I am taking a printmaking class at Lasell University right now and we are focusing on linocut prints and silkscreen prints. We haven’t gotten to the silkscreen yet, but linocut prints are very similar to stamps. We have to carve our design out of linoleum vinyl, which is similar to rubber. However, we have to remember that what we carve out isn’t shown when we print. So we have to think in the negative space. Whatever isn’t carved gets covered with black ink to then print, or “stamp”.
This week we are focusing on a one-color linocut print with lots of texture. I decided to make mine based on a picture of a sunset. I am going to create a sort of border around the outside to give more effect to the image. Linocut takes a lot of time and patience, but is so cool when you want to print it. Because the artwork is already carved, you can print as many copies as you want without having to redo it continuously.
However, last week we stopped to do something different and really cool. We worked with print transfers on wood. We put a painter’s medium on a wooden block, let it dry, and put a second coat down. Then before that dries, we paint a printed image of our choice only on the printed side and press it onto the wood so that there are no bubbles. Once that dries we take some water and a sponge, then slowly rub out circles on the wood so that the paper disappears and the ink stays. It is really cool! Some of the ink doesn’t last and creates holes in the image that give a distressed look. Then, once that is dry again you can repeat the process to add more printed layers. But in between each layer, you have to let one layer of painter’s medium dry to lock it in. The guest teacher who taught us this method used it to create books that she would scan her block into the computer to print many pages.
I would definitely take this class again if I got the chance, it is super fun and relaxing.