A Thousand Paper Cranes

Lino printing part 2..

The prints and lino plates that were started last week were laid out on the tables ready for the participants who came in and got straight down to work.

It was clear everyone had been looking forward to relaxing into the lino cutting process again.

We also had 3 new participants who got stuck in and very quickly were drawing designs, printing and cutting.

Those who had printed a base colour last week, cut away the areas of the design that they wanted to keep that base colour.

Then a second (often darker) colour was inked onto the plate, and the plate placed onto the base colour print with great care, so that the edges lined up.

Some participants chose to ink the plate with several colours in one stage, to great effect.

The cutting gave several of the designs a beautiful and clear definition, to what had been an abstract base colour print.

The range of papers used to print onto also gave some interesting contrasts and textures to the prints.

Once the second colour (or set of colours!) were printed, the plates were washed clean, and the process began again.

More of the lino was cut away, so that these areas will stay as they are… when a third inking is completed next week.

Its been one of the most productive session we’ve had. The enjoyment was infectious.

‘This was fantastic…. Really really good’

‘I really enjoyed it’.

‘It’s nice to get messy and have fun’

Commenting on the results..’not bad for someone without a creative bone in their body’.