The Two Muses

In an attempt to satisfy the artistic portion of this post, I've made another print.

A few months ago, after making this other print, I decided that I would get back into printmaking.
So I bought a bunch of lino and some more tools and ink and whatnot. I was delighted when it arrived, but that was over a month ago and I hadn't really done much with it.

I made a stamp for some friends of mine, but that was about it.

I was feeling rather uninspired when I got home last night, so I glanced through some of the ideas I had and voila-- "The Two Muses" was born.

This is a proof. I used a spoon for a baren (bottle jack press not finished yet for want of a suitable jack).

I did a short series by standing on the backs of the block so I could use up the remains of some shitty black ink that was probably older than I am.

It turned out pretty well, I think. I'm probably going to have to do some more work on the cigarette pack. It lends itself to over-inking, and the lino I'm using is much, much softer than what I was used to before.

It's entirely likely that the new production battleship lino I used for this print is how it's supposed to feel, and the wonder-cut stuff I bought at Amarillo Hobby House 5 years ago (which had been sitting on their shelves for Krom only knows how long before that) was just old, hard shit.

I'm kind of afraid of doing an extended series with this block. It seems delicate. But maybe that's how it's supposed to feel.

I'm thinking about doing a whole series of "&" pieces. Probably some  "=/=", too...

Fun awaits...