linoprints: pollarded willows

Today I managed to print a dozen prints, mainly on brown papers.

I was simply experimenting with what I could achieve and had only a limited range of colours to play with so worked with a mix of brown, ochre and ultramarine - no white available to lighten colours.

The first print I hadn't used enough ink - these are hand printed with water soluble inks - I prefer oil based inks and using an etching press but beggars can't be choosers! With the water based inks I find it's necessary to use much more ink when rolling up - I don't know if other people find this?

The second print worked better and I'd added ultramarine to the mix to darken it.

As I was clearing up I rolled marks onto a piece of paper to clean it - and then decided to do one last print with the residue left on the lino over these- I think I'll experiment further with this too as I like the loose painterliness it adds.

The chine colle ones weren't a great success and are probably heading for the bin - but that's another avenue to explore, along with a graduated rollup, where the bottom is darker than the top.

I popped them in a folder to bring them home and interleaved the prints with paper - these made rather interesting secondary prints when I unpeeled them on arrival - a sort of skeletal version - I'll do something with these as well. Don't you just love happy accidents?

I've been experimenting in photoshop with them since I got home - but that's for another post :>)

I still find lino very graphic for me but I'm learning ways to work around that so it's growing on me as a form of printmaking.


Please keep your comments and advice coming on the 'buy' button post below - I'm finding it very helpful :>)