LAST BATCH OF 'DAISIES'!

New "DAISY BOUQUET" woodcuts, hand-printed from 2 woodblocks, done & drying in the racks! The last batch of prints from this popular edition (going fast!), available exclusively in our little online shop! More info & pics of the finished print HERE.

ROLLING ON FROM COLUMBIA

Thanks to everyone in Columbia, Missouri, that came out to see us last night at the Tugboat Printshop pop-up at Hitt Records! Today, we're headed to Lawrence, KS, for the 2nd annual Lawrence Print Fair! Join us at the Lawrence Arts Center on Saturday, Sept. 19, 10am-4pm!

LAST "OVERLOOK" BLUE!

Carving that last "OVERLOOK" woodcut blue! Whew!

PRINTING THE "LEFT RIGHT" WOODCUT

2 triangular forest-patterned blocks print together to make the new "LEFT RIGHT" woodcut. That little cardboard shim (top pic) marks out the space between the blocks. 

Pulling paper up from the 2 inked woodblocks to make a finished print. This is how we print all of our prints, no digital technologies, everything done traditionally & totally by hand. 

On intro special in our shop for one more week! 

PRINTING "LEFT RIGHT"

Printed up the edition of "LEFT RIGHT" in classic black on Natural Kitakata paper this past week, prints are now dry & ready to ship out! See better photos of the finished print, available at a special rate in a limited edition run, HERE>>>

"LEFT RIGHT" WOODCUT PRINT

"LEFT RIGHT"

12" x 21" B&W Woodcut on Kitakata Paper
Paul Roden + Valerie Lueth, 2015.
EDITION OF 100 PRINTS.

NEW! The "LEFT RIGHT" woodcut in classic B&W. A study of 2 dense woodland patches on 2 woodblocks. Clean-cut treelines showcase the graphic beauty of an idealized forest wonderland. Printed on 12" x 21" natural Kitakata paper. Special rate, limited edition print, now available HERE!

DETAILS OF BLUE #2

Carving on the 2nd blue block and final color block for the upcoming "OVERLOOK" woodcut has begun! A dense forest to carve through, but this block will add a secondary green tone to the printed image, along with shadow/depth between vertical landscape layers in the print as a whole. (A couple details of the 2nd blue block in progress above) Exciting!

Once carved, we'll finally be able to see the first real glimpses of our vision for the "OVERLOOK" color woodcut print taking shape. The print, which is designed to be both a singular vertical artwork or an infinitely expandable horizontal landscape diptych/triptych/installation, will be lush with color and pattern beyond anything we've ever made.

We have tried our best to document the work on this print, but no number of photos can do it proper justice! It's difficult to communicate both the intricacy & scale. We've collected the best into this photoset. 

Our online shop features a brief intro to the print & process of making it, with the ability to pre-order at an introductory rate (for just a limited while longer!)

Here goes!

EARLYBIRD COLOR "OVERLOOK"

The 1st color print of "OVERLOOK" will debut Friday, August 21, 2015! The print is starting to come to life in color, but still lots to do! We're working now to color balance & align all 5 woodblocks.

Above, our test proof with early proof amendments marked for change. We anticipate a dramatic transition from this early tester to the 1st color print.(Overall, too much brown here!) 

The "OVERLOOK" woodcut print is 46" x 30" with a 1" paper border. Production of the limited edition will follow the release of the 1st color proof. Pre-ordering info here! 

FINE-TUNING "OVERLOOK" COLOR

We're going back through all of the "OVERLOOK" color blocks in preparation for first color proofing! We'll print a handful of copies during the proofing process, slowly fine-tuning color on each of the 5 blocks and carving the last block details, before we arrive at a finished 1st color proof. The 1st color proof will be a guide for how we mix & print during production. The full edition size of "OVERLOOK" will be 100 limited edition prints.We are planning to unveil the 1st color proof on Friday, August 21st, 2015 in the T.B.P.S. newsletter. Join up by entering your e-mail at www.tugboatprintshop.com and be the first to see & hear the latest details about the big "OVERLOOK" woodcut landscape!

