Yesterday we had another very successful lino printing workshop up in Rochdale. Four lovely ladies attended the day including Karen who came to my first workshop back in August and created her beautiful leaf tea towel, also Lynn Holland who has helped out so much with organising the day and promoting the workshops. There were two new faces this week, Lyn Robinson who creates wonderful artwork and many crafts also Reverend Gillian Peel who makes beautiful quilts and has the most amazing doodle sketchbook of black and white work or zentangling.
Cutting the Lino
We all had a cup of tea and coffee and a little chat, getting to know each other and then it was down to work. I gave a brief introduction to the tools and a quick demonstration how to create a small lino stamp and then it was over to them. I think the best way to learn is just to get going and learn on the job and ask questions whilst you are working.
I brought along a selection of different autumnal leaves, seed heads, holly with berries and feathers for a bit of inspiration. Both Lyn and Lynn created some wonderful stamps with the holy and berries and are going to make personalised Christmas cards and Lyn even added a pretty little robin which looks so striking printed over the tissue paper back ground. I am a big fan of mixing medias together.
Lyn’s Robin Print
Lynn’s Printed Christmas Card
Karen had brought along a sketch she had designed prior to the workshop with the idea of printing it on a cotton bag. The pattern was made up of simplified flowers in a lovely backwards L shaped design. She started by creating individual stamps which makes the positioning and colours much more flexible. The end result on the bag was beautiful, the rich colours blended together against the cream bag was stunning.
Karen’s Printed Bag
Karen’s Finished bag
Gillian had never done lino cutting before but from the prints she created you would have thought she had done it many times before. I love this styalised flower and leaves.
Gillian’s Floral Print
Lyn also had never done lino printing before and she decided to do a lino block of her cat (also called Lucy). A difficult image, especially for a complete beginner but the result was fantastic. Even the lino block is a work of art. The way the blades cut into the lino creates a beautiful soft fur texture that prints so well and it looks fantastic on the cotton bag.
Lyn’s Cat Lucy
Lynn was inspired by a book that I brought along, Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens by Lena Corwin. She created a great rectangular block with different patterns and marks which is really effective. Pattern blocks like this make great backgrounds to then overprint if done in a pale colour.
Striking Pattern Prints
It was a great day and everyone produced such a variety of fantastic work and it was hard to believe that they were beginners! Lino printing is such a fantastic craft, reasonably simple to learn and gives such wonderful and satisfying results.
Below are a couple of write ups of the day. If any one is interested in attending a lino printing workshop please contact me for more details. My next will be on Saturday 10th November in Rochdale which is already full but I am running 3 sessions (10am – 2pm) at Dean Row Village Hall, Wilmslow, North Cheshire on the 19th, 23rd November and 3rd December. Places are still available on all dates at £25 per person all materials and refreshments included. You can contact me via this blog or my e-mail for more information: woadbutterfly@hotmail.com
Lyn’s blog and write up of the workshop: http://lyn-everydaylife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/weekend-workshop.html?showComment=1352059661892
Lynn Holland’s blog and write up of the day: http://oneimadeearliertoday.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/lucys-lino-print-workshop.html?showComment=1352056699474
Gillian’s Work in Progress
A selection of Lyn’s days work
lefthandedcrafter 