Printmaking, please.

April is here, and with it a clean, organized studio and endless new possibilities! After finalizing and submitting the pieces for this month's show, I'm feeling all-too-ready to get back to working in two dimensions! 

A lifelong dabbler, I've long struggled to settle on a single medium. But if I had to pick just one type of art to make for the rest of my life, it would be hand carved prints. This is a relatively new realization for me, and a very happy one! I'm ready to put my whole heart and soul into mastering one thing, and printmaking absolutely feels right.  

Here's a little glimpse at the process behind this zinnia print I recently made. Hope it inspires you to get creative! 

It all starts with an idea. And then some sketching. And probably some erasing. And definitely a lot of tweaking. When finally I've got an image I'm happy with, it is transferred onto the carving block, and then the real fun begins!

Proofing the block to see how the design is coming along.

Time to print! 

Trying different variations of color.

Adding a big of watercolor really makes it pop!

Every time I undertake a new print, I learn so much along the way. This time I learned that I need to invest in some oil-based block printing ink if I want to watercolor over a print and not have to worry about running or smearing. But that experiment will have to wait for another day.

Thanks for stopping by! Follow me on Instagram @smallfoxpress for a bunch more process pics and updates!