Linoleum Prints

This was the final project in which skills we had learned from the scratchboard and scaffido were put to use to create prints. The task for this project the requirements where to create 4 different prints using the same block. One print had to be a solid color, one a multi-colored, one extended, and one printed on something other than white paper. For this project we used rubber blocks that we then carved out using linoleum print cutters. The idea being that was what cut out of the rubber block would appear white and what was not cut out would be whatever color the printing ink was. Originally for this project we were going to use linoleum tiles, but we switched over to the rubber because it is easier to get finer details with the rubber than with the linoleum. For this project the tools we used were the rubber blocks, the cutting tools, and bench hooks to help stabilize our work while carving.

The first carving I made was the one of the bee, I began by reading an image that I thought would look cool in pencil on the rubber block. Once I had a idea I outlined of what I wanted I started to cut very thinly around the outline of the bee, I did this because I knew that I didn't want any of the background to be showing; only the bee would be seen. One I had the outline I went in deeper around the outlines and took away the background only leaving the bee. Finally after the background was gone I began to add texture to the bee by taking away some spots and leaving others so that when printed there would be the different values on the bee rather than it just being one color. After I finished the bee I wanted to try out another Idea so I began to work on another block. I started the same way by sketching out the outline of what I wanted to be the color of the paper or the color of the ink. Once I had this I started by working on the background because I wanted to leave some fine lines to help add texture to the ocean and what would be the clouds. I did this by making small deliberate marks until I felt that I liked the way it looks to go back in and make the marks deeper and for pronounced.

After completing the block prints we moved on to actually printing them, we used block printing ink. I chose to use black in all of my prints. Went printing we had to be careful to keep the ink off of our finger so we didn't get it on the paper. The requirement for our final 4 prints is that they look neat with no smudges on the edges. Then I moved on to printing on non white paper, For the bee I used a gelatin print that I had made profusely as my background, I used this because I thought it fit with the idea of the bee. For My second print I used scraps of wallpaper to fill in the colors and then printed over it leaving my design on top of the wall paper scraps. For the extended print I added water color to the bee to add a background and help to fill some of the negative space and for my second print I went in with fine point pens and added some pointillism. Overall I thought this project was fun I enjoyed the making of the blocks much more than I did the printing. This is because the printing required lots of focus and was all about precision also if it got messed up it was nothing more than a scrap paper that could be a beautiful oops. I didn't like how precise everything had to be when printing but I enjoyed the creation of the block prints and the carving because it was a fast passed motion that was more free moving.