Superman

Superman 6x8" six-color woodblock print

The year is 1978 and Christopher Reeve is the Man of Steel in ... Superman.

The tagline for the film was "The movie that makes a legend come to life" and that was pretty accurate. Superman was already one of the most recognizable icons in American culture, and this movie (and the fact that it was a good movie) served to make Superman even more indelible. I was seven years old when I saw this movie in the theater, and it certainly made an impression on me.


This is the most ambitious woodcut I've done to date with four blocks totaling a six-color print. The layout was tricky, having to make sure each block was going to line up with the next block and so on. The printing was tricky too, registering each block carefully to line up the colors on every print. Above are the first three blocks cut awaiting printing.


A print (with the yellow already printed) being pulled from the 2nd (red) block.


The third (blue) block on the inking table during printing.


The final (black) block in the process of being carved.


And with the printing of the fourth and final block, the print is complete.


The iconic (and patriotic) fruits of my labor

Bo Derek

Bo Derek 6x8" collograph print w/ a la poupée and watercolor


Bo Derek 6x8" collograph print w/ transparent top roll and watercolor




Construction of collograph plate - this is the layout stage, cutting out all the pieces of construction paper, making sure it all fits, before adhering and sealing to the substrate. Modeling paste was later added to create the texture of the water and waves.



a big inky mess - the palette for the prints mixed up and laid out.


the inked collograph plate



fresh print being pulled from the plate