dropped them over to the gallery. I will take a photo of them in the gallery on Friday. The second shot is of a block with a bowl, the trees on the bowl were from a photo of a cherry tree grove at Hikone Castle in Japan (snow covered at the time) This print was not the final one to go in the exhibition either. The final one was done in a deep rusty red/brown colour almost a sort of seapia.
These are a lot of fun so I am sure I will be doing more

[NCArcher]

Not bad for 4am
Nice work Claw. Where is the exhibition? I might drop in on the weekend and have a look.

[artme]

Do you ever sleep Mr. Claw???


Great work.

[Claw Hama]

Sleep? not lately, don't know wether it was the dark chocolate I ate the last couple on evenings or the full moon but sleep patterns have been dodgy.

Hi Tony, this exhibition is at Back to Back Galleries in Cooks Hill ( Bull St near the Cricketers Arms) it will be on fromt 30th July - 15th Aug.
Some nice things in this one with some very reasonable prices.

[springwater]

aye aye aye now Craw can you just slow down a bit ya busrting me boiler I missed your prints the first time around, glad I caught you on the second lap. I love the qualities of wood block prints, good to see it again, I can't decide if I like the print or the wood block better. Thanks

[Claw Hama]

Hi Springy, I'm the same, the blocks look just as good or better than the prints. I have a few other ideas up my sleeve for the blocks too. I am only just starting to grasp the concept of the prints, I have a lot to learn to get the best looking prints. Obviously contrast and paterning has a lot to do with it but with a little more practice and experimentaion I will a lot more fun.

[tea lady]

They look really great. You have some great marks going on there. Printing always seem like it is a bit tricky, but maybe that is just the acid etching side of things. I saw a show the other day where a Japanese guy was just rubbing the paper all over on the wood block with his hands.

Now go and sit on your hands for a while so the rest of us don't feel too unproductive.

[Claw Hama]

I saw the same show TL, on the Emperors holiday unit. I started of using a few F Clamps and then went down to one and a bump with the leather mallet then turning over and going over them with a large roller I had taken of my loadrails. Now I put my hand on them give them a tap with the mallet turn them over and just go over them with my fingers to make sure the ink has gone into all the nook n cranys and done too easy. I always thought originaly you needed one of those huge printing presses.