My first print was Floyd. I thought it might be a nice idea for Christmas cards, but as soon as I started with the lino method I was hooked. I had used lino at school and seemed to remember enjoying it but unlike sketching and painting you do need to accumulate some tools and I suppose it’s just something I never thought about pursuing before.
I have always been drawn to print artists work, the notable Angela Harding and more recently I discovered another local artist Sam Marshall, who’s book Linocut I highly recommend if your looking for a new addiction.
When I first started I was in a rush to produce as many prints as I could. At the time I was still awed by the magic of lifting the paper back and seeing the transformation to paper.
Little Ben was the first I did after Floyd and I was so proud of him at the time. Then I moved on to Kylo and found that I really enjoyed creating a cartoon/caricature look rather then the pressure to make the animals look life like. I find a feature that really stands out and that brings their character out into the subject matter. The love in Kylo’s great big eyes when he looks at you, I am so drawn into them I do not notice all the imperfections and that’s they way I think it should be.
I need to stop thinking of imperfections - I should call it detail.
Bentley is a classic, I think I will always love this Labrador, even though I plan to do many more in the future. I like the way I have a used a think white edge to really highlight the body shapes for both him and Sticky, I don’t think it would work on all of the dogs I have drawn but for some breeds who have a very distinctive shape it does.
All of the above were hand drawn onto lino first, either by tracing an original drawing or in Ben’s case directly onto the lino, there was very little preparation that went into that one. It all came from the heart, and after a number of different transfer methods I am coming back to what seems to be a more natural way for me to work.
I tried a method by which you transfer an image from a photo or magazine onto the lino and use this as a template to cut around, but from the start I didn’t enjoy this process as much, I found I was trying to perfect something again instead of letting the style come out naturally. This has been a constant battle I have with myself over the years doing any kind of art work, I feel I have to be better, more exacting, but the love I have found in producing lino prints has come from the roughness of the work and the natural progression, there are no mistakes (well there are!)
I still have so much to learn, I have been rushing though trying new techniques (see reduction print 1) but I am putting this here now as a promise to myself to try and slow down and develop this skill rather then running out of steam when everything is not quite as perfect as I would have liked.
I have agreed to show some of my work in June at our village open house/garden event so I would really love to have at least two notable items to show alongside Floyd’s friends - I had best crack on.