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Woodcut tools

I’ve been told many times that my scratchboard art looks very like a woodcut print, and that’s because I tend to work quickly and use thicker lines than what you’d normally associate with the fine detail of traditional scratchboard. 

So for Christmas, I asked for woodcut tools to start a new medium, another tool in my belt. I already work from the light so I hoped there wasn’t going to be a huge learning curve as I have found with other new projects in the past, this causes me to delay exploration knowing of the long road ahead, but there’s nothing like the excitement of new tools and materials!


I’d ordered a small set of very fine Flexcut palm engravers starting at 1mm-2.5mm which would replicate the fine lines similar to my scratchboard drawings. 

Drawing on inspiration from my visit to the quarry on Brims hill, I decided for my first woodcut to work from a photo of the dramatic cliffs looking towards Dunnet head and Hoy. The wood I used was lemonwood which I was recommended for its fine grain. 

I found it to be a pleasing surface to work with, quite hard, which made the engravers slip quite a bit, but being a jeweller I’m very aware of the dangers of sharp implements so kept my fingers out of the way. 

I don’t have a traditional printing press, but do have a fly press which I will be able to use for small blocks. For this one I used a simple barren which is traditional used for rubbing the paper, it seemed to be quite effective for the small job, I believe some just use the back of a spoon.


I was quite pleased with my first attempt, this print is only 5x7cm so was very quick to finish, working back to front is quite disconcerting but that what makes the printing process fun and exciting.  

I added some more lines after the first print and used a couple of different papers, firstly a watercolour paper which was far too textured, then a fine cartridge paper which took the ink a lot better.

I’m currently scouting about for alternative wood to use so that I can ramp up the experimental stage. I have in my sight my old jewellers bench which seems to have decent wood, just need to dismantle and cut it up!


 


 


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