Inks have arrived

I have been patiently awaiting the arrival of the inks from Hawthorns which arrived this week. The pigment strength is brilliant and lightfastness of 5. I couldnt wait until the weekend so last night I adorned my apron and gloves and got to ink mixing and plate inking. This is a bit of an experiment in terms of using the press as my new press is the Blue Boy relief press from Baker Fabrication here in the UK. I want to figure out how it will print up collagraph as it is a relief press. However if the texture on the plate is not so deep and the paper has been soaked the print can be achieved with a slight intaglio effect though not one that you get through an etching press (as expected). It will be interesting to see how this press can perform by pushing the boundaries of its limits in terms of intaglio whilst also performing relief printing techniques on the same pressing or by going first for a plate of shallow intaglio features and then a second plate that prints relief. Obviously it also has its use through the medium of lino cutting. So heres a pic of the press and my first print from it using the Hawthorns inks.

As can be seen on the print the press has picked up the textures in some areas and printed in relief in others (the house silhouette and cabbage field).