My Woodcut

Several years ago I took a wood cutting class where I did not learn anything. I made this woodcut prior to the class as I tried out my new cutting tools. It is my only woodcut!

For the last two years I’ve been a member of the Rubber Amateur Press Society and we have a quarterly swap of hand-stamped images. Click here for my October blog:

https://anneritataylor.blogspot.com/2016/10/print-vibe.html

Since I had not carved anything recently and the due date of April 30th was approaching, I thought of my wood carving. 

I could have used the Press at The Printing Museum in Houston, but they are renovating due to a fire last May. How would I print? I tried printing using my Arnold Grummer Paper Press and it worked OK.

I carefully lined up the paper and placed the inked wood as close to the middle as possible and lowered the press.

I used water based ink and rolled it on a piece of copper side-taped glass before rolling the ink on the woodcut. My first one came out great, pictured up top.

The third time came out too light, so I added ink and rolled again, great images for 3 of them, so I added more ink - then it came out too dark.

It took me 24 prints to have 15 OK prints to swap. I'm experimenting with the lighter ones to add some color. I tried coloring in the circle to have the Sun but I like the black & white Moon effect better.

I bought the Wood Carving tools at Walmart plus I already had the extra V-shaped cutting tool in my carving supplies. The piece of wood is from Hobby Lobby.

All in all, I think they came out OK. Although I plan to do more experimenting. Any thoughts from any of my blog readers is appreciated.

©Anne Rita Taylor 2017

Creating a Photo Album

©Anne Rita Taylor 2016

After I received the Make Your Own Book kit from Arnold Grummer I was pleasantly surprised. First of all, I loved the size, 5 1/2 by 10 inches!

It had all the basic pieces, 2 cover boards, 2 pre-drilled end boards, 2 sets of hardware, instructions, but also really heavy weight paper - 35 lovely pages pre-drilled!

I could make the book with duct tape, which was OK for this book-binder, or use paper or cloth. I use a spacer bar when I use boards that need a hinge, makes gluing so much easier. Found these brass spacer bars at Home Depot near the wood aisle.

I found this lovely paper at Paper Source. When I have end boards that are pre-drilled I make sure I pop in an awl so I don’t lose sight of those holes down the road. Of course I used a bone folder to smooth out the paper after gluing the boards.

Cut triangles - leaving 2 board widths, then pinch the ends to glue the covers over the book boards.

Place the finished covers in my Arnold Grummer paper press overnight.

I can either screw in the hardware...

Or make it even prettier by adding gold ribbon - 27 inches - a gold paper square and a black paper square - both 4 inches, plus a heart-shaped doily. Using Uncial calligraphy I wrote The Taylors.

Using it for a photo album for this year's summer adventures. 

Am I going back to Paris!?! Have to wait for their flooding to recede...