Assignment 3 - Project

The project called for choosing a painting with strong chiaroscuro effects and creating a design to convert into a multi-block lino print. I experienced some false starts in choosing an image I liked, first choosing an image which wasn't thought to offer enough tonal effect and then another image by Caravaggio that on reflection I felt that my technical skill wasn't up to cutting, although I liked my tonal sketch of the piece of image I chose - "Boy bitten by Lizard"

tonal sketch - boy bitten by lizard
Again looking at Caravaggio’s work, I decided to concentrate on the Angel from “Rest on the flight from Egypt” ..http://www.caravaggio-foundation.org/Rest-on-the-Flight-into-Egypt-(Riposto-durante-la-fuga-in-Egitto).html and drew a trial tonal image



I drew this by eye and the proportions are not accurate - meaning that I have lost the lean elegance of the original. The later print would have perhaps benefited if I had traced the image.

I decided that three blocks would be required, the lightest tone being the tone of the paper to cut the key block - block three in the printing sequence - first because I intended to offset this onto the other two blocks to try to ensure more accurate cutting.


key block - block 3 in printing sequence
This worked well until I noticed that the blocks were not perfect rectangles. Something I had assumed. So I  spent time trying to register the blocks one with another and ensuring I had at least one good right angle that I could use as a registration guide when printing. I made a mental note to check that blocks are square before starting the cutting in the future!


Block 1

I found the lino from Hawthorns - slightly more expensive than the lino I had used before - much easier to cut with less resistance with the cutting motion feeling smoother and was therefore able to cut for longer before having to rest my hand. The grey top coating opens up a lighter grey when cut and thus the cut is more obvious than the cheaper lino I had been using - another positive.This was especially important after the first proof of the block when I made some corrections - I could easily see where the new cuts had been made.

   
Block 2
I am pleased with the image - the preparatory drawing sorted out a lot of questions and clarified the design before the block cutting stage and this proof allowed me to make some corrections to the block before printing.
 When I was satisfied with this block -after an issue proof stage and then amendment-  I again inked it with strong black, printed it onto strong cartridge paper and then immediately ran this through the press onto block 2 thus giving a clear reversed image of block one onto block two and when the ink was dry started cutting block two. Oil based inks are a slight advantage in off setting since the ink on the paper stays wet for longer to allow the process of correct registration etc. I would have felt necessary to hurry this process if using water based inks in a warm environment which is my studio. However, my problems with registration later indicated that perhaps I did not spend enough time a this stage.
Printing the first block - I like experimenting with colour and colour mixing so am working with the three primaries , white and black to try to mix the colours I want. Although I realise that it would be easier to use ready made colours and that I will benefit from expanding my range of colours in due course, I feel I am learning a great deal by the trial and error I get with a limited palette. This does mean that I often mix too much ink - which is wasteful - to ensure that I don't run out of the colour for the edition. However I usually have one or two trial prints on the go that I can experiment with and therefore the colour is never wasted. I also find that the oil based inks stay workable for up to two days without having to cover them which is an added advantage.

I wanted an ochre and mixed primary yellow with a small amount of black. This always takes me by surprise because it looks so green on the mixing plate which doesn't happen in other mediums. I used Hawthorns stay open inks - I am still experimenting with these but am finding them transparent, consistent and easy to use. They are also very easy to clear up which is an added advantage.

Transparent ink is recommended for relief printing and I am still experimenting with the quantity. I don't think I used enough at first and the result was not consistent , sticky and took a long while to dry.The colour surprised me by being so clear and transparent but the quality of inking varied too much over the edition. To some extent this was as a result of experimentation due to trying more or less ink on the block and the results varied from a very dense definite green to a light patchy ochre. There is a mottled texture on these prints which appears to be a texture from the block which seems perfectly flat when viewed with the naked eye but which a light rolling of ink emphasises. Since I felt the colour was too dark, I decide just to proof on bread and butter paper and Masa. This I feel is a mistake since both are very white and therefore there is too big a tonal jump. I made a note to compare both Masa and Simili - a warmer toned paper -when I edition again.

Looking at these first prints, I feel the Masa paper prints are better - the colour is more even, this could be because the ink had settled on the block after several prints on the other paper or perhaps the different absorbency of the different paper and they dried much quicker .

Despite feeling that the first colour of the first inking was too dark, I decided to mix enough ink to print all the images to give me more practise with registration. Although the system used by Sara Lee for Japanese Woodblock works very well for hand burnished prints I don't feel it works for me on the press so have a marked outline for both block and paper on the press. I spent quite a lot of time setting it up and feel it works but have noticed in this second printing that the registration from the first printing was not perfect in all the prints. I think this may indicate that I didn't hold the paper flat on the press until the roller had engaged with the print and block or that I was working when too tired and therefore was not as careful as I could have been, but it may come back to the original error in judgement in not checking the lino plates against each other before cutting.

The colour is almost the right tone for the second block, perhaps a bit dark but because the first block colour was too dark, this was a necessity. I am pleased with the contrast between the two colours but there is too big a gradation from the white of the paper.  The inking on the second block is more even. This may be due to the nature of the first block which I doubt as they appear to have come from the same sheet, so it is most likely down to a more precise technique on my part. The image seems to be working well. I can see faults in the cutting of both first and second block but over all I think they are successful.

I mixed the last tone for the first edition -a dark green - made from yellow, transparent ink and slightly more black.  I found that the prints on the bread and butter paper were still a bit sticky whereas the prints on the Masa paper were completely dry. This is due to the absorbency of the paper and I need to take this into consideration in the future. 

Disappointing result - none of the prints are perfectly registered - the paper seemed to be slipping in the press - not sure why, although one print almost acceptable. I have adjusted the roller pressure, have held firmly onto the plate as it going through the press, have varied the ink covering as I felt that I was inking too thickly but still the paper slipped, so feel it might be due to the roller being unbalanced. I think the plate works well with the other two but it is difficult to be sure as the edition printing hasn't worked at all well.

The colours were confirmed to be too dark so the edition would have had to be repeated anyway. The ink stays sticky for a long time on the prints on bread and butter paper and the tissue paper stuck to them. The patterns the ink has left on the tissue paper is very interesting though so I am looking forward to use it in chine colle.

1st edition - final image

I decided to print another edition and have mixed a lighter tone for the first block. I have printed some extra sheets on both bread and butter paper as proofs and some Japanese Simili paper -which is a warmer colour to see if the tones can be better balanced.

Again the print slipped or the registration was not perfect when printed on the press so I tried hand burnishing a print. I was not happy with the result - it has not produced an even covering. This made me realise that I need to practise hand burnishing if I want lino cuts larger than my press will allow, even though previously on the Japanese Woodcuts at the workshops with both Jo McChesney and Sara Lee my hand burnishing techniques led to even and successful results. I therefore returned to printing by press but changed the registration method to a sight method. This produced reasnable results but printing the third plate showed the inconsistencies of plate registration




However, looking at these two images and comparing them with the first, I prefer the colours of the first .







I have learnt: 

• Since registration issues let down the print, this is a stage I have to work on with more accuracy in the future.
• The tonal range could be improved and this would highlight the chiaroscuro effect more effectively 
• Inking needs to be more consistent especially for editioning and a thin coat is needed.
• lino cut offers more potential to develop more elegant designs then I originally considered and
• tonal effects can be achieved
• I can cut fine lines that are sinuous so that I can produce the effects I want through the medium 
• the design that I have developed works both as a lino print and as a dry point 

Angel - dry point - first proof 

• and finally, to experiment more with combining images from different print media.