May 2022. A linocut in 5 colors and in reduction
“The crossing” (“La traversée”, in French): a linocut in 5 colors and in reduction.
The reduction comprises the use of a single linoleum plate to print all the colors. We etched new areas of the plate between each color print.
The colors overlap each other. Here, the black areas have therefore been printed in light blue, in medium blue, in blue-green, in dark blue, and finally in black. It is therefore impossible to reprint copies at the end. For this linocut, I printed 14 copies at the beginning and kept only 9 at the end, to which is added an artist’s print.
For the first light blue print, I therefore engraved the plate only on the areas that will remain white. In the photo, the linoleum plate is ready for the first pass. It is visible that I have not yet prepared the color ink.
We then print all the leaves in light blue.
At the bottom left, the prepared color is visible and at the bottom in the middle, the tank for transferring the color to the ink roller. On the other side of the table, the first prints and the roller which is used to press the sheet on the linoleum plate in order to make the ink penetrate the paper. We place the plate on the table, then inked it using a roller. We carrefully (registration is mandatory) place the sheet of paper onto the plate and we pass the inked roller over the sheet.
A tighter plan.
The result after printing the first color, which will therefore be covered on some parts by the other colors in the following steps. Allow to dry before the next pass.
The drawings that I used to reproduce the design on the plate.
Prepared plate for the engraving of the second color printing in medium blue. Hatched areas are those that will not be engraved. The linoleum zones that will be removed correspond to the areas that will remain in light blue in the final print. The next step, medium blue will cover the light blue in places.
The plate being engraved. At the top right, for example, we can see parts that have already been removed.
The plate is ready for the second color printing in medium blue. The “gouges”, on the right which are used to engrave different profiles, different depths.
The medium blue coated plate is ready for printing.
Second color printing in progress.
A few copies printed with the first two colors. We obviously engrave the plate in a reverse way.
The result with the first two colors.
The engraved plate for the third tone: the light blue-green for the body of the swimmer in the image center.
Located below, the area that will be printed in dark blue, is the shadow of the swimmer at the bottom of the pool and at the image top, some parts that will occupy the area in medium blue color (the vertical side of the pool).
It is enough to ink only the part corresponding to the body of the swimmer. It protrudes a little, but it’s not a problem since the shadow will be covered in dark blue.
Blue-green printing in progress.
The result with the first three colors.
The result after printing the last two colors, dark blue and black.
For the record, I forgot to keep not carved away the black areas of the swimsuit and the swimmer’s hair when I engraved the plate for the dark blue color. I did not prepare the process enough ! So I ended up with two small stamps created specifically for black ink. Next time, I will also enhance the paper sheet registration which was too "light".