I am very happy to share this new bird portrait! It is a reduction linocut inspired by the Greenfinch. Printing this portrait involved 21 layers of color, which was quite a challenge. Due to their transparency, yellow and bright green hues are generally not the easiest colors to print. This makes the sequence of ink layers particularly important, as the preceding layer strongly influences the resulting tone. It took a lot of experimentation to mix the exact color needed to print over the previous one. For the dark colors at the end, I used various shades of brown instead of black, as black would have appeared too harsh. It is always fascinating to see how colors can either enhance or detract from one another. By the time I reached the final layer, there was so little linoleum left that printing was a really nail-biting experience. Even more happiness when all were finished!

DETAILS

  • Printed on Strathmore paper, ‘natural white’, 184 lb.
  • Paper size 6 x 6 inch
  • Image 4.13 x 4.13 inch, with underneath the number, signature and year
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Posted by:skruisdijk

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