Part 2: Project 6: Single Colour Linocut (Task 2)

I started with a photograph I had taken last summer – a south-eastern view of St Albans Abbey including some allotments. I’d decided my picture was going to be about the simplicity of a rural scene but depicted during these complicated and interesting times. This scene was captured last summer sometime after the first lockdown. Masks were not yet de rigueur. There were signs up to warn people to maintain their distance. I have included figures in my scene to lend interest to the foreground.

I had been careful to think about transferring the drawing onto the lino and how it would become mirrored. In order to avoid this I first flipped the image on my phone. I then drew the above. Then I attempted to transfer it onto the soft polymer lino using graphite paper. However, when this failed to work, I simply drew a version of my drawing onto the plate with a black sharpie pen. When I’d finished, I realised I had drawn the incorrect orientation of the image. However, I looked at both versions and eventually arrived at the decision to leave it as it was, as the resultant print would likely depict a better composition and therefore an improved outcome. This would be due to the western convention of reading an image from top left to bottom right. The first thing to notice is the skyline with the Abbey itself. The eye then meanders its way down the image and exits via the pathway leading to the bottom right hand side. As it was also not that well known a view, I didn’t think the orientation would matter that much.

Using my first test plate from Project 5 as a reference tool, I chose a Pfeil No 11 “v” shaped tool and cut outlines to key areas, as above.

I then took an initial proof onto newsprint.

I made some decisions about how to proceed, and cut a little more using a Pfeil No 5 “u” shaped tool. These Swiss tools are very sharp and sit nicely in the hand making light work of the butter soft polymer lino.

At this point, I have decided to be a bit bolder about creating areas of contrast in the foreground. But I hesitate – slightly nervous of making a hash of it. I feel that my attempts at a “mackerel sky” are more evocative of an apocalyptic one. I shall take further steps to create slightly less texture in the sky and draw more attention to the foreground area, thus:

More tomorrow.