How It Is Printed

THIS IS
"COFFEE SHOP"
AN OIL PASTEL ON BLACK GESSOED CANVAS
IT IS THE 'STUDY' FOR THE BLOCK PRINT OF THE SAME NAME
THE IMAGE IS MARY'S INTERPRETATION OF A COFFEE EMPORIUM
THAT WE PATRONIZED IN ROME, ITALY IN JANUARY OF 2003.

THE IMAGE DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING THE PALETTE PLANNING FOR THE BLOCK PRINT
IS COMPLETED WITH THE ABOVE PASTEL.
THE VISION OR HOPE FOR THE FINAL PRINT IMAGE WITH ALL OF ITS NUANCES
IS WELL IN MIND AT THIS POINT.
THE ACTUAL EXECUTION OF THE FOLLOWING PRINTING PLAN
IS HIGHLY STRUCTURED AND EXTREMELY UNFORGIVING.
IT IS ALSO FRAUGHT WITH MANY COMPLICATIONS, INCLUDING
NO PIGMENT IS TRULY OPAQUE SO COLOR SHIFT OCCURS WITH EACH LAYER
REQUIRING CARE IN PLANNING OF THE ORDER OF COLORS AND THE MIXING OF THE INKS,
THE PAPER STRETCHES WITH EACH PASS THROUGH THE PRESS EFFECTING THE REGISTRATION,
DAILY CHANGES IN ROOM TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, AND ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
ALSO EFFECTS PAPER STRETCH AND REGISTRATION.


Start with a blank linoleum block		Start with as many blank sheets of paper as you wish to print. Our original print editions usually start with 70 sheets


Carve off the surface of the block where you want each and every instance of white to appear in the final image. Where the block is carved, the ink does NOT occur in the printing process. NOTICE that the image on this block is reversed from the printed image.	Roll yellow ink on the top most surface of the block being careful not to allow the ink into the crevasses. Over inking will blur the final image.	Print a blank sheet yellow, re-ink the plate and print the next sheet yellow, repeat the process for the entire collection of sheets. Once you carve the block again in the next step you may not return to this one.


Return to the same block being sure that it is clean and dry from the previous printing and carve off the surface of the block where you want each and every instance of yellow to appear in the final image. Where the block is carved, the ink does NOT occur in the printing process. And again, the image on the block is the mirror image of the developing print.	Roll green ink on the top most surface of the block being careful not to allow the ink into the crevasses.	After each print has dried completely from the previous printing, lay the first sheet carefully on the block taking care that it is placed on the block exactly where it was placed for the yellow color. Small variations will make the image look like an out of focus photograph. Print the sheet green, re-ink and repeat for the entire edition. Once you carve the block again in the next step, you may not return to this one.


Return to the same block being sure that it is clean and dry from the previous printing and carve off the surface of the block where you want each and every instance of green to appear in the final image. Carve the block in mirror image and in negative, where the ink does NOT occur in the printing process.	Roll blue ink on the top most surface of the block being careful not to allow the ink into the crevasses.	After each print has dried completely from the previous printing, lay the first sheet carefully on the block taking care that it is placed on the block exactly where it was placed for the other colors. Small variations will make the image look like an out of focus photograph. Print the sheet blue, re-ink and repeat for the entire edition. Once you carve the block again in the next step you may not return to this one.


Return to the same block being sure that it is clean and dry from the previous printing and carve off the surface of the block where you want each and every instance of blue to appear in the final image. Carve the block in mirror image and in negative, where the ink does NOT occur in the printing process.	Roll turquoise ink on the top most surface of the block being careful not to allow the ink into the crevasses.	After each print has dried completely from the previous printing, lay the first sheet carefully on the block taking care that it is placed on the block exactly where it was placed for the other colors. Small variations will make the image look like an out of focus photograph. Print the sheet turquoise, re-ink and repeat for the entire edition. Once you carve the block again in the next step you may not return to this one.


Return to the same block being sure that it is clean and dry from the previous printing and carve off the surface of the block where you want each and every instance of turquoise to appear in the final image. Carve the block in mirror image and in negative, where the ink does NOT occur in the printing process.	Roll taupe ink on the top most surface of the block being careful not to allow the ink into the crevasses.	After each print has dried completely from the previous printing, lay the first sheet carefully on the block taking care that it is placed on the block exactly where it was placed for the other colors. Small variations will make the image look like an out of focus photograph. Print the sheet taupe, re-ink and repeat for the entire edition. Once you carve the block again in the next step you may not return to this one.


Return to the same block being sure that it is clean and dry from the previous printing and carve off the surface of the block where you want each and every instance of taupe to appear in the final image. Carve the block in mirror image and in negative, where the ink does NOT occur in the printing process.	Roll red ink on the top most surface of the block being careful not to allow the ink into the crevasses.	After each print has dried completely from the previous printing, lay the first sheet carefully on the block taking care that it is placed on the block exactly where it was placed for the other colors. Small variations will make the image look like an out of focus photograph. Print the sheet red, re-ink and repeat for the entire edition. Once you carve the block again in the next step you may not return to this one.


Return to the same block being sure that it is clean and dry from the previous printing and carve off the surface of the block where you want each and every instance of red to appear in the final image. Carve the block in mirror image and in negative, where the ink does NOT occur in the printing process.	Roll lavender ink on the top most surface of the block being careful not to allow the ink into the crevasses.	After each print has dried completely from the previous printing, lay the first sheet carefully on the block taking care that it is placed on the block exactly where it was placed for the other colors. Small variations will make the image look like an out of focus photograph. Print the sheet lavender, re-ink and repeat for the entire edition. Once you carve the block again in the next step you may not return to this one.


Return to the same block being sure that it is clean and dry from the previous printing and carve off the surface of the block where you want each and every instance of lavender to appear in the final image. Carve the block in mirror image and in negative, where the ink does NOT occur in the printing process.	Roll black ink on the top most surface of the block being careful not to allow the ink into the crevasses.	After each print has dried completely from the previous printing, lay the first sheet carefully on the block taking care that it is placed on the block exactly where it was placed for the other colors. Small variations will make the image look like an out of focus photograph. Print the sheet black re-ink and repeat for the entire edition.

This demonstration involves only 9 colors (including the white which is actually the color of the paper - the absence of color) The final print actually has 20 colors, including 3 different shades of yellow, 2 blues , 3 reds, 3 greens, and so forth. See the image below.

THIS IS
"COFFEE SHOP"
A 20 COLOR REDUCTION BLOCK PRINT
IMAGE DIMENSION OF 22" x 30"
A BLEED PRINT (THE IMAGE SIZE AND PAPER SIZE ARE IDENTICAL)
AN EDITION OF 69