Return to relief block printmaking

sketch was transferred to the block with graphite paper then permanent marker was drawn over the lines on the grey battleship linoleum. This was used as my cutting guide.

My apologies to those who are following this blog and the sparse number of posts published this year. Health issues have been the reason.

The good news is I am feeling a lot better and my physical abilities have been making improvement thanks to results from tests and medical advice. 

Recently I decided to take a sketch on paper, transfer it to the surface of a small piece of battleship grey linoleum and then carve a relief design. 

It has been at least 6 years since I last made a relief print on paper and really missed the process.

graphite sketch main shapes made on parchment
then transferred to block surface with graphite paper

the model

During my recovery I would often sit outside in the sun and in a quiet wooded yard. There are a variety of birds that visit me. I am especially taken with the very friendly red-breasted nuthatch family that are treated with a little loose seeds or peanuts.

I thought it might be fitting to adapt a sketch from one of the observations to a block surface. It has progressed to carving of the negative surface areas. I have to decide whether to do this as a single block in black and white or visualize and carve additional plates to allow colour elements to be added the design. Or I could introduce colour via hand-colouring with water-based media into the single black and white image

Below are a few photos that show some of the early stages of developing the matrix from which the print will hopefully emerge on paper.

A side note: I used a wood engraving tool (known as a lozenge graver) to achieve small fine lines to define feather patterns in the wing. This worked well as long as the linoleum was cold and hard surfaced. For removal of wider size surface areas using traditional linocut tools I will generally heat the block first. The lino surface material is much easier to remove when it is warm.

fine lines removed on surface for wing definition 

lozenge graver (wood engraving tool) that was used for
the fine surface line removal in the wing area

 

progress print on scrap kozo paper using water-based block printing ink
transferred using a hard plastic rubbing tool