Saturday 16 February 2008

work in progress continued...

I like lino prints; the effect created by flat blocks of colour and sharp lines. But I've not had much practice at making my own prints, and I always find it a bit hard to wrap my head around what to cut when... so this week I've been trying to improve my technique a bit...


The process of cutting a reduction lino plate (like this one) really feels to go against my instincts; the instincts that lead me to hoarding and wanting to keep things as they are. I find it hard to cut into the plate that I've just printed in order to start the next layer, what if I cut it wrong and ruin it? What if I make it worse?? It gets harder the more layers a print has, by the third layer I'm really having to force myself to make the cut and then print over the already-quite-nice-looking prints... But its the same for any artist I suppose, perhaps the point is that risks must be taken, perhaps something quite-nice must be destroyed to create something good... 


Its still hard though!

So, above is the plate from yesterday (and to answer your question from yesterday Barbara, its a lino plate, but looking at the image today, I think it works quite well as it is. Hmmm, something to think about...) in its various stages...

And some of the prints...





I think, in the end, the fourth layer (the outline) didn't work so well. The line is too heavy, I like the images best without it (which  is kind of lucky because halfway through printing the last layer the beak snapped off, then the toe, so I guess thats the end of that!)

This print was also an experiment in colour. I don't have much experience with colour mixing (what with most of my prints being black and my books being white :) ) I sometimes find the many decisions that need to be made overwhelming (and it ends up brown), and with a four layer print the combinations from even a few colours become incomprehensible to me. so I really tried to limit myself, and although I'm not entirely happy with the end results, I feel a little more confident about trying again.

P.S. I know its annoying but I've turned on the little spam protection letters on the comments. Dodgy spam comments had started to appear, and thats no good, so hopefully the letters will put a halt to that...

6 comments:

Claire said...

I was going to comment that the last layer really made the print LOL.

I can see your point about the heavyness of the line. However, I think it gives the print omph.

It has me itching to get my lino cutters out for a twirl.

Sarah said...

That's what my friends have said too! Perhaps I had just been looking at the prints without the final lines for too long... :)

Ads you should get your lino tools out, its fun! (But use a bench hook cos those little tools make a lot of blood if they slip ;) )

amisha said...

i think it is gorgeous... i really like the colors you used!
xox

Unknown said...

well this is sooo cute, nice job.

http://www.theshinysquirrel.com

NICOLE STRASBURG said...

Beautiful Sarah! The color is lovely and I like the way you cut out the shape in the linoleum before carving it up. It's a beauty!

Sarah said...

Glad you like him, I think I might have to have another go with this image (and this time be more careful with his beak and toes!)