Lino printing is a way of making art that uses linoleum, a soft material, to create pictures or designs. A design is carved into the linoleum and then pressed onto paper or fabric.
Lino printing is a great way to make lots of copies of the same picture, for example, if you want to make greeting cards. It’s easy to learn, enjoyable to do, and it’s a nice way to make art with friends or in a group. Lino printing is special because it makes prints that look and feel different from other types of art and each print is unique. With a little patience you can create more intricate and complicated designs, like the mandalas pictured above.
Multiple colour prints can be achieved by either carving the design on several blocks – a block for each area that will be a different colour - or by the ‘reductive technique where just the areas that will have no colour are cut away first and the remaining area is printed with a pale colour. Then, on the same block, more sections are cut away for an area of another colour. The block is progressively cut away and the colours used get progressively darker. As the block is destroyed in the process, there is a fixed maximum number of prints that can be created from it.
PARTIES & WORKSHOPS
If you would like to host a Dot Mandala making party for yourself and your friends, please do get in touch. All materials are provided and the cost is £100 for up to 5 people and £20 per person thereafter. Workshops are 2.5 - 3 hours long.
“I've attended two of Paulette’s workshops (mandala painting and lino printing). Both were fabulous, really inclusive, friendly, relaxing and fun. Paulette explains techniques in a very user friendly way and is very encouraging – great for a novice like me. It's inspired me to keep crafting!”
Carol McClosky