Saturday 10 July 2021

Inky fingers


 Oil based ink gives the best results..but is the devil to remove! 

The reason that printing apprentices were called printers' devils?!

A day for tidying loose ends and starting jobs that have been waiting...

Pirate has started cleaning the next batch of eBay sales items. I might put some clothes on there that I hardly have worn, no point them packing out the wardrobe.

We have a gardening job coming up...not a huge one, but we keep on saying that we won't work there again....it's a nice place to go, however!

Pirate is out for his daily bike ride..then on his return we will be watching track racing from St Petersburg, a world cup meeting moved from Newport in Wales.

Friends are competing in it. So it is good to watch.

tissottracktv.uci.org if you are interested.


8 comments:

deanna said...

Oh, it's nice to see your work! Sorry I'm not around much, and sorry about your ink challenge. But the result of your effort is so much beauty. It's soul-soothing.

molly said...


Beautiful prints. Worth the inky fingers!

Zhoen said...

I knew a painter who only used glass palates for his oils, so he could clean it completely. No idea what he used to clean it, very long time ago.

Joanne Noragon said...

I thought about putting some stuff on EBay, but backed off. It's become so complicated.

gz said...

Joanne it's a matter of accurate description and good photos. It is a pain..I don't do auction, just buy it now price, with what the item is worth as the minimum offer accepted. Things may take longer to sell, but no hassle.
Zhoen, glass pallette yes...cleaning is by wiping off, then add the cheapest veg oil you have, wipe off then use dish soap/washing up liquid...a little added neat, worked in and wipe off.
Degreasing lino blocks I use surgical spirit.

smartcat said...

I am enjoying your work, both process and results. Do you think you will pot again?
I couldn't agree more about oil based ink. When I was doing my printmaking class (30 yrs. ago?) learning to work neatly was a challenge. I used refined lamp oil for initial clean-up, much less stinkier than kerosine. Then a cheap make-up remover. Nothing like soaking type to clean it up! Toothbrush and a mask to avoid splatter.
Proge's dad was the one who taught me to work neatly. He would do silk screen demos with his sleeves rolled a bit and an apron to show that it could be done neatly. Think it was one of the things that attracted me! Now if I screen I work with acrylic based inks. It's a whole different way of working.

gz said...

Deanna it's nice to know that you are still around x

gz said...

Smartcat the new flue section is nearly ready..lockdowns have delayed everything by 18 months...