Tag: linoleum Block Prints

Slow and Steady

Block Printing is a tactile experience. My hands not only hold and maneuver blocks, cutting tools, rollers, inks, and press parts, they also gauge the pressure. A certain amount of force determines the width of a cut and the depth. The V and U blades remove wider strips from the block with more pressure and finer strips come away with less pressure.

Too much force upon a block to the printing surface can cause unwanted smudges, halos, or other changes to the image transfer. Some blocks only require hand painting. Some patterns are most easily achieved with hand printing. My Llama project bags are one of my favorite hand printing tasks. It can be a bit slower than others to complete yet I enjoy the opportunity to slow down and still accomplish my task.

What do you enjoy doing slowly?

Getting Festive

December, the final month of the year is upon us and it is already full of lights, festive garlands, bedecked trees, advent calendars, candles, bells, and, of course, shopping guides.

Giving gifts can simultaneously be a joyous occasion and one filled with stress. We think through so many aspects: the price, the size, the color, and most importantly, will the receiver like it??? After all, if our gift pleases then we are triumphant and known as good gift-givers. We reap the rewards of praise and affection.

With that in mind I’ve put together a few suggestions below. No matter what you give this holiday season I hope you are rewarded for the effort and thought with much praise and affection.

Enamel Owl Pin

Little Dinosaur Print

Kelpie Print

Art Festivals

The past two weeks have been full of re-stocking prints, cards, and making a couple new offerings. I’ve enjoyed seeing the drying space in my tiny studio fill up with rows of llamas, flowers, and woodland creatures in bright colors. Saturday April 26th I’ll be set up in booth 141 for Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, MS. Hopefully I’ll see some of you there!

The next art festival will be in Baton Rouge, LA on May 10th. I’ll set up at the Mid City Makers Market portion of the art crawl from 5 – 10 PM! Excited to join such enthusiastic and wonderful vendors again in May. Unlike most of their monthly markets, this one is part of a larger art crawl in the area and so if you’re in Baton Rouge or plan to be, definitely add the art crawl to your plans!

Beyond May my traveling schedule is still undecided. Most art festivals and markets require editioned prints. I’ve got a series I’m working on now with a focus on birds. Look for pre-orders in The Print Shop or in my emails (scroll down to subscribe)!

Nurseries, Nostalgia, and Knitting

Many friends and family members are welcoming new lives into the world now and many others stop by the booth at markets in search of nursery decor. Well friends, I will soon have more to offer you! Keep an eye out on the shop or Etsy or Amazon Handmade for unique nursery themed prints.

Pink Chrysanthemum

One of the many joys of being an aunt is sharing the things you enjoyed about childhood with your nieces and nephews. For about two weeks my brother and I reveled in playing Pong on our dad’s Atari. After about two weeks the machine died, but those were a fun two weeks! My brother’s kids are a bit young for controllers or joysticks at the moment, but I can at least start familiarizing them with the concept.

Atari

A last bit of inspiration comes from a new hobby with which I’m completely smitten: knitting. That people figured out a way to weave a string with two sticks so that it becomes clothing just sets my imagination on fire. Until you cast off, the entire work can unravel and yet, once you pull that last loop through it stays fast. How fantastic! Then there is the whole business before knitting that goes into making the yarn…I’ll spare you that rabbit trail for now. Sheep and spindles and stitches will undoubtedly make their way into the blocks.

Knit Love

Where are you finding inspiration? Join the conversation on Twitter (@hardprsdstudio)!

Stay Awesome!