Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Linocut in progress: Puf-finale

Okay. Enough with the quail look.

I carved out the background and a few details in the puffin's body, and then ran another transparent gray over the entire block.

Puffin reduction linocut: Step 12
I debated a long time about that frame along the top, but because I had decided not to do anything further with the background wanted to give it a try. It seems a little assertive here, but there is one final dark to go and I think it will be okay.

Atlantic Puffin, reduction linocut, 9" x 6"
Final step
. Maybe.
Sure enough, the frame is less assertive.

What's interesting is that the last color was a transparent black... which looks black in the puffin and brown in the rock. I expected it to stay warm in the rocks, but not THAT warm. I'm not sure how I feel about it... I might go back later and hit the bottom of these rocks with a transparent blue to push the base into shadow, but I'm content to sit with it for a few days this way.

In the meantime, I have to put together a quick demo piece this week for the "Wildlife Art and Wine" event at The Wildlife Experience on Saturday.

Don't they look cute in a little flock?

6 comments:

  1. This has been really inspiring to watch this process. I have just this month been learning how to do linocuts, and then started a printmaking class where the first project was a reduction color-block, with no examples, descriptions or whatever, and so I really needed to see how this process was working for someone.

    This is a beautiful beautiful print, and with this latest black, so rich and full of depth. I too was a little skeptical about that border on the sky, but it looks great with the black.

    Thank you for sharing so much of your technique.

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  2. You're most welcome, Coreopsis. If there's ever something I post that doesn't make sense, feel free to ask!

    Wow! Nothing like having to dive into reduction printing with two feet and no life raft. My discovery has been quite gradual... it started with a black-and-white image that I thought might look interesting with a second color. Then a third... then... Well. You see what's happened by now. :-)

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  3. This is really gorgeous! I love puffins and reduction printing - and your work most of all.

    I think it's so helpful that you share your processes with us all - I have certainly learnt a lot from you over the past year or so.

    It's also comforting to hear that you have doubts about your images and when to leave things alone, or not. I go through that all the time and just wonder if it is my inexperience but I guess it is actually the creative process as well. I have read other artists expressing doubts too - and you are all way better than me!
    Thank you!

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  4. This looks fantastic, I think the black in the rock looks fine, it's not overpowering at all! It looks very chilly, great effect!

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Linocut in Progress: The Third Act

Time to wrap up this linocut ! And we are wrapping at warp speed (see what I did there?)... because there are deadlines. Exhibition deadline...