First Jigsaw Print

I have read about jigsaw prints
It is a simple way of printing two colours in one go, by cutting up the plate and inking the pieces separately. I had cut this little bird using the rubbery easycut stuff some time ago and taken a proof in black, but there were so many mistakes I had rather abandoned  it. But rather than cut a new block it seemed a good candidate for trying a jigsaw print.

So I cut the block into 3 pieces to roughly isolate the bird  from  the background.

 

Although it’s the easycut rubbery stuff it is not that easy to cut in two and I can see that one disadvantage of this sort of block is that it can ( and does) stretch quite easily.

The blocks are then inked up in different colours, re-assembled and printed.

 
Re-assembled block ready to print.

Some trials on different papers with different colours.

I am not very keen on the easycut block. I found when cutting the original image that the tools slipped often and  I didn’t seem to have much control..but then this could well be  (ie probably was) operator error :). I have seen lovely things made using it, so I will persevere.

Greedy Starlings… very rough jigsaw print. Image 5 x 4 inches

I wanted to print a pale colour onto Kraft paper  but this was not very successful and I realise I will have to look at more opaque inks. Probably better quality ones. Also I doubt the lightfastness of Kraft. Not that is matters at the moment, as I am just experimenting but sod’ s law guarantees I will print my best image on something that will fade.

It was interesting to see these results.  I liked the technique and the image, just not the execution, neither the cutting nor the printing,  so l’ll probably try another plate.

I was thinking about all-over patterns at the time and it was based on the busy spotty starlings who hoover up ALL the mealworms and grains that we scatter on the paving by the kitchen. We are rather fond of them.. greedy or not.