Rubber Stamp - Twinkle, twinkle Little Bat! - Long-Eared Grey Bat

Rubber Stamp Bat Print, Close Up

In this post I showed how I made a copper plate etching and mentioned that I had also made a rubber stamp print of the same image and text - well here it is. This was one of the most difficult stamps I had carved (until I carved one this weekend! More about that soon :-)

I mainly wanted to talk about the difference in the 2 processes - Copper plate etching and Rubber Stamp. I really like that copper plate etching and the course at Cardiff Print Workshop but enjoyed cutting the rubber stamp more. I think this is because I don't like being out of control and at the whim of chemicals and presses. Because I hand carve the stamp if there is a mistake it's mine - I am not at the mercy of something going wrong with the plate, chemicals and lots of other permutations. Maybe this is because I can be very impatient? But then there are those that tell me they wouldn't have the patience to carve a stamp :-)

I find rubber samp carving a much more forgiving process and if something is less than perfect it doesn't look awful - sometimes it even makes it look better and adds to the charm. I wanted to make sure I got the wings right so made a small test wing first. I've never done this before with a stamp I usually go straight for it.

The picture below shows the drawing transferred on to the rubber (SpeedyCarve). You can see that I had the image stuck on with a bit of masking tape and I've just flipped it back.

Rubber Stamp Bat Print

I then cut the SpeedyCarve away from the main block. You can also see my practice wings stamped on the bit of paper on the top.

Rubber Stamp Bat Print

In this picture you can see that I have just cut part of the outline of the bat.

Rubber Stamp Bat Print

I always stamp as  I got to make sure the image is coming along as it should. The ink on the rubber also acts as a good guide for cutting. Also I love to see the image emerge as I go along.

Rubber Stamp Bat Print

I found the bat face quite difficult - I looked at a lot of bat images and to me the always looked like they were smiling and I couldn't get over how cute they were (maybe not everyone will agree). You can see the face gradually emerge in the images below.

Rubber Stamp Bat Print

Rubber Stamp Bat Print

This picture shows the rest of the wings gradually being carved.

Rubber Stamp Bat Print

This is my attempt at a Long-Eared Grey Bat - sadly one of the rarest mammals in UK. I am not sure if I have done this lovely creature justice - the fur was quite difficult too. You can see my notes on using the inkpads in different ways. 
 
Bat Rubber Stamp Print

Also here is a photo of cutting the text for Twinkle, twinkle Little Bat! As always I type the text on my lovely Silver-Reed Silverette - scan it in and increase it to approximately twice the size and use this to carve.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat, Cutting Text

Finally (if I haven't bored you to death and you've got this far ;-) why a bat? Because since 2005 I have been lucky enough to have lovely bats visit my garden at dusk in the summer months. I can't explain why but I get really excited when I see them, it does my heart good and just makes me really happy - they bring me great joy. I feel privilged they have chosen my garden.

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