I enjoyed cutting a little raincloud lino block. For once, patchy inking helped the image to shine!

I enjoyed cutting a little raincloud lino block. For once, patchy inking helped the image to shine!
Test printing some little postcards. Were we promised unicorns as part of the Brexit outcome? Nobody can remember…
Linocut, 10 x 5.5cm. Linseed ink on Japanese paper.
I saw a group of swans chasing each other on the Mill Pond near Pembroke castle. One rescued another from the violent attentions of a third swan. Third swan floated away looking reasonably dignified. Then the first two stroked their necks together and caressed in a heart shape.
From my scruffy sketches and some blurry photos I cut a lino block. I wasn’t pleased with it, put it aside and didn’t see it again for about five years.
Made some test prints, it’s not that bad really.
Two small lino blocks (10 x 10cm and 10 x 8cm). I found a battered piece of Japanese paper to test them on, maybe the creases will smooth out later.
A small print (A6 postcard) that involved a lot of cutting. The background wasn’t planned but cutting lines into lino gets quite mesmerising.
Linocut 10 x 8cm, linseed oil ink on paper. A fairy light behind the picture for a brighter fire.
Happy Midwinter!
While looking for card to print on, I found a long-lost piece of brown lino with a baby carved in a star. My favourite son is 21 so maybe this block has been in a box since we moved away from Birmingham in 1998.
The patterns around the star are made from the zigzagging movements when trying to hack into old lino. I’ll see how it prints later…