Today you’re in for a real treat: I challenged myself to learn block printing! In other words, I carved a rubber block and tried to make a stamp out of it. I thought it would be difficult because I had to make a 2D image using a 3D block, which was totally different from the previous mediums that I have experimented with. I also felt like it might be challenging to carve out the small details of the image, since I’m not too experienced with using the carving tools, so I might easily ruin the design. So, I decided to experiment with some test blocks to try to get used to the carving process. I will also try to find out ways to easily cut things like circles, and other small details, and to think about what parts should be inked or not.
While working on the actual stamp, I realized that there was going to be a lot of garbage, since the rubber scraps had been piling up on my desk since I started working. The block that I bought was very soft and easy to carve, but, unluckily for me, it was also easily ripped. Overall, the stamp making process is pretty time-consuming, due to the amount of material needing to be carved out, but after finishing, the feeling is truly a treat. Although I had some mistakes, in the end, I am very proud of my work!
