Elemental Journal
new music, reflections, melodic meditations and elemental gatherings
My lovely friends Marv and Kate recently married. For their gift I made them a personalised print.
We filmed the process of typesetting with wood and lead type. I printed it on the adana 8 x 5 press. Watch the film to see the process with music by Slow. (5m.36s)
Printed by eightfivepress
Filmed by Sally Imbert
Edited by Mog Fry
Music ‘Flying’ by Slow
© 2017
Today 10% Discount on Linocut workshops as part of the Christmas Steps Advent Calendar Countdown to Christmas!
See Linocut Workshops - Advent Special Offer! for more details.
Guy had given me a rough sketch of an idea for his Thanksgiving Day Invitations. I worked up an illustration for the front of the card and used Bodoni 72 Smallcaps for the type. We sent off the design to be made into a Polymer Plate ready to be printed at the workshop.
Guy spent the afternoon printing his Thanksgiving Day cards on the Adana 8 x 5. He chose vermillion linseed oil based relief printing ink on different coloured recycled card stock.
A wonderful find in Bridport Old Books, Dorset. Japanese prints by Hiroshige from The Happer Collection and a beautiful little book of Thomas Bewick wood engravings.
As we step through the entrance of this lovely old second hand bookshop we are told they are just about to close. On the table in the middle of bookshop I notice a small thin Penguin hardback of Thomas Bewick wood engravings by John Rayner. I turn the cover to reveal a large cut of a curly-maned lion taking his space on the end papers in front of a hilly landscape of palm trees. I turn to the back to find the end papers filled with a large engraving of an elephant with its curling trunk. Inside the book are engravings from The Quadrupeds, for which he is most well known. The book also includes his engravings for the History of British Birds and other nature inspired prints.
“Well I do remember mounting the style which gave the first peep of the curling or rapid stream, over the intervening, dewy, or daisy-covered holme-bounded by the early sloe, and the hawthorn-blosssomed hedge, and hung in succession with festoons of the wild rose, the tangling woodbine, and the bramble, with their bewitching foliage; and the fairy ground, and the enchanting music of the lark, the blackbird, the throstle, and the blackcap, rendered soothing and plaintive by the comings of the ringdove.”
I pick up the book and hurry over to the Asian Art section.
Hiroshige Woodblock prints - The Happer Collection
Tucked between two thick books is a thin hardback which turns out to be a catalogue presenting a list of Japanese colour prints to be sold for auction at Sotheby - Wilkinson & Hodge on the 14th June 1909. The first plate shows a memorial portrait of Hiroshige drawn by Toyokuni. Part of the inscription on the portrait reads:
"He left behind a farewell sonnet : - "Dropping my brush at Azuma (Eastern capital) I go the long journey to the Western country (Buddhist Heaven is West) to view the wonderful sceneries there."
Over Toyokuni are the words:
"While thinking of him we shed tears."
The seal following Toyokuni reads:
"Ki en Ikku, a Buddhist phrase meaning Life is a mere puff of smoke, so short."
The rest of the catalogue contains the full list with descriptions of each original colour print. All the plates in the book are black and white so I have to imagine, for now, how they would look in full colour. The book is tatty and pages are crumpled but I take it home to enjoy Hiroshige's beautiful scenes of mountains and moons, towns and temples, boats and seas, wind and rain, snow and sunsets, birds and blossom.
Thank you Bridport Old Books for waiting a few more minutes.
Stephen Fowler's new book published by Lawrence King is a must for rubber stamping enthusiasts! This informative, colourful book is illustrated with fantastic hand-made rubber stamps with step-by-step instructions for creating your own rubber stamps. The book includes advice on carving techniques, tools and materials, masking, repeat printing, registering multi-colour prints, collaborative printing, and lots more printmaking tips and techniques.
Stephen’s book launch last Saturday evening at the Arnolfini was a great success. The queue for the book signing stretched out of the shop into the foyer where the walls were exploding with rubber stamp prints from his afternoon workshop. Stephen signed everyone’s book with his hand carved stamps and gave each person his complete undivided attention. The book almost sold out with only a few copies left. So pop into the Arnolfini bookshop soon to get your copy!
Thank you Beshley and Jon from Arnolfini bookshop for the sending your photos of the rubber stamp prints from Stephen's workshop on Saturday afternoon. You can find out more about Stephen Fowler and the world of rubber stamp printing at stephenfowler72.blogspot.co.uk. Look out for his workshops here too. And pop into the Arnolfini bookshop to find all kinds of fabulous books and magazines from art, design, illustration, architecture, fashion, film, and lots more creative curiosities.
If any of these self initiated creative explorations have made your heart sing please consider making a contribution. Your support will help me continue creating art and music to nourish the soul.
