Diary...progress & comments

Wednesday, 29 August

Wednesday just after lunch, and I feel exhausted. I think I have done very little today after two focussed and busy days at the beginning of the week.

On Monday I finally finished the drawings for the colours on the sleeping girl, which they printed Tuesday (yes, I have just had to check which day it is again, I thought for a moment it was Thursday). So yes, they finished the piece for me, it took a while getting the colours how I wanted them, not the technician's error, sometimes you do not know how it will look in reality, although I had done my best to visualise the separation on the screen, it’s quite different to standard printing in industrial terms, where often they use 4 standard colours and a ‘halftone’ screen (the image being made up of tiny dots) to give the illusion of continuous tone. In the case here, there is no ‘dot’ the tone is continuous and the colours are all individually mixed. I am quite pleased with the result and wish I could do more here, using the litho press.

The woodblock, well I printed the block that I cut down over the weekend, on Monday. It was just how I hoped it would be, and I have sent some images separately from my phone. After printing about 15, it was quite hard work, I started to make mistakes and printed two upside down on top of the previous colours. Then I printed one ok, then another upside down. I definitely needed a break, so had a walk around the fields and relaxed, then went back after the evening meal and finished them. That meant that in between checking the litho, I could cut out the last major areas for the woodblock. I am running close to the deadline on this and although I checked it briefly yesterday, I should be printing it today, but haven’t started yet.

So how am I doing with the printing/work schedule I set myself earlier in the week… was it Sunday? Or Saturday? I have completed three lithographic prints, they are all trimmed and need naming and signing for the edition. For that I need a good pencil and to refine my names for the prints, as I have been using working titles so far.

Frances, burnishing the etching plate

Etching, that has been re-etched but I have not proofed it yet. It may be one of the things which has to wait until I get home to work on.

The Pingyaou waitresses and the Beverley dancers are also on the list for immediate attention when I return home. I am sad that I cannot stay longer and complete them here, although they would not have taken the shape and form they have, had I attempted them at home.

Everything is considered in the light of this place. It has been one of the most motivating experiences of my life. I have started many things here that can be continued at home, but will retain the source of their creation here, even after they are completed in another place. In my head I know how they will continue.

In those few brief minutes between drawing the colour layers for the sleeping girl, I gave in to exploring the quality of the ink again, and have a few of those explorations that I will work with silkscreen also after I leave, unless I can manage to get a silkscreen made here that I can experiment with at the last minute, over the weekend.

A little bit about paper:

I had been in touch with Hahnemuehle the German paper manufacturers and had a message from their English office today, who had forwarded the request for sponsorship (to supply some of their paper) to the Beijing office. Unfortunately the reply from Beijing arrived yesterday, so I am afraid that I will not be fortunate in using any of their paper. It has a very slight creamy yellow tint and of amazing quality. Kiki, our translator here, will contact their Beijing office to clarify the situation, as it sounds as if they are planning to come here on the day I leave!

There is Rives paper (which is a French company) here and that is lovely, although I have not printed the lithographs on it - I need to check what paper the lithographs are printed on… it is Canson Barbizon. I have also used Fabriano which is an Italian paper as well as Indian silk paper for my woodblock prints. However I fell in love with using the Hahnemuehle when I studied on my MA and I retain a preference for that lovely colour with the outstanding quality it delivers, so I am sad that I did not manage to get any here (although with my consistant optimism I hope that some will arrive any moment!)

Finally – my work is on the table. I need to find a pencil and start signing.

Hopefully I will visit Shenzhen on Friday. I cannot believe that this time next week I will no longer be here, but home.