u/Miserable_Cicada_692

While talking about late night shows w my partner, I remembered this anime coming on. I have no idea what channel or year specifically and I can't turn up anything online. I only remember seeing maybe 1-3 episodes. It had to have been made before 2010 because I was almost certainly under double digits when I remember seeing this. What I remember is very vague, the protagonist was an adult woman with dark purple or black hair. She could transform (?) To fight and had a purple metal bodysuit and claw gauntlets. Either there was apocalyptic sci-fi stuff happening or natural disaster, I'm leaning towards the latter (earthquakes???), and she was separated from her daughter. Im pretty sure the plot revolves around her fighting through the city in pursuit of her missing daughter. I remember a scene where the kid is in custody of some agents in suits and tries to run away to find her mom by climbing through a bathroom window. This is about all I can come up with after wracking my brain. I've combed a couple big publishers with no luck but it had a style very reminiscent of MADHOUSE's Claymore or other early anime where the women looked like actual adults and had that really specific not too pointy not too round transitional period artstyle. It was definitely supposed to be set in modern times. I made a fast sketch of what I can remember, I'll try to put it in the comments if the sub lets me.

I recently started making prints to take to local free markets after a lot of pushing by friends and loved ones to get my art out there somehow. I had a little bit of success with what I brought which I hope bodes well but I'm looking for more experienced feedback and to ask a few questions. I have no training but relief printing called to me and I started carving and printing with some cheaper miscellaneous blocks (to get a feel for what brands I like and not waste expensive lino), speedball multicarve tool, bench plate, brayer set and baern on some heavy cotton twill. Attached are some WIP blocks to show my process and the first 4 image prints (spares since I took all of the best fidelity prints to market, click to see all of them). Other than general feedback and critique (but be gentle please, I spent 5 years not making art after some very harsh reactions over my work), here are some questions:

Should I stop drawing straight on the block or lean into that as part of my unique process? So far I haven't seen anyone else doing it although I'm sure people do and I really enjoy the way alcohol inks interact with the rubber and how it changes and shapes my process differently than illustrating and transferring. I also find the transfer process to be a pain that kind of stalls my interest but if this is like... Printmaking sacrilege I do want to change that.
What should I do to see more success at markets? I'm happy with breaking even and I'm pretty sure a lot of it boils down to needing to have more designs, colors, signage, social media and a better setup than an impromptu blanket as a first foray into selling. I just want to know if I need a reality check and expanding is a bad decision right now- I need it to at least pay for itself so that I can afford to keep doing it, but don't want to be delusional if my quality is nowhere near presentable currently. + How do I turn picture takers into customers, and how do I break out of my realm of interest to carve stuff that I know other people might prefer more?
process refinement- I have hiccups I want to iron out and tools I want to acquire if I get to continue doing this incredibly fun hobby.

- I would really like to get a detail carving set and work on pieces with better detail fidelity. Soft carve cheap rubber and the beginner carving set is a good start, but I can only force the level of detail I'm really wanting to get so far with what I've got. If there're any good recommendations on micro/detail tips I would love to hear them.

- Additionally, I would love to know what the ideal hardness and composition or brand of lino I should move into trying. I like the buttery soft feeling but I worry about these degrading and know a harder surface is better in a lot of ways long term, but I have a hypermobility condition that severely limits the amount of force and control I can exert without my finger joints trying to go the wrong way, so I'm wary of battleship and hard linoleum.

- In terms of the projects I have, how can I extend the life of the blocks? I worry that repeated cleaning and scrubbing is going to mess up the image quality much more quickly than I expected. Hot water and a scrub brush makes the edges look raggedy, but if I don't scrub with good pressure it's badly stained and there's ink left in the grooves.

- Opacity and spacing. I can get a pretty good opaque print with the black without totally gunking up the block but I can't say the same for red or opaque white, especially printing on black, and double especially printing on artificial fibre fabric. I tried printing on some black 100% polyester scrap and it was spotty like I had printed on a high grain canvas and translucent. Cool looking but not what I want. Am I missing something for the opacity payoff with the other colors, or do I need to do multiple passes? I'd like to be getting more ink on the block in general regardless of color but I can only do so much since my small details aren't deep grooves with the tool size I have. I was thinking of adding a measured and centered cardboard backing to all of my blocks so I can consistently gauge placement especially if I have to print the same spot twice or try more complicated things like reduction printing or using multiple blocks to make one print- is there a better method to nail placement?

Any other feedback or things you notice or I could benefit from knowing or trying is very much appreciated!

Help! Lost Anime seen pre 2010

Drawing on the block? And other questions