Mother and Calf - Second Proof

OK! Cleaned up some lines and lightened the waves above the calf and need to do some more work but .. third time will be surly be the charm. Whale and Calf. 13 x 19.25 inches.

Mother and Calf. First proof.

Inked block on the press and then the first proof. Whale and Calf. 13 x 19.25 inches.

More snow and more whales.

Here are some more whale prints that I've been working on the last couple of weeks.

I didn't like the lines on the bigger whale so I used Kwik Wood to fill in the lines and then recarved them. Still not happy but since I have done this whale over 3 times now..... I may just trash it and start it over from scratch

Third and final proof of "Humpback Whale" 12x19 inches. Its a keeper!

Whale and Calf. 13 x 19.25 inches - Raw Block - first state.

And now to do a proof of the above plate to see if I've got it right!

Whale Tail

First proof of "Whale Tail" Woodblock print 19x12 inches.

Humpback Whales

Since I'm freezing my butt off here in Rochester this week I decided to revisit our trip to Hawaii last year at this time.

Here is the second state of "Mother and Child".

Mother and Child - woodblock - 12 x 18 inches

Happy New Year!

From our cabin to yours!

USS Rochester

Final proof of the USS Rochester. Now if I get the OK then its time to print an edition.... :-)

Whats been going on since October?

Well its been a busy Fall and now heading into winter so its time that I update the old BLOG.

Here is what I have been working on since I have gotten back from the cottage.

Woodblocks!

Since I like to whitewater kayak at the cottage I did two Kayaking prints.

Over the Edge  19 x 11.5 inches

Cutting a Line 19 x 11.5 inches

Then of course I had to do another of my favorite Rat Rod.

38 Ford 19 x 11.5 inches

And of course I have a fund raiser for the Rochester Military Society. They want to raise money to pay for a large scale model of the USS Rochester. An armored cruiser from the Spanish American War. First named the USS New York she participated in the Battle of Manila as Admiral Sampson's flagship during the Spanish-American War. Afterwards, steamed to Yokohama and became the US Navy flagship of the Asiatic Fleet.

Later in1911 she was formally renamed USS Saratoga. During World War I she served with the Pacific Patrol Force, and in December, 1917 underwent yet another name change, becoming USS Rochester. Following service with the Atlantic Fleet and in the Caribbean, Rochester returned to Asiatic waters in June 1932 and served off the Yangtze River in China.

During WWII in 1941, as Japanese forces approached Luzon,  the USS Rochester was moved  into Subic Bay and sank to prevent her capture.

To this day the USS Rochester rests on her side with her hull buried in the sand of Subic Bay were recreation divers still visit her.

Third Proof of the USS Rochester

#USSRochester #rochestermilitarysociety 

New Traffic Controller Box Work Part 5 Done!

Well the Traffic Controller Box project is done. I've sealed it with Sherwin-Williams Pro Industrial Anti - Graffiti Coating. Stuff is VERY expensive $165 a gallon. But one coat and its like putting a giant rubber glove over the painting. Let someone try and tag the box now!

So here is the finished box.

Its going to rain today!

Well its supposed to rain today so no painting outside on the Traffic Control Box. Instead I'm in the studio working on a white water set of prints. This one needs some more work yet.

Here is the last proof. This one is done.

New Traffic Controller Box Work Part 4

Well yesterday was a little strange. It always seemed to threaten rain but it never came. So I painted till it really seemed like it was going to rain in about 30 mins and then packed up. Hard to paint with acrylic paint in the rain...

Meanwhile I get visits from strange people that assume that I'm painting outside for their entertainment. Fellow came over while I was working yesterday, he scared the crap out of me by getting right next to me while my back was turned and said loudly "I love this!" My brush almost left my hand I jumped so high.

He sat down on the grass and talked at me for over 30 mins. REALLY? He was bored and I was his new bartender, told me his entire life, wedding, divorce, kid, child support, legal issues, and other to much information stuff. Where do all these lonely people come from? (Beatles)

Others drive by and shout out comments and some beep their horns. Some just are so exited they jump out of their cars and run over to tell me how much the love the work and then run back into their cars and drive away.

