The School of Visual Art in Dawson (SOVA) is a new accredited art school with a terrific foundation year curriculum. Instructor Veronica Verkley (photo on the left) – a great artist in her own right – brought some of her students over to my printmaking studio the other day for some show and tell. It’s […]
Here’s another profile in the family of wood engraving tools – or cutters. Note that the sides are not straight but rather bowed like the hull of a boat. When incising a line with this tool a skilled engraver can vary the width of the line according to the depth of the cut. Some engravers […]
One of my wood engraving heroes is Canadian artist Eric Bergman (1893-1958). He lived out his career in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a city dear to my heart. Although he pursued other forms of printmaking he settled on wood engraving exclusively in 1924. He said the following; “I find wood engraving a help in forming my own […]
Relief printing using an etching press offers a very doable solution. I don’t own a massive old iron press that I covetously see in some studios, like the famous Albion Press for example, or better still – a sweet Vandercook proofing press. Although I would love one of these for my studio, My etching press […]
I came across this wood engraving the other day, although it looks more like a woodcut. The artist is Felix Vallotton, a Swiss painter and printmaker from the last century. Given the wonderful results of the American election yesterday, this image is certainly an apt commentary on the outgoing administration. The title Le Mauvais Pas […]
This engraving titled Growing Corn by Paul Landacre recently sold at a Swann Galleries auction in New York for $7,200. Measuring 8 3/4 X 4 1/2 inches it was made in 1938.
A short discussion of material used for making a quality block for the purpose of making a wood engraving. Boxwood is the wood most preferred for this purpose.
I’m so fortunate to own this Paul Landacre wood engraving titled “Siesta’ which he made in the 1930s. The image is quite large for this technique measuring 7.5 by 9 inches – the print quality is stunning. At a distance, you might be tricked into thinking it is a mezzotint. I was so happy to […]
Here’s my initial proof, or first state of a woodcut I did of Sarah Palin this afternoon. I used a photo from the web as a reference. I can’t get enough of Tina Fey’s send-up of her on Saturday Night Live. I really enjoyed the show last night as delivered by that company of talented […]
Engraving letters of the alphabet on the end grain block presents itself as a challenge for the engraver. If the goal requires a faithful rendering of the letter shapes and curves, then very careful planning and cutting will get you there. Practice and more practice continues as a sound way to achieve mastery. These are […]