Trying some new projects!

Hey Ya’ll!!

I’ve been playing around with my home studio space so I can actually have things organized!!! My Dad helped me create a peg board for my tools and some papers!!

It’s on wheels and is double-sided! I bought the board and the hangers from a store that was getting rid of their fixtures and we got some 2X4’s to make the frame. It looks GREAT! It’ll definitely help keep things organized once I start getting my ink knives and rollers ready. It also is great that it’s on wheels so I can move it around until I find it’s final home 🙂

For now, one side is for my clean items (rulers, brush, canvases) and the other is an inspiration side (my books, drawings and printouts)…also some sandpaper and drill bits are on the little bottom shelf ^__^) At least for now 😀

I started another project after I finished this little organization endeavor. I found one of the old wood shelves we had kept from our old kitchen that I had saved in hopes of making it a shelf in my studio. I just never got to mounting it or finishing it (I did get it  cleaned and sanded a few years ago) so I decided to cover it in some old newsprints I had of my previous geishas. It looks pretty good so far!!

I haven’t finished finding pieces that I can cut to fit yet, but I like how it’s coming along. I like the idea that I’m putting some of my pieces INTO pieces around my studio space!! So excited about it ^__^

ModgePodge is addictive so I not only used it on this project today, I originally started using it again with my bike box!! I bought a $3 book organizer from Target and painted the outside with some acrylic and paint pens while the inside I ModgePodged with some Japanese Oragami paper 🙂 Then I drilled some holes in the top-sides for some stretchy string to keep things inside the bed of the box and some holes in the bottom to then attach it to my bike rack.

So much ModgePodge XD and so much fun! Will post more another day when my studio is more organized…until then….

Please be safe in these scary times and take care!! ❤

Hello from a changed world

Hi Everyone,

I am finally taking time to write on my website after being “away” almost two years…With everything that has been happening in the world lately and all the stress I’ve been under being an essential worker, I decided to take an extra day out of my week to work on just the art things and doing a little more self-care. This means printing, carving, and writing on this website (plus maybe a few mixed beverages and a refreshing “spa” face mask or two (speaking of, WEAR A DARN MASK WHEN YOU GO OUT!!! K, thanks BAI!)).

I’ve been working on a few new prints these last few weeks, one being for my friend as a birthday present and the other as an experimental project. I usually use a jig with pins when I print but this time I wanted to try a different way to register, the T and Bar Method, that I learned in college. I now regret this because the registration accuracy is not the best as the block can slide if you are not careful to physically hold it in place as it first starts going through the press. There is a slight kick-back from the press that can dislodge the paper and/or block from the original position you placed it in.

Here are a few photos to help explain the T and Bar Method:

The Press bed

The block on top of the press bed layout

 

The paper underneath the block and sheet of vinyl is a piece of newsprint that has been drawn on with sharpie outlining the placement of the block as well as the paper. Each of which has a line in the direct middle all the way down, lining up their centers from left to right. After you’ve set the pressure and inked your block, you line up the block with it’s outline on the press and then line up the left edge of the paper along it’s respective line as well.

Line up block

Line at the center of the back of the paper

Line up with line edge

After the left edge has been lined up, you “drop” the paper down and line it up with the right side centering line. You gently flatten the paper down with your hand to help keep it in place (wet ink + dry paper = good traction), run it through the press and you’ve got your print!

If you look closely it is slightly off on registration because of the many factors I mentioned before (human error, not enough traction, kick-back on the press…). I really prefer the method I’ve stuck with until meow. I mean, now. Which is the jig method.

Here are some photos of my latest portrait print that I finished for my friends birthday:

As you can see, the pins, the small ledges, and the snug-ness of the block within those ridges help keep the registration perfect (or close to). This is a small jig I had created out of some leftover mat board and wood glue for 4″x 6″ blocks and I can interchange the blocks whenever I switch projects. The results are great!

The “key” block print

Anywho…that’s my opinion on T and Bar vs Pin Registration Methods! I’ve finished a post finally! 😀 I hope everyone stays safe and healthy and I hope to keep up posting every week!! I’ll be better about it….I hope and hope some more!! Okay, BAAAI!!