Frilly bits and....

Warning, this post is going to be extremely long. Brace yourself

So, this week I was finishing and printing my book. I don't have any pictures of it, as I want it to be a secret until I don't want it to be a secret anymore... but I have pictures of the process for those of you not familiar with printmaking. I have been doing intaglio, so I engrave and etch into copper plates. My book is 24 pages long so I had to make 24 different plates, backwards. Confusing? Yes. It really was an incredible learning process that I am grateful I did. That's the thing of it though. In all actuality I didn't have to make it, but it was important to me, and I love working hard; there is so much satisfaction in it.

The project all together took about 110hours over a period of about 9 days.

I mentioned before that I was using a mezzotint. Here is a picture of it and the other tools that I use.

the mezzotint has tiny teeth that scrape the plate as you rock it back and forth.

to get a solid mezzotint, which is a velvety black, you rock the plate in twelve different directions. It's quite the process but the results are worth it in my opinion, obviously.

my other favorite tool is the dotted line roulette.

I put a dotted line on everything.

So, to print a plate, you engrave it. This can be done a number of ways like engraving or etching with feric chloride. My process usually involves a mezzotint and other dry point tools (carbide tip, roulettes..) and then you ink it, and wipe it, using a tarlatan, which is essentially cheese cloth. All the while you soak your paper

since the pages of the book are double sided, they have to dry completely and be soaked again to be run through the press.

Once your plate is ready, you put it on the press, place the paper on top and run it through!

This image is called "Slight Delay," it is one the pages in the book. Here is the rhyming couplet that accompanies the image

Slight Delay
I went down a secret secret passage way
Only to be baited by a poisoned Creme Brule'

Each image has a rhyming couplet in the book. Don't worry I will show you soon. Like I said before though, I am so glad that I did it. It is something that I can have forever, the book and the experience. Plus, now more than ever I know exactly what I am capable of accomplishing in a weeks time. ALSO, I got to spend a lot of really nice time with new friends in the lab. Serenity Now!

So, I put together the book after everything was printed and dry on Saturday, only to in fact make the worst book of my life time. I had to take it apart. I had printed two copies but I took the best pages from both... (there will be 13 in total in case you were wondering) so I just decided to take it apart so I could try and sleep... and I just let it be until Sunday. It's good to know when to quit.

Sunday I finished making my portfolio and packaging all of pieces for a nice presentation.
. I was having interesting issues with this portfolio. I am usually a really good problem solver... making something out of nothing, and my mind was blank! It could have been the sleep deprivation, but I had a "Lizzy pull yourself together," moment, and realized that I was used to making something from nothing, and at this point I had too many somethings to make something. Simplify.

It turned out nice. I am sure glad that I bought all that ribbon, because the entire thing is essentially tied together with ribbon. Hooray! I seperated everything by what it was. Paintings. Posters. Prints. A Book. Paperwork. Your Mom. Not really...

I just like for things to be fun to open. That's why I love sending packages and what have you. Unless it was last Monday. Those packages were so-so. Sorry.

So, today after all of last week and last night and whatever, I turned in my portfolio. It's done. Who knows if I will get into the program or not. At this point I don't really care, and I mean that in all sencerity. They will either like it or they won't. They will either except me, or they won't. I did all I could do. I did my part, and I am satisfied knowing that.

Tonight I get a call from my really good friend Brett who is from home, but I didn't meet until a year and half ago up here at school, and he says that he is in town! I was so excited! And then he proceeded to tell me why he was here. To pick out married housing?! WHAT! Brett is getting married. I am really excited for him, and his fiancee seems really nice. A couple of old friends all went out to eat. It was really nice. It was nice to do something out of the Spori, so I could slow down for a little bit.

All together last week was crazy. Today was great. I will be SOOO excited when everyone comes back for the fall.

Have a great week everyone! Thanks for reading my novel.