Burnt Umber

This simple woodblock print is in honor, memory, and respect of Harlan Hubbard - Kentucky shantyboat captain & artist who used simple tools in his woodcuts & printing.
www.amazon.com/Woodcuts-Harlan-Hubbard/dp/0813118794/ref=...

--2-1/4" x 4-1/4" image.
--block: solid birch (bought this craft plaque at Michaels Arts & Crafts for probably 50 cents or so. I'm amazed at how it holds up to detail.)
--Burnt Umber gouache by M. Graham & Co.
--Small shoe brush. (couple dollars at CVS pharmacy. it only shed a few bristles. less than i thought it would)
--Japanese Rice Paper (Washi) (I bought a tablet many years ago at Michaels Arts)
--binder: methyl cellulose. (powder in bottle. easy to mix with distilled water. does not mold. a simpler binder would be rice flour boiled in water. let me know if you want the recipe.)

Accompanying tanka poem:

Late autumn maple
bare to the high noon sun--
burnt umber cattails
slowly sway with the lake,
a koi sinks in meditation.

©Bette Norcross Wapner (b'oki)

"chi"

a small and quick "experimental" woodblock print just for fun. spontaneous carving.

Title: "chi".
Size: 1.5" x 4".
Block: pine.
Water-based ink.
Paper: Strathmore Bristol vellum 100 lb.
Semi-wet technique.
Hand-burnished with bone burnisher.
Carved with Micro Dockyard 1.5 v-gouge

Printed September 2009.

MONARCH

This is a photo of the first proof.

I like the simplicity of this print design.

--In memory of my brother Larry who passed away June 27th, 2009.

Paper size: 5" x 7"
Image area: 3" x 4.5"
Paper: Strathmore Bristol vellum 100 lb.
Ink: acid-free pigment inks
Technique: soft-block printed images and hand-lettered haiku.
Blind embossing outlining images.

My first print with my newly carved chop!

View the photo log for this print:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bette_norcross_wappner/sets/72157621810477524/

BIRCH SPIRIT woodblock print

To see more photos of making this print, click on BIRCH SPIRIT Photo-Log link in the right hand column.

Moku hanga Japanese method.
Print title: "Birch Spirit".
Paper size: 6.5" x 15";
Blocks: Birch plywood.
Paper: Japanese handmade Washi- Masa Dosa.
Inks: Black - neri zumi
and Guerra pigment dispersion.
Fine mica powder mixed into inks.
Hand-rubbed with Murasaki baren.

Tanka poem handwritten on print:

Lady of the woods
a beacon to the stream
this white birch tree--
her parchment bark poems
float into opal twilight.

Bette Norcross Wappner (b'oki)

2009 NEW YEAR'S PRINT

SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MAKING THIS BLOCK AT:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bette_norcross_wappner/sets/72157612531532508/

--Blocks: Poplar plank.
--Print paper size: 4" x 6"
--Paper: Japanese shin-torinoko.
--2 color ink: black neri-zumi (concentrated sumi-e) and silver metallic water-based ink.
--Fine mica powder mixed into both inks.
--Non-edition: 53 prints

Haiku:

Venus and Luna
press into the ink-black woods
first poem print

Bette Norcross Wappner (b'oki)

Lutetium Element print complete

I produced this print for the Printmakers Element Print Project:
http://azuregrackle.com/periodictable/table/

The print image definitely looks toxic :) -- Lutetium element is used in catalyst cracking in petroleum refineries. The smoke coming from the stack is a molecular model of a catalyst. I used silver metallic ink and fine mica powder to simulate the color and appearance of Lutetium and to emphasize the toxic environmental pollution caused by refineries.

Title: Lutetium
One Block: All Shina printers plywood
Paper: Japanese made white Shin-Torinoko
2 Waterbased Inks: -Black- Neri-Zumi Sumi Concentrate Paste
-Silver Metallic
Fine Mica Powder mixed into the silver ink.
Hand printed with a Murasaki Baren.
Edition: 4 prints.

Although this print isn't my usual poem-print it still incorporates lettering. I enjoyed researching and producing it and being a part of this great project.

"Lutetium 71 Element" printing underway

Finally printing this block. I tried to make the printing easy, yet a way to incorporate a 2-color print. The black is Neri-zumi, a thick concentrated sumi paste, is slightly graded from bottom to center. My hope is to have the silver ink with mica powder to grade from the top down to center of print.