Wednesday 22 November 2017

Linocut Art

Each month one of our artists in our Thursday Art Group has the responsibility to lead an activity or topic. Everyone doesn't have to take part if it's something that doesn't appeal, just DYOT (do your own thing). October was my month, so I decided to introduce linocut printing to the group. Many of our group had dabbled with linocut at school, but not since, and were a little suspicious that they wouldn't like it. But everyone cheerfully joined in.
Linocut art has certainly changed over the years. There's nice soft rubbery smooth lino to use now, as opposed to the hard stiff lino that was available. And sharp cutters, colourful water based ink for easy clean up, and lots of choices of paper to print on.
Lino cut is definitely a confusing challenge. Once you have decided on a design, a set of v-shaped carving tools is used to cut a negative image into the lino, and it has to be mirror-image at the same time, hard to keep your brain straight at first. Once the design is carved, the plate is inked, and multiple prints can be taken. Only the uncarved parts will print, the carved parts will not print. Our artists loved it and some wonderful designs were produced.
I've been experimenting with two colour prints of a snow scene. I decided to make two separate linos.... one on the right that would print the sky, and the other that would print the tree branches, leaving unprinted paper for the snow. By creating two printing plates, I can print as many of these winter treescapes as I want.


21 comments:

  1. Wow.
    I love the elegance of bare tree bones against the sky. And the colours you chose really lift the images.

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  2. Kudos to you! Again! The branches with the snow are exciting. Of the three on the bottom, my fave would be the first. I know I've heard of this process before but have never given it much thought. I can see why it would be great fun.

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  3. I do remember doing that in school. I forgot what it was called.

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  4. I never heard of this process before but I love the results you're showing. This is fantastic, I definitely will have to try this.

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  5. The first word that came out of my mouth was: Whau!!! Very beautiful work!

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  6. ...now that's something I'd like to do.

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  7. I remember doing this at school- and carving a few things that shouldn't have been carved! - but hadn't thought about it since. Your design would make some lovely Christmas cards.

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  8. Hello, Shammic,
    Sounds like the process to make the arts is complicate but your art is so beautiful.
    Your design is elegant and the colors are so lovely. The process you showed us reminded me of dyeing cloth. I have not done dyeing though.
    Have a good day.

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  9. Gosh you are so clever Shammi, what a wonderful idea and how incredible the finished results.. brilliant!

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  10. Hi Shammy! Hope you're doing well! Re your question on Ocala: Yes, it's a fake license plate. However in some states (southern states!) they allow plates that say "In God We Trust," which is a blatant violation of our Constitution. We have a huge problem here: A president and thousands of politicos in office and millions of ignoramuses, all who neither know what the Constitution says or why it says what it says, nor do they care. The claim to be the "values" people but everything they say and do negates that claim. The future does not bode well!

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  11. Hi again, Shammy. Yes, you can drive your golf cart on the roads here, providing you have headlights and taillight, turn signals and a horn. And I think it needs to go at least 20 miles per hour. This golf cart has all those add-ons and runs like a rabbit! :) He is a very lucky man!

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  12. I must admit that I like the idea and the implementation. * I have already come back from the hospital where the stay was a nightmare for me. The treatment went on luck. I am at home and I train a lot to get back to fitness as soon as possible, and that's why I feel pain. Walking on crutches is not a problem for me. However, I have one big problem, I can not sleep at night. I'm very tired of it now. I will return to the blog, of course, but it will take longer, because you can not sit in the chair for too long (up to one hour), and now it is gimastyka, walking and lying. Best regards and thank you for thinking about me.

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  13. You are so creative! These are very good. I wish I was more creative.

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  14. Looks like fun! You are so adventuresome - love your creativeness! Hope you're enjoying winter so far. It hasn't been bad here in Montreal, just a sprinkling of snow.

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  15. I loved doing lino cuts but never did the layers. I just cut them and them printed them out! I like yours.

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  16. Beautiful work Shammy. I really like the Tri color set.

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  17. Hello, Shamic,
    I hope 2018 brings you happiness.
    Keep challenging your beautiful work!!

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  18. Thank you for your Christmas wishes and for each other, I wish you your Christmas holidays were joyous. * I hope that I will be almost completely operational next year. I am sorry that you need to operate the second hip, but the new method probably will not require as much work and patience from the patient as the traditional one. I hope my second hip will not be exchanged because I would not like to experience again what I experienced. Regards.

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  19. beautiful!! i haven't linocut in years and have wanted to get my hands on it again. now that i know the lino is softer, i just might have to try it again.

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