"Cereal Killa"

...block print tut....

   As per usual, I joined a swap on ATC's For All. (AFA) This time the swap is for block printing. The swap host Ty Hannigan, is gracious enough to keep our printing skills going, with keeping swaps regularly posted. Thanks Ty! Anyhoot, let's get on with it shall we?! 

This time the theme is "House Hold Impressions" The print can be of anything that you might find in your house. Some of the suggestions were, plants, tools, toys, furnishings, still life...etc. I decided on a spoon...here's the finished work...

Yup, you may recall on my post for the "Creative Blog Hop," I often find the need to add lettering to my works. The idea, not my own. I saw it on Etsy somewhere....but it was of an actual spoon embossed with, "Cereal Killer." 

As always, it starts with a sketch....

I've sketched the spoon on tracing paper. (It's helpful to have a scrap piece of white paper under it.) Draw your lines darkly, It'll help when you go to transfer your image to a block. 

The block that I am using is Speedy Carve. It feels just like an eraser...which, by the way, you could use to carve small stamps! 

Take your sketch and turn it over. Carefully, so you don't smudge your block, tape your sketch down. Because you just flipped your "right side" sketch over, your image is now reverse on your block. You need a reverse image on the block, to print out correctly....follow? (Sorry, sometimes I feel like I've lead you on a twisty turny explanation!) ...anyhoot, it's important to have a reverse image with lettering...not so much for non lettered. Have it taped? Okay now let's burnish it down. I used a bone folder...

Lift up your sketch and take a peek....everything transferred? Good!

From here...I start to carve, but for some, it's difficult to know what your carving away and what you're leaving behind. If you have much difficulty, take a fine tipped marker and color in the things that you want to print solid. In my case I did the letters to remind me. 

I'm using Speedball carvers...they're pretty much the easiest to find and economical. I would love to get my hands on some Japanese made carvers. I saw some at Blick.....$20 dollars a pop! so, Speedball it is! I got mine as a set. I got two carvers with a bunch of different interchangeable blades, that store in it's handle.

Start carving....

Once you're done carving....do a test print. I don't need it to be the best quality print, so I'm using a regular stamp pad to ink up my block....

Make any final adjustments you need. (You're only adjustments will be removing more of the block...) When you go to make your final prints...use a block printing ink. I use the water soluble kind. I like that I can add more water, should I find it too thick. There are ways to adjust other inks....I just find water easy. Also, in my short experience with block prints, I've found Bristol paper the easiest to print on.