I am taking Tracey Fletcher King’s Lino Printing 101.
Today was my first day to play —
I watched the videos through my fuzzy-headed cold/flu thang,
and finally gave the carving a go in bed over a tray!
Mitchell puts up with my messes… and I try to be a little sorta clean!  (NOT.)

My first one was trying to clean a block I started over 20 years ago, a feather.
The linoleum was brittle.  I tried the stupid putty colored Speedball rubber easy-carve
and that was worse.  Crumbled at every turn!  I HATE that stuff!
Excited and discouraged (odd as that is), I pulled out the 20-year-old silver pad
and stamped it!  Didn’t turn out as bad as I thought.  I went back to work on the
Speedball pink rubbery carving pad, and that was a bit better.  Now I felt like I was the one who was doing a good job or not — instead of brittle lino or crumbling rubber.

When I ended my day I HAD to try printing —
I didn’t try to register it properly, just placed the paper on the inky blocks willy-nilly.
I tried lots of different types of papers…
including some in a tiny book which I will post later (not dry).
Bristol and hand-made papers, some my own and some shellacked.
It was a lot of fun and I have so much to learn.
I want to use handmade papers but there are challenges — texture.
Just right level of ink on the roller, getting the hang of the bamboo brayer
(drove me crazy so I used my hand, which I guess shows!)
I came out with a half dozen good pulls…

 I had a good time while I snuffled my way through the day.
Art therapy!
I’m jonesing for the next print day!

_/\_ Oh Great Lino Goddess King!
Thank you for this class!

See my post about both classes here!

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