Creating “Stacks” linocut
Original Print – Linocut on Paper
An original print so evocative of the rocky English coastline that those who see it are convinced they've visited the scene – some place it on the South Coast, some elsewhere
The sea is a powerful force shaping our coastline, building up or eroding respectively. Where headlands form, the sea will find any weaknesses in the rock, and wear it away until an arch is formed, and then a stack.
Eventually the sea breaks through where thin headlands of land project into the ocean. First of all, an arch forms, and when the arch collapses, a rock stack is created – as seen in the distance in this linocut.
Landscape artists have been inspired by the UK's shoreline since the 18th century, I understand. Though interestingly, they only discovered it when they became ill, and were prescribed places like Brighton!
How I printed “Stacks”
This linocut has been made using what's called the reduction‑cut method. Only one block of lino was used throughout the printmaking process, with more cut away from it for each application of ink in the print.
Every print in thix edition passed through my printmaker's press three times. The final pass involved multiple inks hand-painted onto the lino block.
The result is rich, intense, and textured individual prints with a great deal of character. Some printmakers strive for prints that are exactly the same without difference throughout an edition. I make what's called viable editions where the subtle individuality of handmade things is allowed to show.
Exhibited at St Peters Church art show, Harrogate, 2013. along with two others.
It can be surprising how easy it is to create an impactful picture that's double the size of the original. It's all about framing choices, and all framers can help achieve it.