My four 'Pantheon' series prints are now in the bag so all is set for the show at the Zen Café, a local arts café in the centre of town. Not sure of the date of the show yet but it's looking imminent.

I also have a small interview up at 'The Tools Artists Use'. It's a really great snooping resource. If, like me, you like to read about other artists techniques and modus operandi, you should really check this out.

Later this week I'm going to post some photo's of my work space at Green Door studios to let folks see how I work when I'm there.

It's two o'clock in the morning. Just finished the prep work for number four:Poseidon. I'm officialy knackered. Need sleep. Got to print this tomorrow. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I've been back from Italy for only a week but it feels like so much longer. Funny how the daily routine pulls you back to reality so quickly.

I've only been across the channel once before, a few years ago, to Barcelona. That was an amazing trip and I thought that Barcelona would be an unbeatable destination. How wrong I was. Italy has to be the most amazing place that I've ever been to. It certainly beats Britain hands down. There wasn't one thing that I can say was a disappointment. The scenery, the company, the locals (that's the Italians, not the pubs), the architecture , the art. Even the food was really good. And those who know me, know that I have food issues. So this was a feat in itself.

I didn't manage to do much sketching, only one in fact, which I've posted on Skineart. There just wasn't the time. And I'm a lazy sod which might account for it. There are photos on Flickr for those interested. Oh, and we stayed here. How awesome is that?

So back to work. Got one more print design to produce. Hopefully this will be ready for this Thursdays visit to the studio. It'll be Poseidon, which will be the fourth in the series of prints that include Ares, Hades and Medusa.

If I can get my act together that is.

This time Saturday night we will be in Italy. I'm excited for the trip and for the reason why we are going (see march fifteenth entry) but the flight, specifically the take-off, has me thinking that if God had meant us to fly he'd have given us capes (that's a Superman reference by the way). Once I'm up there I'm O.K. It's that initial rush as the 'plane thunders down the runway trying desperately to get off the ground before the ground runs out.

I'm sure I'll be fine...no, really.

This is the next in my 'Pantheon' series of prints. It was originally going to be entitled 'Gorgons', of which there were three. As you can plainly see, only one made it into the final image, so I guess that this should now be titled 'Medusa'. No, she doesn't have snakes for hair. It's representational, o.k?

I've just seen the last ever episode of Battlestar Galactica and it was...Frakkin'...Awsome! I've also just realised that much of the cultural and religious references in the show were based around Greek mythology. Just like the last few prints that I've done. Coincidence, eh?

No, honestly.

And yes, I am a first class Geek (no not Greek). Want to make something of it?

Another successful week. God, two in a row, eh? Seems like things really are falling into place at last. Here is the second print in what I'm now calling the Pantheon series and they will be produced in an edition of fifty each. This is Hades in all his glory. You'll notice that I've Left the dogs off the final image. Thought they made the design unbalanced. I know that there should be a Cerberus reference in here somewhere but, hey, artistic license is a wonderful thing.

Here is the next print that I'm working on. This is Hades. Not sure about the dogs or the size of the skull face.

After what seems like months of the 'trial and error' printmaking method, I think that, FINALLY, I've discovered the secret of executing a successful print.

In the six months that I've been screen printing my success rate has to be about 50% which in my book is just unacceptable. I thought that the processes were firmly planted in my brain and, therefore, I should be able to produce a good print every time. Unfortunately this was not so. I was becoming more frustrated every week which only proved to make matters worse.

A couple of weeks ago I decided that it was high time that I invested in some screens of my own. The good folk at Wicked Printing Stuff were able to supply me with advise and a couple of screens at a really good price. This was a huge step forward but something was still amiss as the images on the screens were still a bit dodgy.

My eureka moment arrived on Sunday when I realised that allot of the acetate's that I'd run off for prints that hadn't been 100% successful had been printed at the wrong resolution. WHAT A DUMB ASS!!! This meant that some light was getting through during the exposure process and screwing up the stencils.

Armed with this knowledge I attempted the Ares picture from last week and (drum roll please) everything went perfectly. And I mean perfectly. There were no errors, no blemishes, no half printed tones. Just a perfect print. In fact it is so perfect that the image of it here looks just like the digital version form the post on Feb 27Th.

I am so pleased with the way this has come out. One down, three to go.

The countdown to Tuscany has begun.

Four weeks from today I will be here. And here is Garfagnara, Tuscany, Italy. How great is that. I'm expecting lush, verdant landscapes and azure blue sky's and from the looks of thing that's exactly what I'll get.

The trip is actually a joint 40Th birthday celebration for our Friends Paul and Varinia. No, she isn't Italian but she does share her name with Spartacus's wife. Cool, eh? There's fourteen of us going, all told so the trip should be a blast. I'm hoping to find a few quiet moments to do a little sketching. We are staying in an old monastery (is there any other kind) so the architecture should be a combination of rustic functionality and religious grandeur. As a rule I'm not one for sketching landscapes etc. but this is too good an opportunity to pass up.

Can't wait.