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Lino-cut sunflower, part 1
While watching the Winter Olympics one nippy Sunday, I decided to work on my lino-cutting class. Our lesson was textures. I thought and thought and didn’t want to do something like the teacher. A friend of my older son LOVES sunflowers, so I thought hmmm…. love the seed-pod texture 
of the center, the silky smoothness of the petals, so I decided to do a jumbo life-sized sunflower. The linoleum square is 12 x 12 inches; i think the center measures about 6 inches or so across. In the photo above you can see my pencil marks and the beginnings of cutting away the spaces around the seeds/circles. I actually like this amorphous, amoeba-like shape so much I may make a few printing blocks that are similar to this one…like water seeping through the mud finding the path of least resistance.
And an angled view–by the way, I used a medium or small “U” shaped gouge for this part:
You can see in this photo the size of the block, and that I used some of my plastic quilting circle templates to mark the perimeters for the seeds and petals.
In this shot, I’ve begun carving the petals using a medium “V” shaped gouge for the outside, and a small “V” for the inner lines:
And again, an angled view (somehow the lighting shows up the carved bits better)–I just LOVE that center!:
In the next photo, you can see the carving jig I made. Woodblock carvers use something similar, with a lip on the close-to-the-body edge so it snugs against the table. My jig is larger (to accommodate the large lino blocks) and lacks the lip… I find I like to angle the block, so wanted to be able to turn the jig. Since doing this one, tho, I discovered I can take an extra strip of the molding I used to make the edge/frame and put it at an angle on the inside, so I may add a lip after all. Having cut myself on my first effort, I now have a wary respect for how sharp the carving tools are! The safety from using a well-made, well-designed jig are well worth the minimal cost (about $10 for the supplies, tho still need to buy some felt to glue to the bottom).
In the photo above, you can also see that I have begun carving away the outside in a flame-like pattern. By this time I’d been cutting for several hours, and my hands began to ache, so I took a break and finished it the next day (which was also Spring Break and more of the Olympics television marathon). Finally, carving DONE!
And the angle view:
Can you tell I’m having fun? Then I had to wait for an order with some Speedball ink to arrive. My textile paints aren’t working as I would like for the printing, so we’ll see if the Speedball water-soluble ink works any better. It can apparently be heat-set and made permanent….. time for more testing?
If you think you’d be interested in taking this class online, contact Dijanne Cevaal who is (I mentioned this earlier, forgive me for repeating it here) originally from the Netherlands, immigrated to Australia and lived there most of her adult life, travelled to the middle East and is currently living, at least for a while, back in Europe. Consequently, we have a glorious around-the-world group in our class. You can contact her by using the link in the sidebar (to the left) which will take you to her blog.
March 18th, 2010 at 8:20 am
That sunflower is awesome! I just discovered that our local Hobby Lobby has lino supplies. I’m not sure that I want to get into yet another obsession!
March 18th, 2010 at 8:25 am
Sarah! Amazing! I knew you would take to Dijanne’s class like a duck to water!
I think Maggie does need another obsession! Don’t you?
All my stuff is away untill I move house in two weeks! Grrrrrr!
Hugz
March 18th, 2010 at 8:27 am
PS – with a lino that size I put the fabric on top of the lino and used my hands to work the fabric paint in (gently)! That is how I did my Koi (see blog – I think I tagged Koi!)
Hugz
March 18th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Impressive! This class is going to add new dimensions to your work I think.
March 18th, 2010 at 11:37 am
This is gorgeous!!
March 18th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
I love this – beautifully done. And putting the fabric on top of the block and pressing gently to work the paint in – as Sally suggests – may help with smaller pieces too (I find it gives a cleaner print in any size). And I agree about making smaller blocks like that centre bit of pattern – but then I’m a natures patterns freak!
March 19th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
WOW! You really have been sucked in!
For this I give you the Sunshine Award:)
http://nestlingsbyrobin.blogspot.com/
March 21st, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Sarah, The sunflower is great and then some. You make me want to get out my tools. But then I think of all the unused basket materials and all of the fabric…but then block printing uses fabric. Also, the Farnsworth is having a class this spring. Tempting.