FINAL BLOCK FOR "OVERLOOK"

Excited to be wrapping up the last of the drawing on the 2nd blue block this week & moving on to exclusively carving until this big, big intricate woodcut print (the "OVERLOOK") is finished! Hoping to be able to begin proofing again, with all the blocks this time, by next week...here goes!

The detail above is of the earlybird proof, crinkled, drawn on, pasted to, revised and generally abused in the tug to get this print completed. Color will change from what you see on this proof, this is such an early tester with only 4 of the 5 blocks for the print rolled up in standard ink colors just to see how they align and mix together.  A more refined color mixing will happen when we have all of the blocks completed & ready to proof together. Such a very small little fragment of the bottom left corner of the print! 

It's BIG!

PROOFING "OVERLOOK" BEGINS!

Proofing on the big "OVERLOOK" woodcut has officially begun! Stay tuned for the big unveiling of the 1st proof in color on Friday, August 21st, 2015! Join up to our mailing list for 1st details.

"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!

"COMMUNITY" // BLUE BLOCK

Wrapping up the color blocks for the "COMMUNITY" print, which we have set to debut during a Happy Hour Open Studios later this month, on May 30th! We plan to have production completed & prints ready to ship and pickup! 

Pictured above is just the blue block for the "COMMUNITY" woodcut, almost drawn in (not yet carved out). 3 additional color blocks are also in the works. Final print size'll be 16" x 20". 

See the intricate key block detail in B&W here, but imagine a colorful world of greenery, brick, stone and log (that is what it will be!) 

Pre-order a copy here!

BLOCKS FOR "TREE SWING"

The fun little "TREE SWING" print will be joining our online woodcut shop this week! Join up to our mailing list for more release details as the end of the week nears and printing wraps up!

RED, BLUE, YELLOW BLOCKS!

Oh, the rainbow of colors so soon to be yielded from these big blocks in the works at Tugboat Printshop this week! Joy, joy, joy!!! Yellow block will make yellow, orange, green, brown! Blue will make blue, green, brown, purple! Red will make red, orange, purple brown! And don't forget the 2 key blocks HERE & HERE that will print, too! (Yep ~ it's a long process…) Proofing in just a couple days! SO AMPED!!

"GARDEN" is up for PRE-ORDER until we've finished the editioning, so if you haven't already, grab your copy of the "GARDEN" today!

COLOR BLOCKS FOR "GARDEN"

Finished planning the color blocks for our latest big woodcut print in the works last week ~ "GARDEN" ~ and now we're onto the carving stage. Lots and lots of time spent pouring over all the little details in the 3 color blocks & how they will work together to layer just right into just the color we imagined for the print…boy-o-boy woodcut can be such a process! And girl-o-girl this "GARDEN" print has a whole lotta detail!

So, we've finished carving the yellow block (first 2 pics above) and work on the red is full tilt. Check out this CARVIN' VIDEO we posted to TUGBOAT'S YOUTUBE!

We are planning for the proof to be ready mid-April, with pre-orders shipping out by the end of the month. Ya-hoo! PRE-ORDER "GARDEN" is still available for a limited time ~ get a copy of this print-n-progress at the introductory rate HERE!

NEW MAMA BEAR PRINT!

"MAMA BEAR"
20" x 16" Woodcut Print on Natural Japanese Kitakata Paper
Paul Roden + Valerie Lueth, 2012.

LIMITED EDITION OF 200 PRINTS.
$85.00

VIEW IN OUR ONLINE SHOP!

Piled high with fuzzy cubs, this roaring "MAMA BEAR" bounds across a field of mossy green, about to smash down into a powerful stance upon rings of lacy, milky blue lichens. No trial or trouble is too fierce in her pursuit to protect her roly poly brood. A flow of dark red fur curls & zigzags across the backs and limbs of these strawberry pink bears. Color just dances through the image ~ our simple photography hardly does it justice. PICK UP YOUR COPY HERE!

SPRINGTIME!

Greatly enjoy Springtime in Pittsburgh! Tromping through the neighborhood watching the natural world reawaken, sitting outside drawing on blocks of wood each sunny afternoon ~ so wonderful! Above, see the drawing of the the lichen & moss patch (under the leaping bears) in new "MAMA BEAR" print? Like a delicate lace. And the "GARDEN" woodcut color blocks are almost drawn in, too! Soon, pictures!

