This is a reduction linocut print I produced a few weeks back to test my new printing press. The process is also referred to as a ‘suicide print’ since additional linocut material is removed after printing each new colour, so it’s virtually impossible to recover from any mistakes.
This image was inspired by a new book called ‘Picasso Linocuts’ by Markus Müller (ISBN: 9783777439815) and by Picasso’s famous Bull series in which he worked to banish unnecessary detail from the image in order to distill the purest representation of the animal.
In the print above I was trying to sum up my impressions of the pure physicality of the cow and, especially, how such a huge bulk can be supported on such dainty legs.
As with most printmaking, ensuring the paper is registered in the same position when printing the different colours is essential, and you can see mine is very slightly off. I’ll try and post sequential photos or a video of the whole process the next time I attempt it.
