Posted by Dave Bull at 2:35 AM, August 3, 2011 [Permalink]

Just one impression to update today; as usual, other work got in the way ... (are you waiting for the summer newsletter? :-)

This was a critical impression - putting in the pupils:

On the same block are some hair 'fill-in', and the darkening of the main kimono lines.

The reason for doing this one now, rather than later on, is that there is absolutely no margin for error on the eyes; the registration has to be absolutely perfect. By doing it now, I am avoiding any possible problem from paper distortions that may arise when rubbing out some of the deeper colours. Not to mention that it's best to do it under the same weather conditions as the keyblock. It's damp and rainy here today, as it has been for a few days now, but if it were suddenly to become sunny and dry, it would be difficult to get the paper into exactly the same condition it was when the key was printed.

For most of the impressions, there will be enough 'play' that I needn't think that deeply about it, but the eyes are different ...