Not Thinking

I know its been a while since my last blog entry, but I have been working. Just for some reason I didn't feel like writing. I've listened to a couple of albums, but since I wasn't commenting on them, I'm going to put them at the end so I can review them later.

Today I'm spinning:

T.Rex

The Slider

Warner Bros.

1972

When I first put it on, I immediately felt The Beatles. But so far its been enjoyable to listen to, it feels catchy in a "heavy" pop sort of way. Pip's here causing mischief, trouble AND havok as per ushh.

The word of the day! Lets check it out…

extemporize- to improvise

--verb-- Latin- ex tempore "on impulse"

10:07a Okay, I have to go to the store very quickly. I'l brb. hold on : )

...

10:39a

So Today is a printing day. I dont' know that I've been clear about exactly what I'm working on, but I am making a linolium block print of a drawing I did off Mira (aka Pip). I carved the block yesterday and today I have to rip my paper and print the block. The print will be 8x10inches and I have this dutchess paper that is like a matte gold, without any glimmer or shimmer. So like a a dark, deep yellow. Which I think is just perfect for this print. I'm hoping to get done around 5 today so that I can still go for a hike. I was going to go this morning, but it was very rainy, and now it seems to be clearing up and warm. I definitely over dressed for my walk to the dollar store just now.

T.Rex is very likeable, this song has a blues style rhythm. Okay, I am going to prep my papers and stuff and I'll be back.

11:25p

paper is ripped and my print space is all set up. I'm hoping this goes well. I really want to figure out a way to print in my apartment. I have so much art work that is just lying dormant in my sketchbooks that really could be turned into something and I'm hoping this is the path that leads me there. T.Rex just ended. I'm about to put another album on, another pot of coffee and then I'm in print mode. Next album:

Carpenters

(guess its self-titled)

A&M Records

1971

Firstly, the album looks like an envelop, which is really cool and different and creative.

I like the idea of songs being letters or notes or "snail mail". Side Note: I think the band Snail Mail has the best band name that has ever existed.

12:04p

Well I've done three prints. 2 on my newsprint (which is basically practice paper) and one on my gold paper. And first off, the gold paper is fire, which I was expecting. The printing was ehhh. It could be better. but it also could be worse. I just hope it gets better before I waste too much paper. I tried using both a barren and my akua pin press. The barren was a lot more work to use and I just can't imagine doing 30 prints with it. So I think I'll stick to the pin press. Mostly, the thing that is bugging me is all the noise around the image. I know that its part of block printing, and it works for some people, but I just don't like it in this situation.

I think I'm going to try to carve out more of that noise and see how that works.

12:32p

I'm not doing well, I've done seven prints so far, and none of them could pass. I will admit, I am a perfectionist when it comes to this stuff and so far I'm feeling defeated. It could be a learning curve to using this pin press, its basically the first time I'm using it. I feel like each time I print one, I fix the last problem only to discover another. Too much ink, too little ink, not enough pressure, the paper shifts from too much pressure. and it goes on and on.

The album stopped a while ago which means that I was engaged in the process. Which is ultimately where I want to be. Not thinking about anything but, printing.

Maybe I should stop printing them one by one and just print every piece of paper I have and at the end decided what is good? I think thats the way its suppose to go anyway. But if I want to be done and cleaned up by 5, I got to get back to work.

Next album:

Peter Frampton

Frampton

A&M Records, Inc.

1971

1:42p

When I think of Peter Frampton, I think of High Fidelity. And how the chick plays the Peter Frampton song "Baby, I love your way" as an acoustic cover and they're all drooling over her.

and after listening to whole album, I feel like Peter Frampton is the "white" Al Green.

I already put on the next album, its:

Traffic

John Barleycorn Must Die

Island Records. Inc.

1970

I am very frustrated. I am clearly not doing something right.

I just turned around and looked at the prints I have done hanging on the wall and I was going to count how many I have vs. how many are actually good... And when I looked from across the room they... aren't as bad as I thought they were? I'll have to take a closer look. But maybe I'm just being too hard on myself. This is, after all, my first (real) time using the pin press and my first time really printing in a very long time. Too long.

Okay, so maybe I just had to remove myself for a minute. Back to work.

3:10p

Finished! all thirty pieces of paper + a couple of test sheets. In conclusion, there was definitely a learning curve and I'm so glad I didn't stop earlier when I was feeling like it was never going to turn out. Because eventually, after baby steps, they started to turn out better and I was able to print them faster. Were they perfect? nope. Because there were just some thing that I will have to do differently earlier in the process. Like for example, I should have printed them on larger pieces of paper because the image looked better on my test sheets that were like the next size up. But overall, I'm feeling very pleased with myself. I feel accomplished and and awesome. I just feel awesome. like I am awesome. Which is a rare feeling for me. I don't really know what I'm going to do with these, I don't know if they are good enough to sell. But now, I guess I have to think of what to do next!

Cleaning up and then going for a hikkke!

8:56p.

Welp. I tried to go on a hike, but we started (me and my mom) walking for about 1/2 mile or so and then it started pouring. So we turned around and went back. Even as it was raining the weather app on my phone said it wasnt raining. So we went grocery shopping instead. I don't want to bore you with the details of my evening. I'm actually getting very tired, but I have laundry to do. I think I'm gonna pluck some strings while I wait.

Also, I didn't use the word of the day in this writing, but I used it at the grocery store where they were out of my coconut cashews for my trail mix and I had to extemporize and use honey roasted almonds instead lol

...and Traffic was industrial jazz. kinda.

Thinking I might actually scrap this whole batch of prints. Chalk it up to a learning experience and try again. I saw a video on how to use old drawings and paper and stuff to make handmade paper. I dunno. We'll see how many good ones I have once they dry.

Have a good night and enjoy your time being alive.

P.S. It says "hellcat"