The Scottsville Supply Company logo project

Here's a look at a recent commission I completed for the Scottsville Supply Company!

I really had a blast with this project and I'm excited that there will be a local shop for beekeeping supplies and other goodies in Scottsville now.  Beekeeping has really taken off in our area.  Nelson is the perfect place for small farming, beer and wine brewing, and beekeeping.  We're so blessed to be able to cultivate such a rich diversity here!

I would be lost without my sketchbook.  Virtually everything in my creative process starts here.  I learned the valuable lesson at the Corcoran that if you don't like a particular piece when you finish, you could always do it again.  I don't know why that never occurred to me in high school.  That concept seemed to go against my grain early on.  Now, I'll slice and dice, and redo, and redo again if need be.  I probably got used to it after running through proof after proof in printmaking. At any rate, I started drawing the goat for the goat cart logo and realized the perspective was wrong.  Rather than get rid of the drawing that I actually kind of liked, I just tore it down the middle and started the revised version underneath.

I worked on the logo font with some tracing vellum on the other blank half.  This kept all the work together and I didn't have to sacrifice any of the pages of my sketch book.

Above is the image transfer onto the block, awaiting to be cut.

Here's the finished bee skep block.  Black marker helped me see the contrast as I carved.  It looks pretty now but once we ink it up and clean it a few times it will get muddled.

Loaded the finished goat cart design onto the VABC's Vandercook letterpress for a few proofs.

They look nice and crisp coming on the cylinder of the Vandercook.

Here are the blocks drying after being proofed and cleaned.  I'll be pulling a few for a limited print run after I decide on colors. In the meantime, check out the Scottsville Supply Company website or better yet, visit them in Scottsville, VA for a delightful time!  You can pick up some of my letterpress cards and gift tags while you're there!