My process

Sketching and Design.

Because print is so labor intensive and unforgiving, I don’t usually create spontaneously. Each print must be planned throughly. The concept may come at anytime and be quickly doodles on margins or scraps but once I decide it’s something I want to commit to, I move the idea to my dot-grid Leutchturm sketchbook. This helps me plan my composition and the size of my print.

Transferring the Drawing

Once I have my design laid out in my sketch book, I transfer the drawing to a linoleum block. I use the sketch as a reference but it only takes me so far so I free hand most of the drawing to be carved. First I draw in pencil and then I go over it in marker. Any words must be drawn in reverse because the print will be a mirror image of the block.

Carving the Block

Carving is the opposite of drawing. Instead of adding dark, you take away the light. I use different gouges and knives (pfeil and flexcut are my favorites) to carve away the areas of my print which will not hold ink. I cover everything with a layer of ink or marker. Doing this helps me understand how what I am carving will look once it is printed. Carving is my favorite and the most labor intensive part of my process. Each piece can take up to 40 hours to carve depending on size and details.

Printing

Once everything is carved, I begin the process of printing the work. I do not use a printing press so all my work is hand pulled. Using a pallet knife I add ink to a piece of plexiglass. I then roll the ink into a fine layer on the glass using a brayer or roller. Doing this transfers the ink evenly to the brayer. Once evenly coated, I roll the ink onto my block with the brayer. I make sure that the block is evenly coated with ink and there are no areas with too much or too little ink. Then I carefully lay paper (dampened by spritzing with a little water) on top of the inked block. Using my hands first, then a clean brayer, a glass print frog and finally a wooden spoon, I burnish the paper against the block to transfer the ink. Once I’m satisfied that the ink has transferred (I do a lot of lifting corners and peaking) I pull the paper off the block and hang or lay it to dry. After a week, I sign, edition, trim and package the print.