Hi folks, I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted, and the last post was about a rare but serious creative block. The thing about blocks is, eventually, they just go away and you start plowing back into it.
I’ve been working on this BLEAK HOUSE illustration project non-stop since Spring of 2019. Enormous and all-consuming as it is, I’ve never lost the spark that has moved me so in this sprawling work.
Ultimately, my edition will contain twenty full-page illustrations, and twenty or more smaller pieces, or “spot” illustrations. These are all hand cut in linoleum, ink rolled onto them, and prints pulled. I’ve become accustomed to what is a fairly elaborate process, which I undertook as a medium because it is so aggressively hand made. My computer use on this project is limited to photo research and scanning sketches.
Currently I’m working on the final large illustration that will complete this project. After this I have one more spot, and, if I choose, space for a couple more. But the book is substantially finished with this last piece.
I know how popular “making of” videos of artwork are because I love to watch them! So as I work on this final piece, I’ve been assiduously shooting videos of every step, from initial thumbnail sketches, through tightening the drawing, transferring the drawing to linoleum, cutting the lino, and pulling prints. It’s an enormous project in itself and so it is taking some time.
Getting the video done and posted will be the next thing you see here. Thanks for reading.
You can send me comments at dickens@mooneyart.com .
