Finally I cut out all the areas that are red. Now only the areas of the design that I want to be black remain. The final printing is in black ink and then the print is complete. The registration is immaculate on some of the prints because even the lines between the woman’s toes have come out white – ‘nice crisp toes’. The block is now unusable and can’t be used to print more images. The print is called “Sundance”.

Next I clean the block and cut out everything in the design that I want to appear in yellow ochre. I then print the block for a second time in the next colour, in this case scarlet red. I print the block in exactly the same position on the paper each time. The red prints on top of the yellow and so comes out a more orange version than the scarlet from the tube.

I’ve cut out the white lines of the image only. Then I print the block at this stage using the lightest colour ink in the design – in this case yellow ochre.

You can see the design that I have drawn in felt tip for this print on the right of the photo. Firstly, I transfer the reversed image of the design onto the lino using tracing paper. Then I cut only the white lines of the design into the lino.

I printed this block in just black, but I think I will experiment with two greys and black next. The wall in the foreground will be light grey, the middle ground including the tree and birds will be black and the sky will be dark grey – I think.

The first time that you ink up a block is very exciting. It’s the first time that you get a sense of the contrasts within the print.

image size (w x h) – 112mm x 292mm
technique – linocut
edition size – proof

This poor bittern probably requires a background of some reeds to hide in. I’m going to cut a second block for the background and print it in an olive green colour.

image size (w x h) – 94mm x 298mm
technique – linocut
edition size – proof

A rather a lost and confused shag.

image size (w x h) – 99mm x 295mm
technique – linocut
edition size – proof

This image has been hanging about in my head for years. I finally got round to cutting it. My tools are a bit blunt at the moment, so it’s quite a rough cut, but I think it works quite well.

image size (w x h) – 105mm x 300mm
technique – linocut
edition size – proof