So - eventually - back to my second sojourn in Edinburgh in January. It seems a long time ago now as we rush through April and summertime is officially here - although not in the North East where it seems more like November at the moment!
Tuesday morning and another pleasant train journey along the Northumberland coast delivered me to Waverley Station in time to arrive at Edinburgh Printmakers for the afternoon session.
My first job was to create an acetate for a second colour on the Cuillin image.
I transfer this to the clean stone, process it, roll it up with black and leave it to rest overnight. Time flies when you're having fun!
Wednesday morning and another acetate - this one for the second colour on the Ama Dablam image. It's such a good process this - just like making monotypes but with the option to produce more than one print! Again I transfer it to the other clean stone, process it and leave it to rest.
Meanwhile I mix up a colour blend of dark blue and purple ink and use it to roll up and proof the Cullin stone. I'm so pleased with the resulting image, which has a lovely graphic quality, that I decide to print a separate edition of it.
Finally get round to adding this colour layer to the Cuillin image!
A short tea break, then clear the decks and prepare to print the Ama Dablam acetate transfer.
I mix a deep, purplish blue, proof the stone and print the second colour layer. I like the strong contrast this makes with the first blue - it makes me think of moonlight on the mountain so I carry on and complete the edition.
By now, I'm well into the evening session - it's turned into quite a marathon today - so I call it a day (and a half!) and head off to the chip shop round the corner for my supper.
I start Thursday's session chemically cleaning the Cuillin stone to prepare it for another colour layer. While it's drying I create another acetate, then transfer it to the stone and process it. While it rests, I mix a rusty 'bracken' colour. After a break for coffee I proof the stone and print the third colour layer. I decide to add this to half the edition and retain the rest as a two-colour print.
The time has come to take a proper break so it's off to Broughton Street and The Bakehouse in search of a late lunch before tackling the cleaning up.
Then off to Waverley with a satisfactory hoard of new prints to take back to Northumberland. An enforced break will keep me from EP for a while, but come the spring, I will be back!
