Exploring Linocuts: from Basics to Beyond

Want to learn the secrets to professional linocut printmaking?

Our guest tutor Rachael Lee brings her expert knowledge and experimental style to the classic printmaking technique of lino cuts.

During this 2 day workshop, Rachael will take you through the basics but she will also be sharing her expert tips and tricks that she has gained through years of printmaking experience. 

You’ll create a range of colourful prints from carving a simple design using your own drawing or photograph as a reference.

You will also break with the tradition of creating a black and white edition of identical prints.  Instead, you’ll have fun pushing the boundaries by exploring bleed prints, ghost prints, and multiple colours in rainbow rolls.

On day 1 you’ll learn:

• Mark making on a practice piece of lino
• How to transform your image into a professional lino design with personalised feedback from Rachael
• Easy ways to transfer your design onto the block
• How to carve your block the safest and most effective way for your design

On day 2 you’ll learn:

• The right way to ink your block to produce crisp images
• The best printmaking papers for lino including Rachael’s favourites
• How to print your lino with a press and at home by hand
• Creative printing techniques including rainbow rolls and ghost prints

Silk Cut Lino, use of lino tools, inks, printmaking papers, and consumables are supplied. For inks, we’ll be using Sakura high quality pigment oil-based inks which dry in 24hrs, with a simple non-toxic cleanup process.

You’ll need to bring:

• Apron and nametag
• Lunch and drinks
• Imagery for linocut design (approx. 14cm x 19cm)
• Lino carving tools if you have a set
• Visual diary/notebook, pencil & eraser
• Optional: a hands-free magnifying glass to help see while carving your lino
• Wear comfortable closed in shoes

This workshop welcomes beginners as well as those with some experience in traditional linocut editioning who’d like to experiment more with the medium.

About the Tutor:  Rachael Lee approaches her art practice with the same curiosity that she brings to exploring her local natural surroundings. She works with non-toxic experimental printmaking techniques, creating layered works using linocut, etched linocut, stencils, collagraph, drypoint and monoprinting.  By combining shape, line and texture in her prints she seeks to highlight the underlying patterns, rhythms and soothing effects of nature.

Rachael is passionate about sharing her printmaking knowledge and over the last ten years has exhibited, given artist talks and run workshops for teachers, students and community groups in Southeast Queensland.

What is Linocut printmaking?

Linocut is a form of relief printmaking where the printing surface is raised. The artist cuts away areas of the block not meant to print, and ink is applied to the surface of the block usually via a roller. Paper is placed over the inked surface and the image is either hand printed or run through a press.

What is Silk Cut Lino?

Silk Cut lino has been specially made for artists. It is softer and less dense than the traditional brown lino. The product is biodegradable and can be composted as it is composed of vegetable drying oil and natural rosin, mixed with wood flour and limestone, pressed on a jute backing.