Another awesome printmaking class and another try with my onion woodblock this week. 

I tried brighter colors (hit) and chine colle (miss) on linen (hit) and Rives BFK (miss). 

My instructor Kamla (I love Kamla, have I mentioned that?) was back last night and she is just this bright spark of a person and she glances at something and makes a suggestion and the whole room lights up.  We all need a Kamla in our life.

I have to say, I continue to be thrilled with how my prints look on linen.  Kamla suggested just going ahead and printing on linen for the PrintZero print exchange.  She’s right, there are no rules regarding materials, just size and technique.

The process for printing on linen is extremely complicated.  Ink up your plate, throw linen on top, run through press, wait two weeks, heat set with an iron.  Done.  I’m using my regular water-soluble printmaking inks and other than the drying time, they work really well and their color holds up in the wash.

Of course I’ll add stitching to it and again, at Kamla’s suggestion, I’ll try starching them or adding acrylic medium to stiffen them.  I could add paper backing as well I guess… hmmm. Will have to do some playing around.