Linocut Printmaking
Neo-sumerian Clay Tablet (art print) by Library Of Congress, African And Middle Eastern Division/science Photo Library
What is a Print?
Printmaking is an art technique that involves creating a replica of an image onto another surface using a marked surface with a transferring medium or agent. In other words, you take a surface that has been carved or embossed, roll some ink on it, press it onto another surface, and whala you have an exact copy! This art form has been around for ages... literally... since around 3000 BC/BCE when the Sumerians used it as a process for duplicating images. They created designs and cuneiforms (written language of the Sumerian culture, and others) by carving into stone cylinders. The cylinders were then rolled over top of soft clay slabs to leave an impression behind... a Print! This stone roller became the precursor to the printing press that we know of today.
Other cultures have invented their own forms of printmaking techniques, as well:
The Chinese are credited for inventing the rubbing back in 2nd Century CE/AD.
The first woodblock prints on textiles date back to even earlier in Japan in the 7th Century CE/AD depicting Buddhist charms
The first print with an actual authenticated date on it was found in Turkistan by artist Wang Jie in 868 CE/AD on a Buddhist scroll called the Diamond Sutra.
England claims the earliest print with a ROYAL signature dating back to Henry VI in 1436 with the invention of the stamp using a royal seal.
Textile printing, the art of creating patterns to stamp on to pieces of fabric, can be traced back to Europe in the 6th Century CE/AD. Paper was introduced to the world through China; however, the first printed paper was traced back to Spain when Europe developed created their own form and added printed designs in 1151.
Woodcuts on paper were introduced as playing cards in Germany, called Kartenmahler (painter of cards) or Kartenmacher (maker of cards) dating back to 1402
"Madonna with Four Virgin Saints in a Garden" created in 1418 is the first official woodblock print on paper with an actual date.
What are the different kinds of ways you can make a print?
Printmaking, in and of itself, does not restrict itself to woodblocks and stone tablets... in today's art world, prints are created using a wide variety of methods with just as many mediums and surfaces.
Here are the four main different types of printmaking techniques and processes:
Planography - Planographic printing involves the process of using a chemical mixture of grease or oil drawn on to the surface of a flat tablet, typically a slab of limestone, zinc, or aluminum plate , and then washed with the ink overtop. The grease can be painted on or drawn on with an oil marker or crayon. After, the surface is treated with a chemical wash that resists the ink to the point where the rolled ink only adheres to the greased marks. Then, the surface is printed on a paper or other textile. Lithography is a form of this. Monoprints are a type of planographic printing; however, monoprints are defined as "one print", therefore every single print is literally a "one of a kind" image because the artist is adding pigment directly on to the surface.
Intaglio - developed in Italy, this kind of printing is the opposite of Relief printing in that the carved surfaces become the printed areas, not the negative space. When the areas are carved, ink is pressed into those areas and then directly transferred to the surface, typically paper or textile, through a way of "sandwiching" the paper with layers of soft fabric that allows the ink to press on to the paper.
Relief - this form of printmaking involves etching and carving directly in to a surface, revealing a negative space that remains untouched by ink or pigment during the transfer. Linocut is a type of relief print in which linoleum blocks are used as the surface. Since each print is created from a kind of a stamp, it can be continually repeated. This is the only type of printmaking process that can be completed without some type of chemical treatment in any step.
Serigraphy - "Seri" is Latin for silk, and this process involves the use of stencils to print on fabric such as silk or other textiles. This is the only form of printmaking that does not require a reverse image when printing. Andy Warhol utilized this method in his Pop Art prints. The non image areas are blocked off by some sort of resist: glue, sticker stencil, chemical mixture, etc. and the negative space receives the ink or pigment to be pressed through by some type of squeegee.
***FOR THIS PROJECT we will be using the RELIEF technique... as stated above, it is the only process that does not employ any type of chemical process.
*** Listed below is a type of printing called Electrostatic - this process uses lasers, inkjet printers, and/or Xerox copiers.
A few famous artists who primarily used Printmaking Techniques
Please click on each of the artists' names to be taken to museum websites that explain a little more about the artist and their printmaking style, including examples of their artwork.
Your Project: A Relief print using Linocut techniques
First thing you will do is create a sketch of an image that you wish you carve away... make it interesting!
In order to get the print effect, you need to determine areas that you will carve away and areas that you will keep... in other words, the POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SPACES! Remember, any area that is cut and removed from the linoleum block will remain blank (negative space): only the remaining surface will accept and show any color (positive space). In your sketches, then on your block, you need to indicate the areas to be carved and removed vs the areas to stay, and you will need to remain consistent the entire way through.
Variety and Balance: let's say your design is a basketball... how do you make it more interesting? Create a basketball hoop! Action lines coming from the basketball to show it moving through the air! Wood grain texture as a background to imply the hardwood court flooring!
Things to consider: if you choose to add in any text such as numbers or letters, everything needs to not only be backwards but completely reversed. In other words, the entire word needs to be backwards. Think mirror! If you are not skilled at doing this, it is HIGHLY recommended that you do NOT add in any kind of text; just stick to the images.
"Measure Twice, Cut Once"... this is a mantra that is used in woodworking, but it also applies to printmaking. This means that you need to be absolutely 100% positive of what you are doing before you begin carving because it is near impossible to fix any errors aside from simply starting over. Some of the linoleum pieces could be super-glued back on, but it is just no the same as leaving it intact on the block. Double check all your markings, double check all your lines, etc.
Pay close attention to the demonstration that details how you will go about carving (setting up your station with the bench hook, how to iron and soften the harder linoleum blocks, the correct way to point your carving tools, how to carefully roll on the ink using the brayer, and how to accurately and evenly apply the printing block to the paper and transfer the link using the burnishing tool.)
In the Slideshow below, look through to see the quick steps on the printmaking process, including a visual that shows exactly how to label each print in the series.
Linocut Prints.pptx