Lumbini (Buddha)
Image size: 11" x 28.5" (28 x 72 cm)
3 shina plywood blocks
7 hand-rubbed impressions
Paper: Rives Heavyweight
Edition: 24
Every block has a unique way of printing, and this last layer, the border and top, was the most difficult of the 7 different impressions to print. The dark top area needed paste to print smoothly, but I discovered that if I didn't use too much paste I could get a nice grain pattern, which I really liked. Through the whole print run I was constantly trying to judge exactly how little paste I could get away with.
The other issue was the paper stretching when I printed the border. This had been an occasional problem on the other two prints as well, but it was really bad with this block. The paper really moved around, as you can see from this photo:
I had to experiment quite a bit before I found a satisfactory method of getting everything to line up. I ended up printing the top area first, then moving my baren down one side, returning to the top and barening down the other side, then ending with the bottom. As I barened down each long side, the paper would begin to buckle and stretch, so there was no going back over anything. I had to just let the paper move the way it wanted to and sort of "walk" it down the length of the print. Hard to describe in words, but it worked.
I'm happy with this print and thrilled that I've finally finished this triptych!