Digital Mock Up - Scolds Bridal

Based on my research and sketchbook work, I decided to try and test out using the cintiq to digitally mock up a linocut, experimenting with contours and mark making.
I've just chosen a scolds bridal image in order to see if I can experiment with drawing more in the way that I cut. That way, there's less error in the translation of the drawing to the cut. I can be more confident when carving that I'm coming out with the aesthetic I want.
It also gives me the opportunity to incorporate the mark making techniques I've been trying to develop.

At first, I tried setting a black background, turning down the opacity and rubbing out areas. But this felt really unnatural, weirdly enough, and didn't seem to work. I just ended up with a really rubbish scribbled sketch.

So after this I just tried to use the contouring to give the object form, and then rubbed away some parts of the lines. I added in background and surface texture too.
I'm not totally happy with it, because it's not that detailed or intricate. It looks pretty rough. But as an experiment, it's interesting to see the effect of the linework, and the difference in the final image compared to the solid black linos I usually make.

As I develop more on my drawing and mark making, deciding on the final designs, I'll probably use this digital process again.
Drawing in the lines before rubbing them out again is similar in a way to the scratchboard artist's techniques that I've looked at in Extended practice and brought across to CoP.
I think I'm still needing to develop on my designs a lot more before I'll be happy to start cutting finals.