Moving a few things forward

I think I have written before about how sometimes I just feel the need to push a bunch of things a little way forward to give me a sense of things being vaguely under control, and make me feel as if I am not leaving anything too far behind.

And here I am again.

We have finally received some of our usual summer rain this week and the clouds have covered the sky; and short sharp tropical downpours have been the order of most days.  So today when it dawned clear and sunny (and may I add quite hot and muggy) I thought the time was right to try to do a few photopolymer plates.

This here is my sophisticated approach to  the whole idea; coupled with a rigorous timing and intensity recipe which suggest a few minutes in the sunshine. How could anything go wrong???

My first attempt left me wondering if it worked as I could barely feel any 'etch' as I washed the exposed plate out, so I went and had another go.

Hardening in the sunshine for another hour and marks began to emerge; still can't really feel them tho.

The second plates seems to make slightly deeper marks - so I shall test them out with ink in a little while.

The paper for the pages has been cut.

And as ever, I love the look of layered paper.

Over on another channel I began doodling for a piece for work someone needs. It will hopefully one day be the front cover of a collection of poems, but I do find designing words by hand for others hard.

It is never easy to know if you have captured what they hoped for; or if the layout and style reflect their thinking, so I am doodling away until something feels right to me; and then I thinkI can refine a few sketches and show the folk themselves.

I grabbed a pen and ink and did some handwriting as well, but who knows?!?

It might be time to sit down properly, reflect on the essence of what we are trying to portray; think some more about the styles and size that will present that sense best and maybe not get lost in doodling and noodling too much!