The Mix, Engraving and a Wordfest Appearance

I was running short of "Mix" so I thought I would share its secrets. "Mix" is what I use to darken the block before I transfer the design onto it prior to engraving. It is simply diluted writing ink.

I use blue-black "Quink" writing ink but I imagine that any water soluble ink would do but you will have to work out the proportions.


I use a simple pipette to measure out a small quantity of Quink. I can see no reason why you should not use a spoon:


Then, for every measure of Quink, I add six measures of water, give it a shake (with the lid on!) and we are ready to darken a block.



I use a piece of smooth cotton cloth (from an old t-shirt) and wash a little "Mix" over the block - taking care that it does not get too dark. My preference is that the block is light enough for my ink lines to show but dark enough so that I can make out the cuts that I have made and get an overall balance of light and dark as I work:


This block is going to be engraved with an image of the Ghost Of Christmas Present from Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carol":


This is one of seven large engravings commissioned by Susan Hill's Long Barn Press. This project is great fun and I will keep you posted as the engravings are finished. Ideally, I would like to complete one a week but that might be pushing it a little - we will see.



Outside, Spring is finally here. This is my favourite season - such an optimistic time of year - and our spring bulbs are looking wonderful both in border and in pot:


Back in the studio, I have been making a display of four information boards and some blocks, tools, prints and drawings. These were installed in Cambridge Central Library last week ahead of the workshop I gave as part of Cambridge Wordfest Spring 2010:







Everyone who bought a ticket was to receive a keepsake which included an original engraving printed from the woodblock in the 1865 Albion handpress. I signed each one beneath the image.

The event was great fun to do and very well received. It was a sell-out - not surprising as I was accompanied by author Philip Pullman in a unique event. I told the story of the design and engraving of the illustrations that I made for "A Outrance" and Philip talked about the project, his own drawings made for the "His Dark Materials" trilogy and then gave a wonderful reading from the chapter of "Northern Lights" that told the story of the bear fight. I was in the happy position to be able to sit at the front and enjoy both the telling of the tale and also the faces of the audience as they listened, entranced.

"Iorek & Iofur Fight" from "A Outrance" is the new "Print of the Month" on my website and is available for sale here.

Newcastle: Talking at Northern Print

It has been many years since I visited Newcastle and so I was very pleased to receive an invitation from Northern Print to talk about my work, wood engraving and bookplates.

I arrived during the afternoon and met up with Chris Daunt. Chris makes the blocks that I engrave and is a fine engraver in his own right. He showed me the new developments along the River Tyne that have occurred since I was last in the city.

Here is the Millennium Bridge with The Sage Gateshead on the far bank and the famous older bridge beyond:




Another view of the new footbridge with the BALTIC Art Centre on the far bank:


I arrived at Northern Print - it is an older building that has been wonderfully converted into display, printing and educational spaces.


The studio facilities are downstairs, including a superb small Albion hand press by Harrild & Sons of London.



My talk coincided with an exhibition of prints - mainly from the "Golden Age" of British wood engraving of the early 20th Century:


The corridor space had an exhibition of Bookplates made by members of the Society of Wood Engravers, including a group of my own:


I enjoyed speaking at Northern Print. So much of the early history of wood engraving is linked to this city.

(thanks to Rebecca at Northern Print for the photo)

The next day, I spent the morning wandering around, walking out along the River Tyne and its tributaries.





My first stop was at The Mushroom Works to visit Lee at Hole Editions. He is a superb lithographic printer. I always enjoy studio visits.


I took a bus back to the city centre and enjoyed the architecture.




But now who is this gentleman?


None other than...


It is a splendid tribute to the pioneer wood engraver who worked in a workshop in this location.


I visited the Liang Art Gallery to reacquaint myself with some favourite PreRaphaelite paintings:


And then crossed the road to the city Library, where Bewick's tool box and engraving desk are on display:


I found a friendly place for lunch - La Boca Art Cafe. Art is for sale here and there are lots of books and magazines to leaf through while you enjoy your break.


It was time to collect my bags which I had stowed at Northern Print and head back to the station for my journey south. I had to take a photograph of NP's bathroom which is decorated from print images, including fragments of Bewick engravings along the bottom of the wall.



My thanks again to Northern Print for the invitation to visit and give my talk.

Printing Again

After something of a hiatus I am back in the press-room again. The three boxwood blocks that form the inside of "A Prospect of Ely" (see this post) are set up on "Red".



Printed sheets soon started to fill the drying racks.


I had already finished a small number of these books to be given as Christmas gifts. I now have enough printed to complete the edition of one hundred books and will start to offer them for sale very soon and will contact those people who have already expressed an interest in purchasing one.

I was good to get back to my presses and carry out the familiar and pleasurable tasks of cutting paper, building up the makeready to give a good impression and, finally pulling the bar to force the ink from the blocks onto the Zerkall paper. My fingers are inky again and it feels good. Tomorrow I will take a bookplate commission through its final stages ready to print the edition in the smaller Albion.

As you can see from the top photograph, the room is getting untidy. Spring cleaning has come early this year and, once again, I have cleared out various states, working proofs, paper trials and early editioned prints for sale on Ebay.

Miniature Books, A Outrance and Snow

I have been working on a miniature book recently. I had already engraved a panorama of Ely from the village and engraved a title page:


...and a colophon on separate blocks:



These were printed in the small Albion press to make a very wide image which I trimmed and folded, concertina fashion, to form the inside of the book:



The case of the book was cut from card and covered in various paste papers. I used thin ribbon at the spine. This was tied into bows to hold the book together.


Here is the finished book. I will explain the ribbons in a moment:


With the ribbons tied, you can open the book as normal:


However, if you untie the ribbons, you can open the book to see the whole panorama:


These books will shortly be available from my website.


Tuesday saw a long drive over to Oxford. We spent the afternoon in the Pitt Rivers Museum, a unique institution and then wandered around town as night started to fall. Then it was time to head for the Bodleian Library where A Outrance was being launched in the wonderful setting of the Divinity School:



Philip Pullman gave a wonderful reading from the extract of his novel, ending with a marvellous bear's roar!


Bruce from the Oak Tree Fine Press then spoke about the great needs of children suffering from the effects of HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa. All of the proceeds from the sale of the books goes towards this cause.


I had seen the letterpress edition on Somerset paper at the Oxford Fine Press Fair and, despite the high price (but all for a very good cause), I decided that I had to have a copy of my own. The next day, I was able to spend some time with this beautiful volume which arrived snug in a slipcase:


It is a very handsome volume, half bound in leather:




With a wonderful hand marbled paper:


Opening the book, the engravings and letterpressed type look wonderful against the textured paper:




My decorated capital letters look particularly good with the use of red and black type:


Red type also adorns the pages where there are full page engravings:


Philip Pullman has added a line from the text and his signature underneath the engraved portrait by engraver and blockmaker Chris Daunt:


The top edges of the pages are gilt:


In the back of the book is a collection of the six full page engravings:


All signed by the artists and author:


One of my engravings was not used in the text but, instead, appears as a gold image:


All in all, this is a most beautiful addition to my bookshelves. Copies are still available from the Oak Tree Fine Press.

Luckily, the weather was fine on Tuesday and the drives to and from Oxford were uneventful. Since then, we have had snow for several days and I have enjoyed several walks through the lanes and droves:



This will be my last post before Christmas. I send every good wish to you at Christmas and for the New Year.