Humming bird Lino Reduction Part 1

So i was planning to go into the studio and do my 4th reduction on my bark but after a week it was still tacky and not completely dry so i had to change my plan. So i started on my humming bird.

 I started cutting out my basic shape.

 I wanted to start with some really bright colours then next week start toning them down.

 Mixing my ink

 For my Humming bird i am trying out a graduation reduction. Should be an interesting result.

 Inked up and ready to go.

 I had to make an extra registration sheet as my paper was a bit larger and i wanted to be able to line it up next week. Here it i on my press that i was using.

 I used some really lovely paper which i decided not to wet first. The finish was nice but not quite what i wanted.

So i decided to put the rest of my paper in the water bath for 10 minutes. 

 The result was much richer and fuller. Just what i did want.

 I have been saving up tea bags and stuck the emptied tea bags onto a piece of thicker card to experiment. This will be a mixed medium print and i may do some stitching into it too. We will see. I think it is really interesting.

 This is one of my final first prints. Im really happy with the result. I also cut the lino outwards and put some lighter paint on it as i wanted to look like it was shining.

As well as doing these. I also made up 2 silk screens. One with my humming bird design on it and the other with some words about the humming bird.
I am planning to print my humming bird over the top of the written word. I will do this next week when i have some more time.

 Job 12:7 and 9 says: ‘Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee … who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?’