Linocut print with watercolor and colored pencil

I’ve had fun carving this linocut print, in fits and starts, wedged between other projects over this season.

I added color and changed values on the artist’s proof to explore where I need to focus the last phase of clearing the block.

The photo reference was snapped in the mid 80’s on a crisp, Fall day, during a wonderfully rich chapter of my youth, so I’ve painted and printed the scene several times (like this).

This always takes me back to that window (and my grandfather’s decanters), in that New England sunlight, at that particular time (a tiny apartment stuffed with family and friends as room mates).

Art-making from your own photographs is a lovely bit of time travel.

Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the next post –

Belinda

Linocut print in process — Carving into a sheet of un-mounted linoleum after applying a gray-scale drawing to the surface with pen and ink

Rolling ink on a sheet of linoleum — Rolling relief ink onto the carved sheet of un-mounted linoleum

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Test print on newsprint — Pulling a test print from carved, un-mounted linoleum

Linocut drying rack — A linocut drying rack using a closetmaid vinyl coated shelf unit, and old fashioned wooden clothes pins

Still life color linocut print — Adding Watercolor to the single color artist’s proof print

Color Linocut still life — Persimmon, Shells & Whiskey Decanters 6.25×9 Linocut with Watercolor & Colored Pencils

Art Quote

But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase. They quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out, or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it’s totally normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week, you will finish one story.
It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.
Ira Glass – Creativity and the Building Blocks of a Great Story

Linocut print with watercolor and colored pencil – Persimmon, Shells and Whiskey Decanters