Tiger cat

Lino cut cat from last year. The curve at the back could be from a snail shell. This is another technique I would like to pramore this year. I think I will try and create card sets, hopefully without cutting my fingers. You also have to remember to carve back to front or letters are the wrong way round. If you have ever tried this you can feel the carving tools slipping on the surface of the lino. You have to push quite hard to cut down into it but not too deep or you can split the lino. The kit I bought had a safety carving blade which is the safest way to carve. I look forward to doing some more.

Lino, cut

This is the sheet of lino that I carved out a dragon from for part of my MA final major project. I inked it up and got a reasonable result. I would like to try again and see if I can increase the complexity of the work. Its always good to learn new skills (without causing injury to myself). I don’t know if you can tell but it’s a dragon in flight. There is a girl riding it, the story is she helps it find it’s way home.

dragon again

copyright Christine Mallaband-Brown

I’m still working towards my final major project at college. The project is a picture book with patterned pages on one side of the two page spreads and possibly strongly contrasting images like this one on the other side. Im thinking of trying out linocutting as a method of producing them ( could get very messy) or perhaps a photoshop technique I’ve never used before? All part of ideas generation…Probably both to show that I’m trying to widen my skills. I also need to resolve where the text will sit…. I might even get it published. I think time is not dra-gon-ing on! Its going too quick!