Artwork blog By Jodie : lino prints for my Tour de France project

Linoleum was invented and used for floor covering in the late 1800's. When print makers where using wood blocks to print they where looking for an easier and cheaper way to print. eventually lino became a cheep way for poor, amateurs to print and also was helpful as a teaching product in school's. Lino's popularity only grew once famous artists known as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse began to use them.

(Mark Andrew Webber lino piece)

To help with my lino I will be looking at the lino cut artist Mark Andrew Webber and his prints as I will be hoping to create an abstract print, with the Yorkshire rose in the middle.

USING A RANGE OF TOOLS.
As I began to make my lino cut I discovered there was quit a range of cutting tools. (shown on the photo to the left) V-gouges, U-gouges, large and small. Each tool will make a different mark. for example when I used the V-gouge it made a fine line when you use the tip, however when I carved deeper it made a thicker line.

CUTTING AND MAKING YOUR LINO PATTERN.
I found that drawing my image didn't show up very well in pencil. so I drew out my image in pen so I could see where I needed to cut. I found it nerve racking drawing straight onto my lino in pen as I am the kind of person to use a rubber a lot. however I found it wasn't as bad as I thought as I could find ways around if I drew a wrong line.

While cutting into my lino I found that I control the tool by the angle I held the too. The steeper the angle I help it the cutting edge went deeper, and the shallower the angle brings the cutting edge up.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Before I began carving on my lino I learnt that there are some health and safety I needed to follow.

The main rule for lino cutting is to always carve away from yourself to avoid cutting yourself, as the tools can be very sharp.
also it is better and safer to use a cutting block to stop your lino slipping meaning you don't have to use your free hand to hold it still so much also making it less likely to hurt yourself..

MY LINO PIECE.
This is just the start of my print. so far I have only used the V-gouge and made my lines deep. I am planning on smoothing the lines on the petals for a smoother print later on.
I chose the Yorkshire Rose as it is a well known symbol of Yorkshire which relates to are current topic tour de France/ Grand de part. later on I will be attempting to make a some what abstract back ground including spokes from bike wheels, the dots for red poker-dots.

This images on the left is how my Lino looks previously and the blank bits that I haven't yet carved out yet I will continue to use the poker dot theme to fill them and give my lino a sort of abstract background, this has given me chance to experiment with different cutting tools and styles/textures and relate to my artist research.

Before I put ink onto my lino I first had to roll it out onto a surface, so that it isn't too thick on the lino.

This photo shows me rolling ink onto my lino. I found this to be a relaxing part of printing as it is ease and simple to do.The only problem I had was when it came to wanting a different colour as I had to keep rinsing my lino and roller so the colour's wouldn't mix with each other.

After I rolled ink onto my Lino I then grabbed a piece of blotted paper
place onto the printing bed and slowly role the bed so it would have an even amount of research all over it. I found this part to be relaxing and slightly exciting as I didn't know how the print would turn out.

Once I had finished rolling it threw the bed I then carefully grabbed the corner so I didn't get ink around the white frame that had been left around the actual print.

I then stretched them onto a bored with gum strip so that they didn't wrinkled while drying. (it is not important that you do this however it just gives it a flatter more professional look.)

once they had dried i ended up with a nice collection of prints including a print on black card with white water based ink and a print on white paper with tissue paper glued down before printing with black water based inks.

I found this whole experience very relaxing and fun. From carving my lino to printing with it. I know this technique isn't for everyone whether its the carving lino or actually printing it, all I can say is stick with it and you will get the outcome you want. I have done lino printing before and am used to it but i did struggle at first.

My Final prints for my project that was chosen by my class mates for my project.