April has been a whirlwind of family commitments & a busy work schedule that’s sadly kept me from creating as much as I’d like to. April’s print is delayed, (hello, May!) but on its way to subscribers this week! Thank you for your support & patience while I navigate this beautiful life of a part-time artist.

April’s weather was also less than ideal here in Calgary, with snow right down to the last few days of the month. A poppy print felt like a warm Spring hug to me.

A ‘jigsaw’ print, the block for this print was cut in two between the flower & stem. Each block inked separately in different colours, pieced back together and printed all at once. I made a registration guide out of some cardboard for my 4×6 prints that works beautifully for lining up my paper on the block.

I wanted to experiment with some different paper for this print. Something heavier, more substantial, with a deckled edge. Watercolour paper fit the bill, but the texture of the paper took a little extra negotiating for the ink to lay completely. The ‘noise’ from this combination is perfectly fine (if not desired!) for this type of folksy print, but I wouldn’t use it for a piece that’s made to be fully saturated.

Speaking of folksy noise, another purposeful printing technique used here was to leave excess ink on the block before printing, which added extra streaks, flecks, or lines around the print. What do you think of this technique?

So there it is. April’s print is on its way to my dear subscribers, the snow is finally gone, and May is certain to bring sun, greenery, and more inspired prints. 🌷

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Follow along on my day-to-day on Instagram.

AC