more using a Cuttlebug as a printing press - lino cutting

I have not done any printing for ages,mainly because I have been doing my MA and the dissertation - which is now finished at last.

This time I have been making lino cuts for an ATCsforall.com swap, Botanical Wonders, where 9 block prints, 5" x 7" have to be sent in.

Some time ago I carved this one and I am inordinately fond of it! I like the positive and negative elements - I think the small fish were cut out paper fish added to the block...

This was a drawing from some time ago I was going to use for an etched acrylic sheet, so I started with this 

but altered it to this, 

to straighten the edge and add more detail to the half carved leaf and to the acorn cups

Next I tried an iris I found in a book of old botanical drawings

and now wish I had maybe stuck to this carving for the flower but I decided it was confusing so 

I did this one and then these

and I am wondering whether to cut out most of the flower away for white space now...

The printing was done using the Cuttlebug machine as a press: only the black one is done with water based printing ink and a roller - as I couldn't remember where I put them, doh. Previously I used stamp pads rubbed over the surface and then printed. Cheap ones are hopeless as they make a bitty print - see second iris. The best are Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads (second print of brown leaves and green iris) - unlikely but they are really effective and give a nice uniform colour too.

Textured Abstracts with shimmer

These are a series of atc cards for a swap; 

the brief was texture and  a bit of sparkle in a 2.5 x 3.5 inch space.

The first three use acrylic paint with  texturing additives plus wire and other inserts

This one used the old paint peeled off the pallette

 This uses textured acrylic and gold cord

These use punchinella - which makes me think of Harlequin - but it is actually sequin waste

Some sheep for Lammas....

Butterfly Book

These are butterfly shaped pages that will be made up into a book - another interesting ATCsforall.com swap* and one that is going to continue on through all the seasons. Using a template that fits in a 6" x 4" rectangle, the idea is to decorate butterfly wings with seasonal  art - they are then swapped out.

This first swap is for spring so I went with March hares. I love hares, I love the mystery of them.

Although each pair here is actually the back and front of the same wing, it is interesting to get an idea of how the book will work...

I watercoloured the paper, which is sketch book paper on thick cardboard,  with random background colour, using lots of wet in wet. Each wing is one template, coloured back and front.

I drew the hares with waterproof pens and then added the colour with water soluble pencils.

*swap hosted by Jennie

More Mixed Media - this time with wonky houses

Another great atcsforall.com swap.

This time it is wonky houses*.

I used the templates and stuck them onto cardboard from old board-backed envelopes, cut them out and stuck them face down onto interesting papers, using matte finish Inkssentials Glue n'seal.

I like this because used top and bottom of the paper you get a smooth finish.

I used dies to cut out the windows and used the positive and negative shapes, then used images from my  collection of pictures, plus some spotty tape, vintage stickers and drawn on creepers.

*hosted by meredithu who supplied these great templates

Nesting dolls Swap on ATCsforall.com

This was an interesting swap; the largest doll is 4.5". Every set will be broken up so that the recipients get a doll for each of 5 people instead of a set from one.

Hard to scan/photograph though! I also made an extra doll for our hostess.

Hosted by Connie Powell who supplied these great templates.

More text and collage

I really like the accidental nature of these; the cards are normal ATC size cards 3.5 x 2.5 inches and I already had them made, as I had cut them down from a water-coloured background sheet.

Then it was a case of finding  images in magazines and catalogues etc.  I collect anything interesting and eye-catching in the hope that I will eventually have a use for it.

Then I concentrated on cutting out pieces of text and moving them around until they made a new sense as  found poetry. I find it is a good way to unlock the imagination with strange juxtapositions of words and phrases that I would not have thought of otherwise.

I also really like the ransom note style of the lettering. 

Great atcsforall.com swap hosted by Juanita Rojas