Also, we've been doing some spring cleaning around the Tugboat ~ finding prints here and there from editions that we thought were totally sold out! Browse these rare finds listed in OUR ETSY SHOP!

MAMA BEAR WOODCUT!

It was such a sunny day today in Pittsburgh! Had to take a long afternoon stroll in the golden light. And now back to work on "MAMA BEAR" (and "GARDEN" ~ final color blocks being drawn in as we speak)! A couple photos of the carving of the key bear block above and some much earlier shots of the development of this print here. Sort of flying along now and we expect to have a proof to show you in the coming week! And it will be in color!

GRASSY HILL HOME

Since only one of us can work on the "GARDEN" print at a time, we've started on some other small color prints like this grassy little hill home! A fitting addition to our ongoing LIFE OF LEISURE Series. Wood scraps up top are from yesterday's carving blitz of this hill house block, the "GARDEN" block, and another block for a 4 print set in the works.

PRETTY PICTURES!

Opening this Friday at Future Tenant Gallery, Downtown Pittsburgh!

PRETTY PICTURES: Woodcuts & Woodblocks by Tugboat Printshop ~ a showcase of 5 years of collaborative woodblock print making by husband and wife team Paul Roden and Valerie Lueth! See our full color woodblock prints, our blocks, and our pop-up street gallery in action!

Show opening December 9, 2011 from 6-9pm!

Available prints will be packaged up & available for sale ~ a great time to buy art gifts for the holidays! Hope to see you there!

TREEHOUSE LOOKOUT WOODCUT!

"TREEHOUSE LOOKOUT"

Series: LIFE OF LEISURE
12" x 9" Color Woodcut Print on Ivory Somerset Paper
Paul Roden, 2011.

From atop the lofty decks of this handsome outpost spy the world moving about in all directions for miles upon miles.

Gentle browns, oranges, and the faintest of blues layer to build this 3 block image of a wonderfully peaceful "TREEHOUSE LOOKOUT." A stout, sturdy trunk laced with the meticulous texture of long-standing tree bark braces the tall, triple decked tower. Log ladders and steps climb level to level. A majestic vantange and dreamy place to camp & look out upon the ambling world below.

Printed from 3 woodblocks onto Ivory Somerset Paper. NOW AVAILABLE in our ONLINE SHOP and ETSY!

TREETOP TOWER PRINT!

Progress continues on a new woodblock print of a treetop lookout tower--due to hit our online shop tomorrow morning! Part of our latest LIFE OF LEISURE Series, this 12" x 9" print imagines a three story lookout station built up the trunk of a sturdy tree. Soft color will build in layers through the printing of the blocks above to create a gentle image of a stacking treehouse outpost. More soon!

LOOKOUT WOODCUT!

New in the works at Tugboat Printshop ~ a treetop lookout tower! Size of the block pictured above is 9" x 6" (paper size will be larger than this). To be printed from 3 woodblocks. Sign up for our mailing list newsletter at www.tugboatprintshop.com for a reminder when this print hits our online shop later this week!

"BIG, BAD WOLF"

Just finished! See our online shop for more details!

BIG, BAD WOLF

More process shots from the making of "Big, Bad Wolf!" Size is about 16" x 20" or so ~ to be a color woodblock printed from 2 blocks.

FOREST IN COLOR!

"FOREST"
16" x 20 " Color Woodcut Print on Heavyweight Ivory Somerset Paper
Paul Roden + Valerie Lueth, 2010.

LIMITED EDITION OF 200 PRINTS.
$145.00

NOW AVAILABLE IN TUGBOAT PRINTSHOP'S ONLINE SHOP!

2 NEW WOODCUTS!

"THE VISIT"

13" x 9" Woodcut Print on Ivory Somerset Paper

Paul Roden + Valerie Lueth, 2010.

Edition of 100

"WILDCAT"

8" x 11" Woodcut Print on Ivory Somerset Paper
Paul Roden + Valerie Lueth, 2010.
Edition of 100

NOW AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE SHOP!

SNEAK PEEK: NEW WOODCUT!