The good and the ugly (no bad here!)

Hi everyone!

Well, I did it.  I carved the ampersand I wanted out of the linoleum block!  It was a lot tougher to do than the rubber block, but using the linoleum enabled me to get a finer, crisper stamp that showed the detail I wanted.

Here's the drawn symbol (I did several, but picked the first one I did [bottom left])...I like how the top looks like a heart:

Here's the ampersand colored in with pencil:

Then I burnished it onto the linoleum block (basically putting the pencil-colored-in side down on the block and rubbing on the back of the paper with a bone folder [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_folder]):

Then I started to carve (you can see I used different ends on my carving tool depending on which part I was carving):

Final carved stamp:

Now for the final product test...stamping the stamp in ink and pressing it onto the paper.  Here is my paper plate with the ink.  I used the little spatula to spread the ink out fairly evenly on the paper plate before stamping:

Finally...success!

While the first stamp all the way to the right didn't look good (and I smeared the ink), the second stamp turned out pretty well.  I will have to be careful when stamping this on the canvas...I need to make sure I keep the pressure even on the stamp as I stamp it (all without moving the stamp and smearing the result).  I'm a little nervous to try it on the canvas, so I am waiting a couple of days before I do it (yes, yes...I AM a big chicken!! :-) ). 

So that's the good.  Now for the ugly.  I ended up stabbing my finger twice with the small carving tool (I was holding the block with my left hand as I carved and I lost control of the tool) and cut my knuckle once (also losing control of the tool and whacking my knuckle into the side of the block).

I have never been known for my gracefulness!  :-)

So, would I do this again?  Maybe, maybe not.  Depends on what I need for a stamp.  The linoleum, while allowing for more detail, was quite difficult to carve.  I needed a lot more consistent pressure with the carving tool and that was difficult to maintain (obviously, as shown in the above two pictures! :-) ).  I'm sure with practice it would be a lot easier, but for my needs, I just don't know if it is worth it.  We'll see when the next time comes.

So, I'm off to bandage up my knuckle and settle down with a good book for the evening.  It's time to celebrate (yes, I celebrate by reading!)!

Until next time, take care, stay cozy, and keep your dreams alive!