Summer's Light Cover Design

Mock up Cover

My latest project has been working on a book cover design for Summer's Light (a coming of age YA novel). Last week was spent creating a mock-up cover. It was one of those situations where I liked okay when it was on the computer screen, but as soon as it printed out I realized it was flat (and too dark). After playing with it on the computer for longer than my patience could endure, I decided to scrap the computer altogether and redo the design as a multi-drop lino-cut.  Today I will be printing the last block (black).

I'm using butter block (ez cut, speedy cut, whatever you call it). It's a bit crumbly (even though it advertises that it isn't), so I have to use canned air to remove all the bits. This is my first time using this material (usually I just heat up linoleum). I have to say it's nice to work with, although I have to be much more careful with the block, as it has ripped under its own weight in a couple of spots. (Thanks be to the strapping power of duct tape).

In-process linoleum cut cover 

I'm also using Speedball water based inks, although for longer print runs they do tend to dry out and get putty like, so I have to mix inks in batches and print quickly.  Thankfully, it's a short run, since I really only need one good print for the cover. Since they clean up much more easily it's worth the effort of mixing multiple batches of ink.

Once printed, I will scan the cover in to do the typography.