Soulsong Art - Australian Wildflowers & Wildlife Art Studio Diary » Linocuts

SALE ON WILDFLOWER CARDS FOR CHRISTMAS!

Lyn Weir — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:36:02 +0000

I have decided to put my wildflower cards on sale for Christmas. I have now sold out of the older cards but am putting the set of 6 cards above on sale for $5 a set. For larger images click here. Orders can be made from my website found here.

Update to website – Tawny Frogmouth Linocut

Lyn Weir — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:15:05 +0000

I have finally started to get back to work – although slowly – and have just updated my website with the final version of the ‘Tawny Expressions’ linocut which I have called ‘Evry Move You Make…Watching YOU’.

The local ‘tawnies’ as they are affectionately known are back of an evening hunting under the street lights and sending out their thrumming oom-oom. Each year I hope they will find the trees in our yard to nest in but so far no such luck! But I look forward to thei summertime visits and hopefully they will bring a young one or two around again for a visit.

Tawny Expressions Linocuts – first hand coloured drafts

Lyn Weir — Wed, 20 May 2009 02:03:52 +0000

It is wet windy and cold here at the moment with a ‘weather event’ looming – according to the weather forecasters. Nice weather for being inside drinking coffee, making winter comfort food and well procrastinating which seems to loom large for me in recent times.

I have however managed to complete one set of colour drafts of the set of 12 tawny expressions linocuts. I wasn’t sure how much to hand colour at this point so have gone in this set for the full colour with glowing yellow eyes look.

Below are the template images with just yellow eyes…

Tawny Expressions Linocut Templates

I was planning to have them framed using black core black mountboard with a black frame so the second image here is to give some idea of that.

I will probably sit on these images for a while (yes more procrastinating!) so I am going back to carving some more work and also further working on the Barn Owl image. I did the original drawing of this barn owl about 5 years ago and it has waffled around for all that time. I have come up with a whole new way of looking at it and may even drop the orginal idea in favour of developing the new images. I will post the process at some stage as it can be valuable for an artist to look at their own processes in a more ordered fashion required for blogging and may provide some small insights for others. Well hopefully anway!

Emu Linocut – what a difference a background colour can make

Lyn Weir — Mon, 18 May 2009 03:39:44 +0000

Having finally carved, printed and now coloured this linocut (after working on the original drawing over a year ago and the pre-sketch ideas are over 2 years old!) I finally have finished!

I had hand painted the emu first as you can see but it felt a bit empty so added a graded wash of ‘Australian Red Gold’ which I am quite pleased with. I must say this one of my favourite watercolour pigments as it just seems to have a glow about it. I think the background colour can make a huge difference to any work and often it may take several tries to create the effect you want. So now it is a matter of completing the edition of this design.

Oh and still deciding on a final name for this work? Any ideas?

New linocuts printed! Unusual birds – Tawny Frogmouths and an Emu

Lyn Weir — Thu, 14 May 2009 06:19:43 +0000

As I indicated in yesterdays post I have finally printed some of the numerous unfinished designs that have been sitting around on the ‘to do list’ for in some cases years!

So here are the black and white versions- can’t wait for the ink to dry and starting playing with some colour ideas on these 2 works – I already have the framing ideas.

Firstly is the set of 12 tawny expressions. These started as drawing studies of Tawny Frogmouths which I couldn’t resist taking into linocut designs.

The second is a madcap emu that was originally what I considered a less than successful drawing. In the end I went for the slightly unhinged quality of the drawing – especially as emus seem to have this quality about them. As for the design I decided to extend the lines created by the feathering into the background to add to this whole mad type impression.

Any suggestions for the title of this work? “C’mon, make my day” for some reason springs to mind!!

Preparing a Linocut Block for printing

Lyn Weir — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:10:34 +0000

Here a few quick tips on getting your linocut block prepared ready for printing.

* Before you start carving or printing a linocut block you can gently remove the waterproof coating. Linocut blocks are coated in a waterproof coating – if you place a drop of water on the surface it will bead and not soak in. I remove this coating with a superfine grade ‘wet’ sandpaper – using a small amount of water I gently rub the surface with the sandpaper. You will see the coating coming off easily – I then towel dry the block. If you then place a drop of water on the surface it will soak in.

* I trim the edges of the block to make a clean line for the print using a steel ruler and a sharp bladed knife. Traditional linocut blocks have a hessian backing.

* When you trim a linocut block this hessian backing needs to be further trimmed back to ensure none of the hessian stringing is left – this string can easily pick up ink when you are printing and create unsightly marks onto the surface of the print.

* I use scissors to trim – first from the front and then I turn the block over and check of there are any pieces of string that may slowly come undone whilst printing and I trim these back as well. I regularly check the block whilst printing to ensure no stray fine hairs are still there and picking up ink. It is easy to miss one and it is not until it marks the print that you realise it is there.

