Lino Printmaking: A Newcastle Printmaker’s Blog
Printmaking V Painting - What’s the difference?
When I take to people about what I do, they either remember having a go at Lino print in school (and more often than not have very fond memories of it), liken it to potato print or stamping (the basic principals are the same but the skill level isn’t) or refer to it as painting. This article is for the latter group.
While there are a few similarities between painting and printmaking, there are some very big differences. I’ll be expanding on some of these differences below as well as answering the question: What is printmaking? And expanding briefly on different types of printmaking.
Why Do I Do Printmaking?
Art has always been important to me. Even when I stopped making it - I felt a loss.
The short answer to the question is that I love it but it goes deeper than that. After having my daughter, I did what a lot of mums do and made my every moment about her. For the whole of maternity leave, I was Mum and nothing else. Don’t get me wrong - I am incredibly grateful and proud to be Mum. It is one of the most wonderful things I have ever experienced, but that’s one part of me and I didn’t realise that for a while.
What to do when you gouge too much of your Lino
We all know that mistakes happen and that is true of Lino carving too. Every now and then I get over zealous or keep going when I know I’m too tired and - uh oh - I make a mistake. Once or twice it has resulted in me taking a chunk out of my finger (ouch) but more often than not it ends up with me taking a chunk out of the lino - annoying.
Not long ago, I discovered a handy tip on Instagram. I can’t remember who posted it but I am eternally grateful. It involves Polyfiller! I thought it sounded a bit bonkers to begin with but I had made a mistake with a lino block and, however small the nick was, it ruined the block. Having spent a long time carving up to this point, I was devastated. But then I remembered the tip. Want to know what it is?