2022

Hello Friends,

The beginning of this year has flown by…shoooot, the last two years have flown by. Quarantine and Covid have been a Sh*t show, but we do what we can! Get the vaccine and booster! They help!! I write this as someone who is both vaccinated and boosted who also got Covid O_O. BUT! The silver lining is now I have time to do some projects and write a post! So here goes:

I’ve been doing a few random prints as gifts as well as own personal projects involving animals/pets! Here are a few:

Haku (pet portrait of dog who passed away for friends friend)
My Zoey Dog ❀
Foxy
Blaze Man

These are all two – three color reduction woodcuts! This gave me the opportunity to start doing commission projects(two of these were for friends who requested their own pets! DM for inquiries). I am currently working on a piece for the father of a friend (human portrait), but haven’t finished so I will not post!

Due to Covid regulations at my studio (as well as wanting to protect my fellow studio mates) I have not been in to work on said commission. Soooo I decided to try something different and stumbled upon resin art! I have discovered the beauty of making resin earrings and necklaces! Took a LOT of practice but here are a few of my favorites:

This is just the tip of the iceberg….and I really do mean just the tip. I have made SOOOO many…I’ll get to taking more pictures of them soon. Need to perfect lighting XD

Anywho, just a mini update on what is happening! Thanks for coming by!

TTYL! BAAAI!

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 πŸ™‚

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 πŸ˜€

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 itΒ  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 πŸ™‚ 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 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.

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!

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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!

Anywho…that’s my opinion on T and Bar vs Pin Registration Methods! I’ve finished a post finally! πŸ˜€ 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!!

Heyo!!

So big news!!!! I will be featured in the Monterey Museum of Art on November 15th!!! Another chance to see it will be December 7th, first Friday. The show will be up until February 18th, 2019, so if you can’t make the opening on the 15th, just swing on by before February!! πŸ™‚

I now have an official deadline, get the last print done!!! I have 10 of 12 colors completed >__< My one problem that I have run into is the fact that my registration is getting wonky…IMG_20180930_123636

 

Off registration…
But this is what happens when you do 10 colors on one paper….-__-

Hello from the end of 2017!!

The finishing of 2017 means the finishing of another print! BAM!
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It’s so hot off the press it doesn’t have a name!! O_O Again…but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy how it looks or how these detail shots look πŸ™‚

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One of my favorite parts of this process comes with the first rollings of the black:

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Everything at that point starts to come together and I can finally let out the breath that I have been holding the last couple of layers. For me, if I start getting frustrated with a piece and don’t like how certain colors are starting to layer, I keep telling myself, “Just wait for the black, wait for the key. Everything will be okay…” I kind of laugh when I think about my need for containing the colors in my prints. There must be some deep psychological meaning behind it, but I don’t know it yet XD That’s a scary thought…O_O

Anywho! Thanks for visiting my website! Please feel free to comment or follow this page or my instagram @amendo418

Okay, BAAAAIII!!!!

Updated :D

My maple tree geisha print has a name!! “Tranquil Beauty,” a series of 14 prints πŸ™‚ since it has been named I have been pretty busy getting my newest print completed….yeah, I know, I seem to only keep updating when I have a new print….but HA! I HAVE A NEW PRINT!!! XD Hot off the press today, she’s a beauty πŸ™‚ Literally…

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The “Key” Block!!! O_O

I’m so happy how this block turned out!!! YAYYY!!!! *collapses on floor* How draining and nerve wracking!! XD The results are all worth it though.

I will be showing the finalized print next weekend at the West End celebration in Sand City so come on by!! I will be a featured artist on Saturday the 26th!! This print along with my others will be available for purchase as originals as well as giclee prints. πŸ™‚

 

 

Newest: Complete!!

Buuuut I have no title yet….I will have to update on that one at a later date….but here are a few photos of the newest completed Beauty!!

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Japanese Maple Tree!! A symbol of peace, balance, promise and great blessings. Hmm…must think….>__< heehee

Anywho, while I process what exactly I wish to call this piece, here are a few close ups of the final printing process:

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Close up details of block and final print

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Just the black printed on white paper

And my absolutely favorite part, the BLOCK ITSELF!!!! YAAAS!!!

