a flock of birds has arrived unexpectedly in the studio

every year the same thing: oh no, it can't be, where did the year go....is it really almost x-mas? how on earth did that happen? what to do about presents is my main worry these days and as I dislike Shopping (for presents even more so: will she truly Like This? Will it Fit? Does he Need it? and so on) I have always had to resort to the hand-made gifts. This year is no exception and with the arrival of the Press I had a print in mind; of course instead of planning well ahead and actually designing, cutting and printing when I had more time (honestly when is that gonna happen...) I leave it to the kinda-last moment, but hey I managed: a bird lino print; so far 30 have been printed in black-and-white. I'm thinking about cutting another bird facing the other way and printing that one in a more seasonal colour, red and-or green 

all I have to do now is sign, number, date and frame them.....I am rather pleased with the resulting bird, he's a real sweetie



later on more birds did indeed materialize:

oh yes to reds and various shades of green, the last mainly due to lack of cleaning brush and print between colours, seeing what kind of effect that gives one (as if I didn't know)

facing one another on paper

finally a conversation on cloth, perhaps I should have ironed the top bit of fabric before printing.....although Bird on left does now have an interesting neckline hmmph and also somehow the black is not quite black enough, too little/too dry??