DRAWING "OVERLOOK" SKY

"OVERLOOK" color blocks have taken over our entire basement workspace! Almost done drawing in the sky on the light blue block & then we'll transfer this to the others & make more sky magic happen! First proof will be along shortly after these are carved, the fire burns in our bellies to get this print done!

T.B.P.S. SHOWROOM

Tugboat Printshop is open every Friday at our new shop location in Lawrenceville from 10am-4pm! Today, we'll have the new "DAISY BOUQUET" woodcuts ready for pick-up & some rare framed etchings & drawings available for take-home too! Stop by & say hi!

TUGBOAT PRINTSHOP

2nd Floor | Radiant Hall

4514 Plummer St.

Pittsburgh, PA 15201

(MAP)

PRINTING "DAISY BOUQUET"

The "DAISY BOUQUET" woodcut, a new 20" x 16" print in our shop!  Published from 2 blocks on Natural Kitakata Paper. Drawn, carved, and printed by the artists. Edition of 100 prints.

"DAISY BOUQUET" WOODCUT, 1st PROOF!

"DAISY BOUQUET" 

20" x 16" Woodcut on Natural Kitakata

Tugboat Printshop (Valerie & Paul), 2015.

While we wile away the hours on large & super intensive projects, we keep a lot of drawings on wood in progress going behind the scenes. Sometimes we get so excited about a new image, we have to make it! In that spirit, of new things growing & summer awakening, we introduce a surprise new woodcut print!

A still-life composition, printed from 2 woodblocks in dark & light, the "DAISY BOUQUET" is a pretty & classic print. Blossoms fringed with white-tinted petals burst from branching stems. Whimsical patterns of star shaped pollens tip each flower's center.

Simple, serene. Get a "DAISY BOUQUET" from the online shop HERE!

"LOG" WOODCUT PRINT

O, the magic of the forest! The final "LOG" prints are delicate & lovely, with colors harmonious and peaceful, yet blazing and alive! The print has an otherworldly glow, radiating a life pulse in its careful combination of wild patterns & electric pastels. So happy that this image has finally made its way into being!

The cheerfully colored print is a rumination on the cycle of life. The "LOG" supports an intricate and beautiful fern and fungal ikebana, all growing from the decay of the severed tree limb. The fleeting beauty of the smaller growing organisms is fed by the death of the sturdier tree. 

Limited edition prints are HERE!

TUGBOAT'S PRINTSHOP, PITTSBURGH

Inside our little home-sweet-home printshop in Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh. Where we print all of our woodcut print editions, on a 36" x 60" Conrad etching press. It's a small, tidy space and we make the most of it! The bulk of our carving we do down in our basement headquarters, photos of that to come. Maybe. 

"COMMUNITY" PRE-ORDER!

There's a new pre-order in our online shop! The "COMMUNITY", currently in production here at Tugboat Printshop, will be a full color print, final size 16" x 20". Hard to describe our color plans at this point in time, but if you like what we did with "FARM BARGE" and "GARDEN" and "FOREST" and "BONFIRE", then we think you'll be in for a special treat!

Pictured above is the key block for "COMMUNITY". The key block is the detail block that prints last atop all of the printed color blocks. Be in touch if you have any questions - more soon!

More photos & info << HERE! >>

PRINTING YELLOW GOLD

Here we are, printing yellow gold on the new "MOTH" print. Our first time printing with Okawara paper, so appropriately translucent & fluttery! We wanted to try to show you how lovely it is to look at the buttery glow of the yellow block's printed silohuette, sunlight streaming in through the studio windows. The key block (last photo above, in dark ink) prints atop this layer to make the finished print. It's really nice. Quite very happy with how this print turned out!

"MOTH" prints are ready to go, shipping out daily! Get one HERE.