Adventures in Linocutting a.k.a. So Much Blood

Hello!  So I have not been posting regularly because I have been busy with the comic book.  It's been really crazy but there is a ton of stuff to do before the launch party in June (date still yet to be disclosed).  Since I didn't think it was enough to have that and school (transferring and finals! Oh, joy!)  I decided to start working on more art work for myself, specifically for a small works show also at the Claremont Packing House.  The bookmarks will be available, some Bromance prints will be there and a brand new one!  The Scott Disapproves Sticker (pictured above).

For those of you more in the know, you will recognize the lino block in the bottom.  I have never used one or made one before so I was starting from scratch.  I did some light researching before starting to make sure I wasn't totally buying the wrong thing (can't I just buy a rubber stamp?) and wasting a ton of money.  I found a few things but there were holes in a lot of the explanations that I guess I just had to figure out myself.  I bought a multi burnishing, cutty thingy (I still don't know what it's called, yes correct me fine, but it's finals week and will not be accepting any new information at this time) and a lino block, pre-mounted (because I did not wanna deal with that ish).  I took it home and took one of my favorite images from the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel, which I had appropriated and tweaked for my own usage.  Now to start cutting with sharp things!!!  It was going pretty well until I had realized that the text I had written was not mirrored (which meant it would have printed backwards).  Oh yay.  I had finished the whole block at the time I realized the text was wrong.  Which is funny because I took so much time making sure the image was mirrored correctly.  So I got rid of the text and re-did it.  I think it looks a lot better this way so I think the accident was actually a little bit of a blessing.  I'm using a water-based ink on an adhesive cardstock and you can see the results in the photo.  I'm really proud of it.  It took a while to get used to putting the weight down evenly (I'm pressing this by hand, so it's kind of hit and miss) and the paper being textured does not help.  Other than that, it was a fairly successful project.

Now for the blood!  The multi tool came with little rubber discs for stamp-making.  I felt super proud of making a whole block I was like "oh tiny rubber disc!  You think you stand a chance against me and my mighty cutty thingy!?! FOOL!"  and as I cut into it, my tool slipped and I stabbed my hand.  It seems rubber and lino have different resistance strengths.  Who would've thought?  So, of course I freak out because a) it really hurts and b) I bleed a lot.  I have thin blood so it flows fast.  Whenever I get a cut, it looks way more dramatic than it is, but I guess some panic trigger is set off by the sight of all that blood and I freak out.  Anyways, I'm all neosporined and bandaged and will be fine.  Stay tuned for more exciting events that are less boring and mundane than this post.  Thanks!