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The “Key” Block

There is always so much character in the blocks themselves. I love watching them throughout the process as they change and slowly become uncovered. This final stage is the beauty hidden within the block, finally set free. Corny stuff, I know, but totally true. πŸ™‚

YAY!!! SUCCESS!!!

THE SHOW WAS A SUCCESS!!!! I’m exhausted….-__-zzZZ There were many visitors and there were a few sales!! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO STOPPED BY AND HELPED AT THE SHOW!!! And thank you to everyone who couldn’t come but still sent their well wishes πŸ™‚ I really appreciate the support and encouragement!! Speaking of both of those things, a huge humongoid thank you goes to my parents, I couldn’t have done any of this without you guys πŸ˜€ Not just the show, but the encouragement to do art and strive to expect more from myself. Thank youuuu! A special shoutout to Ruby who wo-manned the cashier desk for me all night!!! Thanks so much!!! πŸ˜€

Anywho, moving on from the sappy stuff, here are a few photos from before the show!

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The line of reusable bags, a corner of the show, and the cashier desk!!

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A before and after shot

Now that the show is over, I’m already thinking of the open studio tour in two weeks!!! It never ends…And I guess that’s a good thing XD

My newest geisha is coming along too:

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I re-did the purple layer instead of printing orange…

 

I realllllly wanted the purple to come through so I reprinted it to be actually purple (instead of the gold-ish color that came out of layer two…) XD And it’s nice and mellow!!! Which I thought was very pretty….Until….

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RED!!

BOOM!!! RED!!!! GYAAHH I LOVES IT!!!!!! I always say that if the color layer burns my retinas, it is a great layer. THIS IS A GREAT LAYER!!!! πŸ˜€ So happppppy!!! It’s just what I was looking for!!! Admittedly, I like the muted colors in the beginning, but it just wasn’t myΒ kind of print just yet. But meow. Yes. So excited πŸ™‚ I have three more colors to print, dark blue, brown, and black! It will be done for the studio tour so if you want to see the completed one, please come to OGS on September 24th or 25th!!! Now time to carve ^__^

 

 

 

 

Oh dear…

I have a lot of catching up to do…I’m so sorry….Sometimes I really hate instagram…(too easy to use if just doing pix…) BLEH.

First things first!!!

Geisha Redefined Flyer

All set and ready to go!!! Almost…still gotta frame, inventory, get business license, promote, set up, sell stuff….but hey!! Slow and steady!!!

For instance, right meow I’m doing my inventory…IMG_20160819_193528

All items are digital copies of my original woodcut prints;Β Top and bottom right are cards, available as a gift with ribbon if purchased in a set of four. Bottom middle are reusable bags, and bottom left are copies of the original print on 18×24 inch paper.

I’m tired…-_-zzzZZZZ but also very excited!! As you all know I started a new print:

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First color is Yellow (not inspired by my new purse, just happened to be present @ the time of printing…)

 

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Color 2: Kind of pink….o.O it was surprisingly supposed to be a light purple…oops…

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Color 3: Blue (made the “violet” a more golden tone…not too opposed, I guess…)

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Color 4: Green!!!

And this is where I am currently…Might try and print tomorrow, but am not quite sure which color to do next…I debated with myself over not just the layering, but on colors as well. I really wanted there to be a purple tone in the print, but I’m not too sure how well the red would lay on top of it…I mean technically the red is in purple…but I don’t know if it’ll do well after it…but I want it to be darker than the purple…and I thought the orange would be the “primer” before the red so I wanted to print that before it…but now I’m thinking I don’t need the orange…GYAHH!!!! *ramble ramble* *grumble* >__< I don’t know…I may just surprise myself and see what color I decide when I get there XD meh…-__- bad attitude, I know, but sometimes you just gotta “roll” with it…GET IT?! Roll like a ink roller?! FUNNY, RIGHT?!?!

Yup, I’ve officially gone crazy…..again….OKAY, BYE!!! Time to continue inventory-ing…:)