Woodblock print - ngla windmill

The first image in my collaboration with woodblock printmaker, Cal Carlisle.  This image is the digital design that I prepared for Cal based on his photos of the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York.  He will turn it into a handmade woodblock print.

The image is made in layers, with each color on its own separate layer.  These separate layers each get carved into a piece of wood.  Transparent color pigments are applied to the carved wood, and paper is pressed down onto the wood to create a color impression.  Since the colors are transparent, they build up and create various color combinations to achieve the final image.  And any time you see white, that's simply the color of the paper showing through.

This is my first time creating an image made specifically for woodblock printing, and it was a very interesting learning experience.  It's definitely more of a puzzle than a normal art piece.  How the colors combine, how to limit the number of woodblocks needed (six wood faces in this case) and how to not drive the carver crazy having to carve tiny details more than once is all part of the equation...in addition to making a nice image of course.

Check out Cal's carving progress below or follow him on Instagram for updates.