New linocut - process and thoughts.
Hi all,
How are you this fine evening?
I'm pretty good as I just finished my latest print which I've been working on for the past 20 hours, haha...
The past weeks I've been working on linocuts because you don't need a press for this type of printmaking and as I won't be in possession of one before the fall.
Linocut is quite different from my usual drypoint print as I'm working with rougher, bigger tools and what I carve away will be paper instead of ink.
Print vs. cut lino sheet.
Above is the finished print vs. the cut lino sheet.
I took some photos of the process of making this print and though I would share it with you.
The first thing I did was to draw up my motif. First with a pencil and then I went over my drawing with a waterproof pen.
Then I painted a thin layer of blue with acrylic paint over the sheet to better see the results of my carvings. I find that doing this really helps me get my head around what the final results will look like.
Then I start carving. I use a the smallest v-shaped blade to cut around the lines and for details and a broader u-shaped blade for removing bigger areas and the background.
Here's the lino all finished up with the carving.
Then it's time to ink it up!!
I mix a greyish blue from white, blue and black that I put on the whole print with a roller. Then I gently remove the grey from the flowers and use a flat square brush to apply a blue.
Then it's time to print!
To print this one I used Japanese paper. I find that for lino the thinner the paper the easier it is to get a good print.
...And here it is! :)
What do you think?
I still don't know what to call this one, do you have any suggestions? ;)
I hope you are all having a wonderful and creative day!
💙
Perfect, perfect cut plate and excellent print. You are really growing so fast in your prints @mayasky. Maybe ''Blue couple''? Never good at giving names :(
Thank you so much dear @jungwatercolor!! :D <3 I am having so much fun, but there is so much to learn! It might look like I am learning fast, but there's quite a few of these that never worked out and are now hiding in some dark studio corner, hehe... I love'' blue couple!'' Great one, I always have a hard time finding names for my work as well. ;)
wowowow!!! Great work!!! I love this linocut work! I can understand you needed many hours to do it, it's wornderful! Sometimes I had fun hand carving a simple eraser to use it on the background of my painting, but nothing beautiful like your work! Well done!
Aww, Thank you so much @silviabeneforti!! And thank you so much for the resteem, much appreciated! <3
Great post @mayasky. you are very talented! 😊
i haven't done any lino cutting since I was at school but I did buy a kit a couple of years ago. i haven't got around to using it yet.
Most of the printing I've been experimenting with has been with a geli plate although it's been a while since I've done that too. 😂
Thank you very much for your comment and compliments @gillianpearce! 😊 I've only just started myself, I'm more experienced in the drypoint technique, but linocut is my new obsession, haha!
What is a good plate? :)
Not good plate @mayasky. Geli plate.
It's a commercial version of plates people sometimes make with gelatin. You put paint on them and make patterns or add cut out shapes etc. and then place your paper on top of it to take off a print.
Here are a few I did on tissue paper to give you an idea. 😊
Ah, I see!! Looks like great fun as well. Thank you for showing me! 😊
It is really fun @mayasky because you can experiment with all sorts of papers and all sorts of mark makers and stuff you have lying around.
These were some of my very first attempts. 😊
I cut up a lot of them and made gift tags and cards from them.
I love looking at your print making process @mayasky! At times, your artwork so much reminds me of my grand father's, and seeing the linocut especially reminds me of him. He had a drawer, in one of the cabinets in his workshop filled with print making tools!
Once again, you're beautiful artwork has astounded me. Thank you for sharing your process, and for being such an amazing artist!
Aw, thank you so very much for your kind words and support @cerealface82! They make me so happy! 😊 I would love to see some I'd your grandfathers work!
That turned out great!
At first I thought you made a separate block for the blue. Nice work!
Thank you very much @doctorcrypto! :D I thought about making a separate block, but ended up just wiping off the first layer of rolled on ink and handpainting the flowers instead ;) Making sevaral plates is till too daunting, hehe..
I know right!!
Excellent job :)
I love the detail in the birds. Great job!
Thank you so much @mattlovell! :)
Not only beautiful but very inspiring ! I have to come back. Swallows and corn flowers, both light, sky loving beings. How the whole thing becomes an ornament; leaves and wings intermingling! Maybe a illustration?