The Six Million Dollar Man: Reboot

The Six Million Dollar Man 3"x 4" linoleum block print with watercolor

For those of you following any of this, you may have noticed this is my second $6,000,000 man piece. I was having trouble getting a good print off of the collograph plate, so I decided to take another crack at it. Printmaking can sometimes have a high percentage of things that don't work out. Also since doing the first piece, I printed a bionic woman print (below) that is also 3"x 4", and I thought a pairing might be nice.

The first print above is printed with black relief ink and watercolored after the ink has dried.


The Six Million Dollar Man 3"x 4" linoleum block print with chine collé

This print is printed in transparent black relief ink on top of a vintage merchandising image from the Six Million Dollar Man toy line (which I had many toys from... Bigfoot, anyone?). The vintage image is on a thin piece of paper with glue on the back of it. The pressure of the printing press simultaneously transfers the image from the block to the chine collé paper and adheres the chine collé paper to the thicker printmaking paper.


The Six Million Dollar Man 3"x 4" two- color linoleum block print

This is a two-color relief print. First an uncut linoleum block is inked with transparent red ink and printed. Then the image block is inked in black and carefully lined up and printed on top of the red.

All three prints are available for purchase in my etsy shop ... here.

hot off the press

The Bionic Woman

The Bionic Woman 3" x 4" woodblock print with chine collé

The Hollywood icons series returns today with Lindsay Wagner as Jamie Somers, the Bionic Woman. It didn't seem right to do the Six Million Dollar Man (two posts down) without giving the Bionic Woman equal time.
This is a woodblock print which I've printed a couple of different ways. The first print is a chine collé print with the woodblock printed on top of a vintage merchandising image (you can either view it as a statement about commercialism, or just a retro-cool print). The second print is a two color woodblock print. The transparent green color was printed first as a solid block of color, then the image was printed on top of the background in black relief ink.

two color woodblock print



two color woodblock print fresh from the press

Modigliani's Studio

Modigliani's Studio 6" x 7" linoleum print with watercolor

Taking a little blogging break from the Hollywood icons series (more in the works, but nothing ready to post) to find a little inspiration from one of my favorite artists. This print is from a series of prints I did of the artists Modigliani, Matisse and Picasso. This print depicts the bohemian Modigliani seated in his studio between his painting, Madame Pompadour, and one of his many elongated head sculptures. This is a linoleum print printed in black relief ink and colored with watercolor.

fresh off the press

The Six Million Dollar Man

The Six Million Dollar Man - 4.5" x 6" collograph print with pastel

Lee Majors is Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man.
This is a collograph print like the Redd Foxx print. Lines of glue are laid out onto a piece of mat board, then sealed with acrylic medium. The plate is then inked with brushes, q-tips and brayers and then printed. This is a very simple technique that yields some very interesting and unique results. This print was very dark, so after it dried, I punched up the color with pastels.

"We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better...stronger...faster."


The inked plate prior to printing (click the pic for a more detailed view of the plate).

The Blues Brothers: "We're on a mission from God."

The Blues Brothers - 5" x 5" two-color linoleum print

The Hollywood Icons series continues with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as Jake and Elwood Blues. This print is a two-color linoleum block print. First the blue background was printed with only the areas that would be white in the final print cut away. Then a second block was carved, inked in black and carefully printed on top of the blue background.
Inking the background block (note the negative space has been carved away)


A finished print fresh from the press.

Carnac the Magnificent

Carnac the Magnificent - 3" x 3" two-color reduction woodblock print

I thought I'd revisit Johnny Carson since he was recently named the number one television icon. Here for your consideration is Johnny as Carnac the Magnificent.

(Carnac holds the sealed envelope up to his turban)

CARNAC: Sis boom bah.

ED McMAHON: Sis boom bah?

(Carnac rips the envelope open and removes the card)

CARNAC (reading): Describe the sound made when a sheep explodes.

This print is a two-color reduction (or suicide) print. It is so named because in this process multiple colors are printed from a single block (usually there is a separate block for each color). The block is carved, one color is printed, then more of the block is carved away, then another color is printed, and so on. Once you carve away more of the block and begin printing the next color, there is no going back. So you have to be careful in the layout and planning stage.


A few prints with only the first color printed.


Inking the block with the second color after more carving.


The second stage of the block.



A finished print pulled from the block.

Redd Foxx

Redd Foxx - 5" x 6" collograph print with à la poupée

The latest entry in the Hollywood icons series is actor/comedian Redd Foxx of Sanford and Son fame. A little research turned up Foxx was also an artist. To view some of his artwork click here to visit the official Redd Foxx website.
The plate for this print (below) was simply made of mat board and glue. This was a test to see if the detail required for a portrait could be captured in lines of glue. All the lines on the plate are glue applied with a fine applicator tip. When inking the plate, inks are applied with brushes and q-tips for most of the color. Then the "lines" are inked by top-rolling a dark color onto the raised lines of glue. Click on the image of the plate for more detail.

"Elizabeth, I'm coming to join you, honey!"

The plate after printing

Hot off the press