Getting ready to print third color layer

This layer was a hard one. I try to hold a mental image of what I intend as I’m working. There were lots of opportunities to get distracted and/or lost in this layer. I do graphite rubbings of the linoleum block as I work to get a better idea of what it might look like. Sometimes the rubbings are kind of interesting as “drawings.” And sometimes not.

I decided the linoleum was ready for a test print. I prepared a few sheets of cheap paper to do test prints and it has helped with evaluating the carving but also I find it gives me a chance to tweak the color mix before the ink hits the good paper. The brown layer in the test print below is printed with transparent blue-violet ink.