Sunday, May 19, 2013

Relief printing

I took a fantastic class yesterday on relief printing taught by Justin Sanz at the Blackburn printshop in NYC. Relief prints are made by using sharp tools to cut into the surface of a block, generally wood or linoleum. When the surface of the block is inked and printed, the cuts print white/blank. The result is a graphic, striking image.

I'm definitely going to continue experimenting with relief printing. The physicality of carving and cutting feels very sculptural, in a reductive way of course. I feel a similar thread to my monotypes since I frequently work in a reductive method where I reveal an image from a dark field of ink.

Check out my first attempt at linocut..