The second block is a coppered textile woodblock of a bull,
almost certainly the trademark stamp of a former Manchester cotton trader. This
block would have had a handle on the back and would have been stamped onto
cotton by hand. I used a spare
pillowcase to get an impression of the image and to trial a mixture of acrylic
paint and textile medium, normally used in textile screenprinting. I applied
this using a roller and pressed the large woodblock onto the fabric, which I
had pinned onto a textile mat to provide extra give. This worked fairly well,
but I’m planning to experiment further in terms of ink, pressure levels and
material – probably giving calico a try next time. The effect was good all the
same and it was marvellous to see this very old woodblock share its image of a
bull in chains again after what must be many years.
I will be returning to this project in the next few weeks
and will be investigating further ways to enhance the printed images, including
hand finishing the wood engraving with a subtle watercolour wash. A very
interesting day!
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