Lino Cut : I’m coming home…
Firstly - what is Linocut?
Linocut is a printing technique where an image is created by cutting out a “negative” in linoleum.
This negative is then “inked” using oil based printing ink, and the image is transferred to paper by placing the paper on top of the face-up, inked plate, and running it through a press. The ink is transferred to the paper - revealing the “positive” image.
The fun part is that you have to cut the image out back to front (mirror-imaged) and you also are cutting out the areas that you would like to remain white, rather than the areas that you would like to have black. This is called “relief printing”.
Simply put - linocuts are stamps!
Linocuts can either be part of an OPEN edition, or a limited edition. A limited edition is a guarantee that there will only ever be a set number of the image in circulation. These are sought after and very collectable.
Open edition can also be collectable and valuable, but only if the image or artist are considered notable.
Coloured Linocuts can be produced in two ways: either multiple plates are created, individually inked with colour, and printed on top of each other to produce the multi-coloured image; or, one plate is carved, inked and printed, and then the same plate is carved for the next print. The second method is called reduction linocut, and is extremely exacting, not only from an accurate registration point-of-view, but also because any errors are carried forward to the next colour, and cannot be “fixed”.
The first method is suitable for multiple editions (varied colours), or open editions. The second method is only ever used for a limited edition, and is thus sought after by collectors as a matter of course.
History
This image is a composite of multiple plates. The image was originally produced after a nasty kangaroo-on-road-from-nowhere-at-night incident, because i could not get the image of the kangaroo in my headlights out of my mind.
It also plays into the quintessential Australian Icon that is globally recognised.
I decided to produce a series of limited edition prints titled: “I’m coming home…” to celebrate the amazing feeling of returning home after a journey. The realisation that you have arrived! Whether that be physically - or spiritually.
“I’m coming home…” celebrates the colours of Australia, and its culture and spirit.
By Natasha Scott of Spotti Clogg Art Studio - follow us on Facebook!