12 July 2007

Taking After Blanche

In the method of woodblock printing called "white line" printing, only one block is used rather than having a separate block for each color. Colors are carefully applied to the block one at a time and multiple impressions taken at each color stage. Blanche Lazzell is probably the most well-known of the white line printmakers.

For the "roses" in this print, I decided to try the white line method, since the block is already carved. First I painted some red oxide pigment mixed with a little paste onto the areas of the block that I want to print:

Stop&Smell2a

Here's the impression:

Stop&Smell2b

Then I repeated the same painting procedure using a green to create some "leaves":

Stop&Smell3

I hope to complete this print before I move on July 20, but I just got some illustration jobs that I also need to work on, so this print may move with me in an unfinished state. It's a good thing moku hanga is so portable!

6 comments:

mizu designs said...

Hey Annie this is looking very cool! I might try doing this sometime.

Marissa L. Swinghammer said...

Another thing that I must try someday.

Could you please explain why the separate colors need to be printed as layers? It looks like they could be printed at the same time to me.

Todd Camplin said...

Every time I visit a blog with process, I am just captivated. I just love the woodblock look.

Annie B said...

Marissa, you could probably print more than one color at a time with oil-based inks. The water-based inks dry pretty fast, though, so I find that I need to work with them one at a time.

Anonymous said...

show the finished thing

Annie B said...

Dear Anonymous,
This is a process blog, so I show all the stages. The "finished thing" was posted on July 18, 2007, and can be seen by clicking here
Thanks for your visit.