Last week in Printmaking we started another type of relief print. Relief meaning that you carve into something and have your design remaining when you go to print it. This time though instead of a linocut which is when you carve into linoleum blocks, we got a block of wood to carve into. The tools were a little different from those that we used on the other print, the tips are attached to thin wooden handles that make carving on the block much easier.
For my project I wanted to try making a design that would have a lot of line work in the end. I wanted my piece to show movement with the way the lines were flowing. For my subject I chose to draw out blackberries and blackberry leaves. I wanted to show the contrasting lights and darks through the combination of line work and other carving techniques.
I would definitely recommend printmaking to any artist who hasn’t learned about it yet. The basics printing are very easy to pick up and would be great for a beginning artist or one who wants to expand their mediums. You only need a few materials to get you started, and you don’t necessarily have to have a press. You mainly need a block to carve into, carving tools, ink, and a spoon. You can use the spoon or any flat object that can be pressed on the back of the block to make a print.
