Hawaiian Honeycreepers

One spring afternoon, Auntie Wai brought me a lovely bouquet of flowers from Kokee, which began the inspiration for this piece, the stunning honeycreepers that are indigenous to the Hawaiian islands, also served as the inspiration for this print. My greatest source of inspiration when making a piece has always been plants and other living things.
Drawing the image for this design on the block took more than two weeks, and the entire process of making, carving, and printing the piece took more than six months. The block was printed in a limited edition of 55 on 20 x 30 handcrafted Lokta paper. Another papermaker is the creator of this paper.
The bark of the Daphne Papyrus bush, which only grows in the Himalayas at elevations of 6500 feet, is used to make Lokta paper. Despite the removal of the inner bark, the root structure remains intact and grows back, making this a totally sustainable resource!
I do not use reproductions; all of my prints are hand-printed. There are many different types of printmaking techniques. Traditional printmaking techniques include lithography, screen printing, intaglio printing, and relief printing. Right now, I enjoy linocut printmaking, which is a type of relief printing. This is how I make all of my prints.
Before carving, I sketch the design I want to create on a piece of linoleum. The first things carved are parts of the block that will stay the same color as the surface being printed on. The uncut surface of the block is then covered with the ink. I then place the paper on top of the block, making sure that the image is always transferred with full registration by first fastening the tabs that hold the paper in place. Upon removing the paper, the image appears inverted.
Because each print is individually inked and printed, they are all unique. Some prints will occasionally catch more ink in different areas than others. That is the essence of printmaking's beauty.
This print is rolled and shipped in a tube.
Your print will naturally curve and want to roll back up when you unroll it. This is normal, so do not worry. You have two options: either flatten it yourself if you are framing it, using books or other objects to apply weight, or leave it to your frame to take care of since that is what they usually do with many prints. I use double-sided tape to hold my prints in place while I frame them, which also makes the image lay flat.
Due to the amazing fibrous plant paper on which this image is printed, you can iron out any minor creases or folds on the corners of your print if it happens to suffer any at all. To achieve the ideal flattening of the print, use your iron on the silk setting that is safest for the paper.