Run 3 (almost) finished

Just got back from being kicked out from the art studio. Security at the U of M ususally kicks you out around 2-3 am if you're an undergrad. Only problem - I only had 3 prints left to go (out of 25 or so), which would have taken 15 minutes if I had the time. I don't mind getting kicked out normally but considering I now have to set up /clean up space with multiple rollers and inks for just 3 more prints, it sucks. Oh well.
This print is about as confusing as it gets, for me. I'm using a key black block and two blocks for color, each with their own areas, and using them mostly reductively. This is a view after my third run (Small reds, blue car windows, and hosta greens).





Not a big difference compared to run 2, but it's starting to get there. Here's some after run #2



I'm using stencils for small color areas before I carve them away and get to the big stuff.

Here's a view of an inked block on the press ready for printing:

I'm getting great advice on how to successfully allow inks lay on top of each other, but I already created a big problem in about half of my prints. On my first run, I printed the (first) sidewalk color, over everything that would end up with that color in it in one way or another. Most of it will be covered up in time. Me, being so smart, decided it would be much faster to over-ink a block once, print with less pressure, and then without inking again print a ghost print with more pressure. It saved time and at the time I was happy with the two variations of the original sidewalk yellow. I'm so good with shortcuts. Unfortunately, printing green over a yellow that's not exactly there doesn't look so good.

Now compare this to a print that wasn't ghosted on the sidewalk run:

So much better. It still looks like nothing, but I know that when it's done the hosta leaves are going to look much better than the rest. I have been changing the colors around all throughout the process, so I have about five prints with a different sidewalk yellow. I say mid-success:

And finally, an in-studio picture of attempted order, and the color blocks as they are now.

Block 2, with orbiting cat

And block 3

So much work and such a slow process. I'm not sure where I'm going next, my gut says go for all the small color areas so I can know how to relate them to the bigger, more important areas. But I'm very impatient and might end up starting to outline the Super America and fill in the parking lot and sky...