Final Prints

Yesterday I got in the print room and did my final prints. 

I chose black ink in the end because I felt it was the most appropriate to the context and also because it has the most impact, especially when you stand back from the illustrations and look at them from a bit of a distance. The details were lost in the bronze. 

I added a border, as I had done in my mock ups, because I felt this reflects the style of the old woodcuts, which would usually always be contained in a frame. 

Problems & Solutions:

- The frame was kinda hard to ink up because it was so thin - so I tried to put another piece of lino in the middle of it to keep the roller flat and maintain even application all over. 

- There were really small areas that weren't supposed to pick up ink, but which pressed onto the prints - so I tried to cut these down as I went, and cleaned the lino several times between printing. What worked better was to use a cloth to rub away areas of ink that I didn't want to end up on the paper

- I needed to avoid getting any fingerprints, ink or oil on the paper - As this has happened to me before. So I set down a large sheet of paper to put the good Somerset paper I'd bought and prepared on, to protect it. I also switched between wearing gloves and taking them off, or wiping them / changing them regularly to avoid leaving marks.

- I only had a limited amount of Somerset paper to work with - So to avoid too many mistakes or misprints, I practiced on scrap paper first before moving on to the good stuff. 

Evaluation:

Overall I'm happy with the way that the prints have come out. I'm really pleased that I used a frame because I think it focuses the illustrations. It stops them from looking as though they're floating in the middle of a big page. 

I think that if I had given myself a bit more time I could have cut the frame neater to the point where it didn't have any areas to accidentally pick up ink. 

I chose to include the Holbein cut that I did, almost like a front cover to the prints. This is because this was absolutely my turning point, where I felt as though I learnt so much. It challenged me and forced me to really push myself. It's also relevant to the project because it represents the old medieval woodcuts that I've been aiming for, it symbolises death, and also the old woman represents a hag like character. I think it demonstrates how far my linocut skills have come and I regard it as being really really important to this project.

Taking into account a range of feedback I got from peers, I chose not to include text in this series of prints in the end. Although it could have added another element, and explanation, I feel as though the purpose was to present the objects as they are. It then triggers a sense of interest, intrigue and wonder from the viewer, as opposed to them being told 'This is a torture tool and this is what it does' and them seeing only that. I want the viewer to look at the print, the process, the detail, the object.. instead of just seeing an iron maiden and that's all. I love the concept of cabinets of curiosities, which weren't actually cabinets but rooms of wonder. Where people would have objects and items, not necessarily knowing their exact origins or uses, which would spark off this intrigue and they would discuss their thoughts and opinions. I think that presenting my prints in this way is effective. Some of the tools are more obvious than others, so once it is apparent that they're all torture tools, it's down to the viewer to consider their purposes.

I definitely think I could have managed my time better on occasions, but the whole point that I've found in this module and the main thing that I've learnt is that the linocut process is a lot more time consuming than I first considered. Like I've mentioned before, coming up with 31 linos for inktober had given me some confidence to do this, but they weren't anywhere near as detailed as what I wanted to achieve this time around. I've realised the importance of getting initial sketches dead on, before cutting. Also that printing the linos is a completely separate challenge.

I've learnt so so much this module, about the lino process, about my interests and the way that I work. I've come to realise more that I want to keep pushing this printmaking practice, and that my work needs to exist as physical illustrations. I've fallen in love with the linocut process and I want to keep pushing what I've learnt in this module, into Extended Practice, and further, beyond the end of my degree.

Presentation:

I originally wanted to use something like leather to wrap the prints in, but after visiting the fashion rooms and speaking with staff, I chose black linen. The leather that they had was very thick, and they only had offcuts. But the plus side of linen is that it's easier to wrap as it's thin enough, but it still has some weight to it. Reading about things like medieval clothing too, in Europe, the main fabrics used were leather, linen, wool, silk and fur. 

I used 3 strips of the linen to braid and create something to bind everything together. The prints are then separated by layers of tissue, and wrapped inside of the fabric. 

I'm not that happy with this presentation. I don't think it looks that professional at all and I wonder if it would have looked a little sturdier with leather... but maybe I could look more into different presentation methods in Extended Practice if I continue with similar work.