Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Next steps...

The end of the year is approaching which means my deadlines are approaching too!

 I have been struggling a bit with head and neck problems and have been told no sustained bending of my neck - which makes hand stitching a virtual impossibility. I have put it aside for 10 days to let my neck get better; but in the interim have been progressing other tasks that also need to be done, and which don't require me to have my head down for long periods of time.

 This is part 2 of the poetry commission and thankfully, the tricky parts - using the photopolymer plates and registering the second colour print - have gone well.

 The work won't be public until the end of January, so in the interim, here are some more shots of work in progress...

Once again, the photopolymer plate got itself inky on the way through. We trimmed it back to here; and then ended up trimming all the way back very close to the lettering.  You really couldn't leave the ridge line and the inky bit in...



An inked up press is a beautiful thing.


Part two printed and left to dry on the 'drying racks'


 A detail of the cover - from a photopolymer plate (no inky bits!)



Hopefully I can get back to some stitching in the next few days - taking it slowly and gently and not pushing myself.

8 comments:

  1. Fiona - I simply love coming by the visit your blog (and Barry's). Even with no significant experience in printing, I can appreciate the process through your pictures and musings.

    Thank you ... and best wishes for a speedy recovery (I can't imagine being told not to stitch)

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    1. Liz - sorry for my delayed response but thank you for such lovely thoughts! It's so nice to know that folk enjoy reading our meanderings. The printing process is quite seductive, and quite complicated but I am enjoying all of my discoveries. Go well. PS have started stitching again for short periods - yay!

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  2. love those stars and hope your neck gets better soon! whenever I have neck problems it's usually to do with stress & stored adrenaline, swimming, Tai Chi & a good massage can help along with addressing the particular of the stress point

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    1. Thanks Mo - the words are about shattered stars so some of them are broken. The neck is improving and I am doing short stints of stitching - I have had a few massages and a bit of work done around it; and am trying, trying to relax...

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  3. Looking forward to seeing this combination of photopolymer and type in more detail later.
    Hope your neck recovers quickly. Best wishes for a peaceful Christmas to you both

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    1. Soon Jac soon! The neck is recovering thank goodness; going slowly but steadily. Hoping you are having a gentle, calm and peaceful Christmas time.

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  4. Oh dear - it can be very frustrating to have to limit oneself in the studio when body parts protest...I hope the break from head-down activities helps. Not sure if downward dog pose would be helpful in releasing your neck - of course it depends what kind of pain you are experiencing.
    That inky press is delicious...as are all the images of this work in progress. I quite loved the snippets you showed with the upside-down/otherwise "incorrect" letters - such a personality of their own!

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    1. Thanks Lisa - I was a little bit lost when I couldn't' do what I had to do because my body kind of refused! Still I am on themed. The inky press is so full of potential I always think; and I loved those mistakes too I must say - make you smile! Go well.

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