FINE-TUNING "OVERLOOK" BLOCKS

Final proof coming! We're color balancing & carving our last fixes in preparation for printing that for real color proof of the "OVERLOOK" woodcut this week! Hoping to have final print decisions made by Friday, and a newsletter to share it with y'all!

5 total blocks make the "OVERLOOK" woodcut print, years in the making (we haven't counted hours by boy it's been a LOT!) 

Join up to our mailing list to be the first to see how this epic project wraps up! Just enter your email at www.tugboatprintshop.com!

LAWRENCEVILLE ARTIST STUDIO TOUR

Update! It's been a tough call to make, but Tugboat Printshop will NOT be open for the annual Lawrenceville Artists' Studio Tour November 7th. We've got a brand new baby, an event in NYC the same day, are working to finish the "OVERLOOK" print and are just stretched too far to make it work this year. Apologies to all that were hoping to drop by!

We'll be open by appointments again starting next week (Monday, Nov. 9th), so be in touch if you'd like to come check out some color woodcut prints!

T.B.P.S. | Floor #2 | 4514 Plummer St. | PGH, PA

"OVERLOOK" SKY FINISHING

We transferred the sky drawing/carving from our 1st "OVERLOOK" blue block to the 2nd "OVERLOOK" blue block and then drew in some more sky details. The overall effect will (probably) compare to the sky in the "DESERT ISLAND" woodcut but with all mid-day blue tones.

(Carving is almost done, too! Forgive us for being behind in posting & documenting a bit...we're about to bring another tugboateer into our little Pittsburgh family! Baby 2 any day!)

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.

DAISY BOUQUET - COMING JUNE 5!

Playing, inspired by all the new spring growth, pencil sketches starting directly on on wood and blossoming forth into pen drawings that are now being made into woodcuts! 

This one will be some combo of classic black & white on natural toned paper, a daisy bouquet. 

The 'Daisies' woodcut print will debut online in this Friday's Tugboat Printshop newsletter! (June 5th, 2015) Sign up to our mailing list to be the 1st to see & get an original printed copy of the finished b&w print: www.tugboatprintshop.com

BIG RED!

The red block for the "OVERLOOK" woodcut is now carved, making 3 color blocks. We just proofed the 3 together with the key and now begin the process of going back to each of the blocks to refine, carve more, and fine tune how the colors will layer in the finished print. Throughout this process, we'll also be making one more block, which will add shadows, more greens, and a deeper dimension to space within the tiered landscape. Shouldn't be too long and we'll have a solid 1st proof to share! 

RED & YELLOW LOG BLOCKS

More "LOG" updates! Drawing on 2 transfers here, from the key block & the blue block. Carving now begins! Expecting to be mixing ink to proof by early next week! 

BLUE FOR LOG - CARVED!

This block will create  blues, greens, browns & purples. Each block prints one color, layers of ink building with every impression. "LOG" will be a colorful & lush woodcut world in miniature! 

FINAL "COMMUNITY" PRINTS

Printed the remaining limited edition prints in the "COMMUNITY" edition a couple weeks ago (sometimes, since it's just the two of us, we print big runs in a couple batches).

"COMMUNITY" is printed from 4 hand-drawn, hand-carved woodblocks. Here, Paul is pulling up the finished print on paper from the black (key) woodblock after a final run through the press.

The limited edition is now printed in full! Prints are available online, signed, dry & ready to ship!

"COMMUNITY" is a 16" x 20" color woodcut; order original prints here!

THE "OVERLOOK" KEY IS CARVED!

After years of planning and drawing and months of carving, the "OVERLOOK" key block is now carved in full! We will be pulling a couple B&W proofs in the next week as we transfer this image to color blocks (printing the block to newsprint, then printing the still inky newsprint onto new wood).  And then the process of building color begins!

The "OVERLOOK" landscape will start to take on more dimension as we are able to sculpt the key drawing with shadow and color and light. We are very excited! This has been a momentous project, showing us new ways of working together (even after 7 years of collaboration) and really allowing us to stretch our conceptions of what it is possible for us to make. 

This print will have 4 color blocks. As the natural world is rich with vibrant color at its most glorious vantages, so we hope to affect the "OVERLOOK".  Forests, trees, leaves in ranges of rich green; fields of golden flecked grasses; the gentle fade to pastel that happens as one looks out across a great expanse. Oh, the wonderment of diverse & beautiful living systems at work in the outdoors!

There is much still to do until the print is officially completed, but we wanted to remind you all again that the "OVERLOOK" has just a few more days of earlybird pre-order! 

The price on "OVERLOOK" will be going up soon, so please place an order if you'd like to secure a copy for your collection.  This will be a limited edition print. Payment plans are now available, last chance to lock in at the current rate!

>>> SEE ALL THE NEW BIG PHOTOS!

OVERLOOK PROGRESS

In the final stretch  carving the "OVERLOOK" key!

Come and see it on Saturday (details here)!

2 years drawing and weeks & weeks of carving and it's almost complete!

More photos here | Pre-order here

NEW! "COMMUNITY" WOODCUT

It's done! The "COMMUNITY" woodcut is now complete in full color! Print size is 16" x 20" on Ivory Somerset Paper. Printed from 4 hand-drawn, hand-carved blocks. More info & order a copy HERE! 

PRINTING RED & YELLOW

After countless hours carving color blocks, we are now printing the "COMMUNITY" woodcut! See the first run here, lots of additional shots of the lengthy process on our flickr. 

And, heads up, the pre-order special expires tomorrow! 

"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!

GETTING THERE!

VALENTINE A "RUBY RED ROSE"!

The final copies of the "RUBY RED ROSE"! The flower of romance & love, the color of passion & heart. Printed from two hand-drawn, hand-carved woodblocks onto 14" x 11" Natural Kitakata paper. Get one for yourself or get one for your near-and-dear! Edition of only 100 prints, exclusively available in our online shop & our etsy.