Impression #8 - Next level of tone ...

This one is a bit different. The main point of this impression is the final level of tone on the moon - it's barely visible in these small screen images, but it is there - around the very edge of the lunar surface.

Because that is so thin and difficult to print, I cut the block to also include the area under the sky. This has the added benefit of getting the entire surface of the paper back into nice moist condition ready for what is coming next ...

The resulting build-up :

Impression #9~10 - Deep space

I don't have a separate sheet showing the area of this impression, but I think you can tell where it is! This block differs from the previous stage in having nothing at all on the lunar surface - just background.

I printed it twice, using 'neri-zumi', a thickened mixture of sumi and nikawa glue. I tried some tests using a tone with more 'colour' (indigo added), but I felt that it spoiled the effect of total deep dark space, so I went with just the black.

The final image:

Here is an enlarged image. I especially like the edge-on view of all the craters around the edges. Makes me want to get up there and walk around ... (Maybe one day!)