Within the black and white section of the above image on the left you can see a fine white line – this is one of the small and often extremely fine hairs that can easily ruin a great print – just ask me I know!! The image on the right shows the fine marks that can occur from these hairs picking up the ink. I have discarded many prints (which is quite costly) because of this. I try to keep a particular standard to the prints I include within an edition and work at improving my skills on an ongoing basis. I am finding that as my actual printing technique and knowledge of printmaking improves so the standards I want within each print of an edition, also increases. I am always seeking to learn new and improved techniques and tips through a variety of sources. I am very aware that over time my printmaking skills have improved and as a result so have the prints! I hope this information helps other linocut printmakers in identifying this and other common printing mistakes.

As you can all guess I finally got to print my Tawny Expressions blocks tonight – after spending time in Sydney, being unwell and the awful wet weather (that I tend to try to not print in – now that’s another issue of damp, limp paper in wet and humid weather) I have managed to do some printing this afternoon – fine sunny and actually quite warm for this time of year. Speaking of weather tonights printing listening music – Crowded House!

Tawny Expressions – Linoblocks – Linocuts

Lyn Weir — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:54:10 +0000

I have finally finished carving the linoleum blocks for the “Tawny Expressions” linocut print. They are smaller blocks but a lot of smaller complex carving with the No 1 blade so fiddly and time consuming. Carving larger expanses of open “white” space is far quicker and a bit more dramatic really.

So here they all are!

If you look at the edges around the carved designs you will see I haven’t as yet trimmed the blocks back. A good tip for carving is to leave a small edge that can be cut back with a knife when you have finished carving. As linoluem is a softer material it is easy to chip off an edge or even wear a corner off whilst carving. So if what you are looking for in a design is a nice even neat edge (well as best you can get given the pliable nature of the lino) then it is a good idea to leave a little around the edge of the design to cut back just before printing.

It has been extremely wet in our little corner of the world for a few weeks now so I will wait until it dries out a bit before printing them…in the meantime I am carving the Emu as well as continuing with finalising the alphabet designs.

Linocut Carving – Tawny Frogmouth Eyes – slow progress

Lyn Weir — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:34:12 +0000

A quick update…I have been working…albeit it very slowly…on these small designs but not getting a long way.

Sometimes life and circumstances make for slow progress.

This is the current state – four small linocut carvings completed and starting on a fifth – only eight to go!

Tawny Expressions Linocut Templates

I have also had 2 more visits to our backyard from our local pair of tawny frogmouths in the last week or so which has been great and some new photos of their activities of course!

I have still been plodding along with the alphabet designs a bit as well – will post more about them soon.

Currently carving…tawny frogmouth…linocuts

Lyn Weir — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 00:15:48 +0000

Just a quick update to let you know I am carving the Tawny Frogmouth Expressions linocuts! They are smaller blocks and I am back to using the grey silkcut lino which is nice.

I am trying to take regular breaks and watch that I don’t spend too much time bent over in the same position to help alleviate the RSI that is so annoying. I also use a wrist guard which forces me to adjust the position I hold my hand in and be more aware of taking breaks. Sometimes I get so involved in carving a section that I forget how long I have been working in the same position. Anyway so far so good!

Typically for me I am also in between times working on the final images for the alphabets – almost finished all the wildlife images.

it is rainy and damp here at the moment and it is not supposed to ease off for the next couple of days. But I like these days (as long as I am not trying to get things printed in which case I don’t as the damp gets into the lovely dry paper!) they are pottering and working days…

Tawny Frogmouths and Linocuts

Lyn Weir — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:20:15 +0000

Over a week ago I went to a see a local wildlife carer release two Tawny Frogmouths from his care.

These had been young baby Tawny Frogmouths when they had been found and have been cared for until they have reached this stage and are ready to be released. There was a strong bond with this pair and so it was decided to release them together.

Of course I took hundreds of photos (ah the wonders of digital cameras!!) and I have chosen just a few to share with you.

I love the way despite the “I am not really here – you can’t see me” typical Tawny Frogmouth pose which works very well when their feathering colour blends back into a nearby tree trunk, they still take this whole stance no matter where they are. They seem to have this complete belief that if they just sit very very still no-one can see them. A bit like a child covering their eyes thinking you can no longer see them.

The above is the first Tawny to be released and wide-eyed with wonder and interest.

The second Tawny who seemed a very quiet gentle bird took longer to move out into the world – the second photo seems to indicate a bit of displeasure at his comfortable existence being disturbed – he was looking right at all of us!

Or maybe he’s just concerned…

When we left it was dusk and the pair continued to sit and wait just assessing their current and new situation.

So – what’s next on the linocut front? Well it would have to be Tawny Frogmouths!! This is the template ready for carving “Tawny Expressions” and as you can tell from the above photos these birds have the most amazing array of expressions! Only problem is that now I can see so many more designs I could add….

Tawny Expressions Linocut Templates