Bundleflower Linocut - Final Print

I am so excited to finally post my latest linocut print... "The Bundleflower."  As you may know this has been a marathon print for me and I have been slowly blogging about the long process.   My first post was about the bundleflower plant and carving and printing the first and second colors (cream and burnt orange).  The next post was about carving and printing the third color, red.  And the third post was about carving the final plate.  Below you can see each step of the four-color reduction process where the plate is carved away more and more with each color printed.

This video shows me inking the plate with the last color, dark brown.

And here is a video of me burnishing and pulling the final print.

I originally planned to print twelve 4-color prints.  But after I printed the orange color I liked the plate so much I bought six more sheets of paper with the intent to just print the orange plate and keep it as a final record and print.  However, after I printed the red color I couldn't help but be curious what it would look like on the orange and I ended up printing all the colors.  This resulted in twelve 4-color prints and six 3-color prints (the six prints were missing the original cream color).  I was thinking I might offer them as is (with a white background) or I might add a watercolor background to them.  Here you can see the two options.

Below are a few detailed shots of the print (from a gazillion angles!).

I had the bright idea to bring half of the prints up to the porch to photograph them.  But between the cats and the prints still being slightly damp it was a harrowing experience.  Plus my light was fading and I really only got a few good shots in before it got too dark.  I had to re-photograph the following day but it was fun to see them all together. 

This print has truly been quite a long journey for me.  At every step of the way there were so many directions I could have gone, but in the end I had to choose a single path and follow it.  I fell in love with the plate after each carving and wanted to stop and not move on.  It was hard for me to destroy the plate with each new color... but then I would fall in love all over again after the next carving.  It made me see how easily I get attached to things and don't want them to change.  But I quickly learned that change might very well bring something fabulous!

The final print is available now on my website NessyPress.com. 

Before I end this post I wanted to especially thank my husband George.  Without his love, support, food, and burnishing muscle this print would not have been possible. Also, a big "Thank You" to all my friends who lent a hand (Margot!) and an ear to me during this project.  And finally if you have stuck with me this long through this post I would also like to thank you! I love my tribe!

Please help me spread the word by sharing this post and NessyPress.com with whoever you think might be interested.  Thank you!