Hey, the woodcut class was great. The teacher was kind and constructive and worked really hard to make sure everybody learned something new and came away with a design and prints they could be proud of.
The other students were cool too, supportive and low-key. It was really nice and helpful to hang out all weekend in a big studio with other people who were all doing pretty much the same thing.
I think my prints came out pretty well. They have to dry all week before I can pick them up, but I can show you the test prints we made.
Here's the plate I carved for my first project.
And here's the proof on newsprint. I read a news article about this woman, Natalya Estemirova, a few years ago--she was a Chechen human rights activist who was kidnapped and murdered in 2009. I thought she had a stunning face and an amazing story, and I've wanted to do something with her picture ever since. So I did.
The next attempt was lot easier and much more familiar. I wanted to practice making different lines and try a little freehand carving, and it was fun to doodle in the wood.
I printed it in a deep red on bright white paper, and the final prints came out looking pretty sharp. I'm used to using barens and the side of my hand and occasionally setting blocks on the kitchen floor and jumping up and down on them, so it felt luxurious to crank them through the big, professional press.
Oh, and I am really stoked to have learned a cheap, easy way to keep the tools sharp. That alone made the whole class worth it. All the message boards I consulted online had me terrified: Use this stone, then this finer one, then use this superduperfine stone for the finish! No, use this other, better kind of stone! No, another! Use oil! Or water! But for god's sake not too much. Ok, scratch all that, you need a $600 diesel-powered grinder attachment! Well IMHO that's overkill and a complete waste of money if you can get your hands on some boar colostrum and a meteorite whetstone. Whatever you do, though, don't mess it up or you will ruin everything! Everything.
Turns out you can just rub some shit into some leather and pull your blades across in even strokes. Duh. I should know by now that most things don't have to be that complicated, unless you really want them to be.