CARVING BLOCK #5

Headed to press with the "OVERLOOK" to begin final proofing when we're done carving this last block! The 5th woodblock (4th color block) made for this lush vertical landscape print-in-progress, this block will add lots of dark green & shadowy depth...

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!

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!

NEW SHOP HOURS!

Tugboat Printshop will be open all Fridays here-on-out in our new artist space at RADIANT HALL! 

NEW SHOP HOURS! Fridays 10am-4pm

Find the T.B.P.S. Woodcut Showroom, a cozy gallery-style spot for browsing framed & unframed prints, at 4514 Plummer St., 2nd Floor, Lawrenceville Pittsburgh 15201. 

Look for the sign out front the brick warehouse building labeled RADIANT HALL (it's a cooperative artist studio space!) that says 'OPEN WOODCUTS!' That's us!

Today, Paul will be carving on the "OVERLOOK" red block, so you can see that in action too if you stop by. Cool!

BLUE, RED, YELLOW FOR OVERLOOK

1, 2, 3 color woodblocks so far for the "OVERLOOK"! Plus the key block makes 4 (the key is the detail block, printed in a dark tone, see that on our site). Shouldn't be long & we'll be headed to press to begin the process of inking & proofing! Size of this print will be about 44" tall by 28" wide, bleed off the paper edges. 

Everything we make is totally handmade, drawn & carved & printed by hand. This process takes time, but yields really dramatic results! The blocks above will be carved even more as the print develops on press. An additional 4th color block will be carved to add even more rich color tone after we see these three above proofed together with the key. 

EDITIONING "LOG" (YELLOW)

In production on the "LOG" woodcut print this week, we'll start shipping orders out from Pittsburgh on May 8th! Local pick-up available at our new woodcut showroom! Here, printing the first block, yellow!

THE NEW "LOG" IN COLOR!

Introducing the new "LOG" woodcut in vivid, wild, glowing color! Printing is going so smooth & the print itself is looking so dreamy. Delightful!

4 woodblocks make "LOG", each an impressed layer of woodgrain color. (See all of the blocks here.)
Printed on 16" x 20" Natural Kitakata Paper. Edition of 100. 

In joy, we're extending the earlybird intro rate until Monday (4/26)! Last chance for "LOG" special!

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!

COLORING "OVERLOOK"

Coloring in the blue block for the "OVERLOOK" woodcut print in progress. Each of our wood blocks is hand-drawn before being hand-carved in low relief for printing. This print is sure to be unlike anything we've ever made before! We have been working on it alongside many of our other projects for the past 2 years.

Hoping to be printing by March!

CARVING THE "LOG"

Mushrooms & ferns & and all sorts of smallish forest-y things being carved! "LOG" is now available for special limited time pre-order HERE.

PINK! MAMA BEARS!

Limited number of copies from the 1st edition of "MAMA BEAR" are up for grabs in our online shop! Happy Holidays! (And remember, every online purchase through 12/25 is gifted a FREE SURPRISE PRINT!)

"MAMA BEAR" IS BACK!

The last of the "MAMA BEAR" woodcuts are in the online shop! Printed from 4 handmade blocks onto natural Kitakata paper, 16" x 20". Final picture coming soon! Reference the oldie on the site for a general idea. 

THE "COMMUNITY" WOODCUT

The "COMMUNITY" woodcut, a 16" x 20" view of an imagined neighborhood & surrounding greenspaces. Probably one of the most intricate prints we've carved to date, full of charming small detail work! Little tiny shingles, little tiny logs! A pleasant mixing of urban & rural. Printed from 4 hand-drawn, hand-carved woodblocks by the two of us.

Read more about the making & get one HERE!

THE RAINBOW-Y VALLEY

The "VALLEY" woodcut, framed up for Tugboat's upcoming museum exhibition in West Virginia! Pictured here float-mounted with spacers in a pickled maple frame. "VALLEY" is a multiblock color woodcut, printed to paper from 4 hand-drawn, hand-carved wood blocks. More about the making of this new print & process photos HERE!