Le Weekend

Here's the start of the latest print. It's a taste of the weekend in the Scribbly Cottage household. Blazing fire in the stove, good books and magazines to leaf through idly, a cuppa in my favourite Cornish blue mug and my feet up on the coffee table....bliss! I've moved the line of the fireplace left to avoid it making a visual line with the foot and leg.

You can see the original scribbles in my sketchbook and the design inked onto the maple block. I've never used maple before. I know it's softer than box; it'll be interesting to see how I get on.


I started the block and am finding the wood not quite as crisp to cut as box but ok as long as my tools are kept sharp. In my quest to experiment a little with the process, I'm trying for a slightly looser, sketchier feel, with the outlines more broken.

I'll be printing tomorrow; only a working proof of this one unless I manage to finish it, but I'm determined to have a day pottering with the press.

Back in the groove again

And here's the reason why:


My new durathene brayer, which I should have got in the first place but being broke I got a rubber one which wasn't good enough for engravings. (I'll keep it though for when I get around to woodcuts). Now I'm getting more even inking and much less frustration.

Now to play! I've not tried faces in wood engraving yet, so I thought I'd have an experiment: This block is tiny at 1.5"x1 1.2" max.
First proof, looking to see what marks do what to the facial planes.


Then a bit more cutting and to show up the cuts more on block I've rubbed a little talc into the surface. (It'll all be brushed out before printing). Almost there I think. I shall print tomorrow.