Colourblending and Reduction Linocut

Description

Join printmaker Scarlette Averley for a two-day workshop exploring colour blending and reduction linocut – a combination of techniques that allows you to create striking ombré, multi-layer prints from a single lino block.

Over the two days, Scarlette will guide you through how to craft eye-catching gradient prints using both the reduction method and the colour-blending (or ‘rainbow rolling’) technique. You’ll learn how to develop a unique design, cut your block in progressive stages, and print each layer on top of the last to build up rich, blended colour transitions. Whether you prefer detailed imagery or bold, abstract shapes; bright palettes or subtle tonal shifts, the process is wonderfully adaptable to your own style.

Colour blending is an ink-rolling technique that lets you create smooth gradations and bands of colour across your print. Perfect for effects like shifting skies or atmospheric backgrounds. Used alongside reduction linocut, it opens up the possibility of blending multiple layers and introducing several colours or tones with every stage.

As with all reduction work, it can be a little nerve-wracking at times – once you carve something away, there’s no going back! – but this course is designed to support you through each step, helping you embrace experimentation and those inevitable ‘happy accidents’.

Across the two days, we’ll cover the full process from start to finish, including carving, inking, colour blending, printing in layers, registration, signing and editioning, with plenty of time to practise. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have created a set of finished multi-layer ombré linocut prints to take home, along with the skills and confidence to continue exploring these highly adaptable techniques independently.

Itinerary:

Day one: 

• Introduction to the technique and discussion around the imagery you have brought along for inspiration and set about creating your design, clearly mapping out the differently coloured areas and transferring your design to your lino block.
• Demonstrations of making a registration plate, the colour-blend rolling technique and how to print your lino block using the Imperial Press.
• Creating your own registration plate, practise colour-blending and print your first layer, you will print it several times to ensure you have enough duplicates to create a small edition of prints.
• Tea break
• Lino cutting demonstration.
• Transfer of your design to your lino block and cut away the first section of your design.
• Lunch break
• Colour-blending and printing the second layer on top of the prints you did earlier.
• Marking out and cutting away the next part of your lino block in readiness for printing your third layer.
• Clean up and end discussion.

Day two:

• The second day of the course has less of a group structure as you will all be more familiar with the recurrent process of marking out, cutting the lino and printing. Everyone will complete stages at different paces with your tutor always on hand to support.
• Scheduled check-ins to see how everyone is feeling about the process and answer any queries.
• Colour-blending and printing layer three.
• Marking out, cutting, colour-blending and printing as required for layer four.
• Lunch Break
• For some, you may want to mark out, cut and print one further layer (layer 5), for others – you may now feel your design is complete with 4 layers and would prefer to use this time to create a design you can continue with at home.
• All participants will be given two A5 pieces of lino at the start of this course as we recognise everyone learns and makes at different paces and some designs will be more labour-intensive / detailed than others.
• Signing and editioning of prints.
• Course round-up, overview of what has been covered, ideas for next steps and any questions

What to bring/prepare:

Participants are encouraged to bring with them hard-copy sketches or photographs of things, people or places that interest them. These will be the inspiration for your prints.

We’ll be working with A5 sized lino blocks, so please keep that in mind when selecting imagery that can be suitably scaled. Be kind to yourself – try not to choose something with too many intricacies, particularly if this is your first experience of linocut.

Your tutor : Scarlette Averley

Born a Southerner, Scarlette has lived and worked in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, for the majority of her career. She is a studio-holder at West Yorkshire Print Workshop and an experienced printmaker and arts facilitator, working extensively in community and statutory settings. Her specialist area is the Reduction Lino Cut method of printmaking. Scarlette’s own practice is centered in ‘place’, exploring locations and buildings of personal significance or local interest. Use of colour is pivotal to her work and her palette tends to be bright, bold and whimsical, which reflects her relationship with and interpretations of her subjects. These dense layers of colour are achieved with heavy duty oil-based inks that leave a sheen or glossy finish on her prints. Scarlette’s pieces are always limited edition, original handmade prints, in varying edition sizes.

Experience level

This course is suitable for beginners as well as those looking to learn a new printmaking technique or who want a process refresher.

What’s included in this session?

All course prices include basic materials such as inks, paper, tools and equipment. Other materials and printmaking papers will be available to buy during the course if you would like to try something a bit different, or take some materials home to try out.

What’s next?

After attending this course you can join our workshop as a member and continue to use our facilities to make and develop your own work. The sooner the better, as the longer you leave it the more you are likely to forget! If you join up within one month of attending the course you will receive a £5 discount. Find out more about the benefits of membership here: https://www.wypw.org/shop/standard-membership/

Cancellation Policy:

• If you have to cancel:

If you are unable to attend your booked course, we may accept the fee paid as payment towards a place on the same or another course that takes place within the same financial year (running 1 April-31 March) following the originally booked event. Such a transfer will be on condition that we are informed in writing of your intentions four weeks prior to the originally booked event. Bookings can only be transferred once. If you are unable to attend, and not in a position either to transfer to another event, then the following charges will apply: Cancellation charges

• 16-12 weeks before the course: 50 % of the fee will be retained by WYPW
• Less than 12 weeks before the course: 100% of the fee will be retained by WYPW
• Please note that full payment is required for non-attendance on a booking that has been transferred.

If you have any further questions about our cancellation policy, please contact us on info@wypw.org

• If we have to cancel:

West Yorkshire Print Workshop reserves the right to cancel or re-arrange courses if there are insufficient participants enrolled to run a viable course or for other unforeseen circumstances. We will do our best to give those who have already enrolled at least one weeks’ notice of cancellation. In such circumstances you will be offered a free transfer to another course date or a full refund of fees paid. By enrolling in our courses, participants agree to abide by the terms and conditions outlined above. 

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