Strange days....  

Well here is where we are as of yesterday.  I changed one of the Tulips to a poppy for the wife of the patron who commissioned this great work of art. 

New Traffic Controller Box Work Part 3

The next day I started to do the serious painting bit.

New Traffic Controller Box Work Part 2

The next day the primer was dry, so I sketched out my design to see how it worked. 

Here is the design that I got approved by the customer and Monroe County Traffic Dept.

Then I blocked in some colors to see if the color scheme would work.

New Traffic Controller Box Work Part 1

I have a new traffic controller box job in Penfield, NY. Its on Penfield Rd. Right across from the Hess Station in Panorama Plaza. Shots of the box before any work being done.

So I had to prep the box for primer so with a scrub brush, soap and Arm & Hammer I got to work. Well the new car has a built in AC converter. Extension cord and palm sander and BANG.... box all sanded. Put on the best primer I know of Behr Premium Plus Multi-Surface Primer and Sealer is 100% Acrylic. Nice that the Penfield Home Depot store is just around the corner. 

Now I just have to get painting.

My first art show!

Well I signed up for an art show in Rochester at the Public Market called the "Artist Row". I had no booth no frames and to honest only a few prints run off. So I had a week and a half to get it all together. 

I used 2x3x8' and PVC pipe to make the structure of the walls and my lovey wife sewed up the cheapish canvas drop cloths into panels with loops for the PVC pipe. Boy did it come out looking good. I then made a quick flip display out of some left over scrap wood and we were ready. 

Home made display booth

Here it is set up at the show!

I had to cut off 10 inches at the back to get it to fit. Also had to trim one of the legs by the steel pole on the right but thank goodness for bungies! 

Here is all the framed artwork that I hung in the booth.

Now I'm ready for any indoor show! 

"Brooklyn Bridge transposed". Image size 13 1/4" by 20 1/4"

So I have been working on a woodblock print of the Brooklyn Bridge. Its been a real bear to get done. All those suspension bridge cables.... UGH.

Here is the final proof.

Second proof of "Brooklyn Bridge transposed". Image size 13 1/4" by 20 1/4"

This is the first proof, I added some KwickWood to the suspension area that was blank on the left of the print and added some lines. It really bothered me.

#Brooklyn Bridge #Print #woodblock 

Paper removed with water and scrub brush, and dried with heater. Now you can see why I use gesso on the MDF. Very easy to see the carved lines and were I will have to do some more work.

"Brooklyn Bridge transposed". Image size 13 1/4" by 20 1/4".

Done carving. Remove paper and proof. 

Been working on for two days on "Brooklyn Bridge transposed". Image size 13 1/4" by 20 1/4". I'm now down to the eye and hand numbing bits where all the wires come together.

My new Morgan Line-O-Scribe press. Thanks John!

Last week I went to Canada and picked up a Morgan Line-O-Scribe press!

So my post begging for a cheap proof press worked!

An email showed up from John in Simcoe Ont. Canada. Seems that his Rona store had a Morgan Line-O-Scribe tucked away in a storage closet. He needed to make more room for the accounting files. So we agreed on a price and off I went over the border. 3 hours later we had all the goodies loaded into the Tribute and back home I went. 

Got to the US border and .... no duty required! Hot dang. 

So then I needed to make a table to put everything on since the press came with all the type and everything. One of my friends told me via FB that he had his son's old drafting table that they built and did I want it, else it was going out front with the trash. YIKES! 

So out to Albion NY I went and 2 hours later I had a new project.

Table redone, with a drawer to hold all the type furniture etc. Hot dang now I get to get some more paper and off to printing editions we go. 

Here is the new repurposed drafting table 

Did I say that it came with type?

Here I cut a piece of plywood to fit in the press so that my 1/4 inch woodblocks would fit.

Came with ink and a glass plate and stand. Nifty.

After a bit of adjusting .... I got a great print and they are now consistent .