Completing an engraving started in 2009

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single colour engraving (from resingrave block)
image size: 4.5 x 6 cm (1 5/8 x 2 3/8 in)

 I was recently organizing some of my artist materials to a more centralized storage system and happened upon a small sized block of resingrave (synthetic coating that is fused in a thin layer to a mdf substrate that makes it type set height). On the surface of the block was a sketch I had made of a sparrow balanced on top of several wildflower branch heads. The block itself measures 4.5 x 6 cm.

At the time I had only progressed to the rough sketch and decided this might be too small for an image to continue. But as fate would have it other things soon took priority and the block was set aside and then put into storage. Last week I was going to begin another new work but when I discovered the block I decided to focus instead on it. I had since that time acquired a good full spectrum combo lamp-5X magnification swing arm unit that allows me to work on blocks that would become small detail engravings.

In the above photo the sketch was traced over using a waterproof fine liner marker. The top area surrounding the bird (sparrow) has been cut away using several engraving blades.

The block is set on a leather sand bag while engraving which allows me to turn both it and block and raises it to a good visible working height under my magnification lamp.. 

block with background cleared
and the early stages of adding details 

print from the open edition with addition
of wash & pigment using a small paint brush

I will print this as an open edition. Some of these will also find a little colour added to them