I’ve just been looking at a book called ‘The African Dream’ about the life and work of John Muafangejo. I am always bowled over by the immediacy and vibrancy of his cuts; lots of appealing black and white shapes and pattern also. I cut this partridge in a pear tree several years ago after discovering his work, the shape of the tree and the pattern of the leaves are inspired by his work.
image size (w x h) – 105mm x 300mm
technique – linocut
edition size – 25
paper – Somerset
At the moment I’m experimenting with some multi-block prints. I’m working on a series of prints involving buildings as background with imaginary, long, tall people arranged over them. The building in this design is based on the wonderful 5-storey town houses in Amsterdam. Inspiration for the girl is drawn from some of Stig Lindberg‘s amazing figures. The bird-cage and the umbrella mirror some of the architectural features and the bird that has flown from the cage has become an architectural feature on the building, thus linking the two blocks.
I’m pleased with the the stylised delicacy of the print. I haven’t printed the edition yet, but printing will be a painstaking process because the long length of the block (75cms) makes it awkward to pull through the press and difficult to achieve an even print.
image size (w x h) – 170mm x 750mm
technique – two block linocut
edition size – proof
I cut this for my husband, because he is a fungus fiend. Everything in the picture is mushroom-shaped. I think the composition works well.
image size (w x h) – 150mm x 300mm
technique – linocut
edition size – 10
paper – Somerset
I really like this ‘Adam and Eve’ design. The idea was to have two sculptural forms that look as if they are sculpted from two blocks of stone. Appendages from each figure reach across and link the two.
image size (w x h) – 150mm x 210mm
technique – linocut
edition size – 5
paper – Somerset
The Goat Walk is a raised footpath that runs from the end of The Strand to Elm Grove Road beside the Exe estuary in Topsham, Devon. I have gone for many Sunday walks along this path and so I decided to use it as one of my first experiments with landscape. I wanted to incorporate pattern within the landscape and I used yellow ochre with two shades of grey and black. I wanted the curled ferns in the foreground to look a little like goats’ horns. The figures are very stylised, but I like the way their shadows look so serene on the white path.
image size (w x h) – 300mm x 300mm
technique – four colour reduction linocut
edition size – 6
paper – Fabriano Artistico
This is a simple and bold cut that I’ve just completed. The inks used were blue grey first and then yellow ochre on top. The registration is good as the white outlines are crisp. I might use it as a Christmas card design.
image size (w x h) – 150mm x 210mm
technique – two colour reduction linocut
edition size – 9
paper – Fabriano Artistico
I’ve just revived an old linocut that I had abandoned, because it looked over-busy and confusing, by turning it into a colour print. As you can see the colours really differentiate different elements in the picture and make it much easier to look at.
image size (w x h) – 210mm x 300mm
technique – two colour reduction linocut
edition size – 7
paper – Fabriano Artistico
'Three Angels' initial proof
© 2009-2012 Elizabeth Rashley - linoblog All Rights Reserved -- Copyright notice by Blog Copyright
