I love spending autumnal afternoons printmaking. There is so much to inpire me all around. This beautiful Barn Owl appeared as I was driving along the dark, quiet country road near the village of Cople. His white heart shaped face was lit up by the waxing moon. It was a truly magical sight, quite stunning!
Pencil in hand I sketched my design first onto tracing paper, then traced it down onto a square of lino ready to cut. I decided that I wanted a graduated night sky and a full moon, so this involved cutting a stencil for the moon. The lino plate was then rolled over with the two colours, then the moon stencil was put into position. The next task was the best bit, putting it under the press then peeling off the paper (Japanese) to reveal the night sky with a full moon.
After cutting away my design on the lino I printed a black and white version first to check how the design was going to look. What do you think? I was very pleased with it.
When my night sky backgrounds had dried, I then overprinted my owl design in black ink. This was a little tricky but well worth the effort. I hope you like it.
Lavender Moon: Artist, Poet and Lover of Nature 
I love this. Well done. š
Thank you Anni. It was fun! š
Beautiful owl print. You work equally well with words and printmaking. I’ve never tried this, but I can certainly see the draw–intriguing process with an element of surprise at the end.
Blessings as you continue to create ~ Wendy
Thank you Wendy. There are so many ways of expressing creativity. I’m also finding poetry in learning to upholster an old, forgotten once loved chair. I can recommend Printmaking. You take such beautiful photos, I’m sure there’s an artist printmaking project to do, if you feel like having a go. Enjoy your creativity too. Xx:-)
Love the owl and that you sighted one yourself. Very cool!
I did indeed Brenda. I’ve often heard them, but the sighting of this mysterious owl, amongst the deepest countryside was so magical and will never e forgotten. š xx
My son and husband saw one once. I am still jealous. I wasn’t there, and I have never spotted the owl.
Wonderful artwork LM… My dad used to do this type of work and make pictures using word.. I forget now what the technical term for that is..
LOVED your Owl xxx
Using WOOD that should read LOL š not word
Lovely wood. X
Sorry Sue, for not replying sooner. I have fractured my foot and everything is taking me ages to do. Thank you. I think your dad probably did traditional Japanese Woodcuts. It’s a beautiful but very technical printmaking process. A few week’s ago I went to a viewing of woodcuts by an an artist called Laura Boswell, at at The Golden Hare art gallery in Ampthill. She demonstrated the ancient technique, cutting the wooden templates with amazing cutting tools which haven’t changed for centuries, inking them with watercolour paints and then gently hand pressing onto very delicate Japanese paper. Have you got any of your father’s work to show on your blog? I’d love to see it. :-):-)
Sadly no… he only kept one, which my brother has.. He did it in his spare time, which was not often.. He also made model Carousel’s that turned with mechanisms he hand made out of the workings of old clocks and musical box insides š He was very clever, but was never educated, so worked in a Lime stone Quarry most of his life as an explosive driller on the cliff faces.. Hanging from a rope ladder.. I could just see the health and safety of today allowing that! LoL
Laura’s work sounds facinating, I will have to look up her name and see if anything is on the net about her work..
I hope your foot soon Heals LG.. it affects everything we do if we can not be mobile. Sending you Lots of Healing.. Sending Lots of Hugs and Love.. Take care of you.. xxx Sue
Thank you so much Sue for sharing about your dad. It’s a shame that there’s only one piece left. I think your dad was a really amazingly talented man. It is so incredible that after working in a physically demanding job, he had the energy to be inventive and creative. Thank you for your hugs and healing Sue. It is challenging trying to get about and my foot is still very painful. Even my computer isn’t working properly! Lol:-)
I can sympathise there.. My PC is now running on a go slow, and each link I get snaps at me and breaks.. Maybe something in the Air? š xxx
I think there is something in the air.
My head has been fuzzy and my digital radio keeps broadcasting strange noises. One of my dogs is really sensitive to ‘something in the air’ too. š x
I think maybe there could have been some solar flares.. I do not know, but I have headaches when they occur and feel as if the top of my head is floating.. So this could be the reason.. I have yet to look on line to confirm if the Sun is sending sunspots out…
I’ll try a local IT guru Sue, but somehow I think everything will settle down when it’s ready. Lolxx
beautiful work Moon! I think you have his spirit!
Thank you. I like that! š š
Beautiful prints! Really lovely.
Thanks Steve. I’ve seen many birds of prey and deer around the countryside recently, so I may be working on more Linocuts soon. I also get a feeling of a great connection with the earth and nature when I’m cutting out the lino and the design ermerges. š
Lovely work. I loved lino printing when I did art at school. Now I am just painting with acrylics. It is nice to see other forms of art too.
Thanks Raewyn. Art Printmaking is becoming quite popular again. I love it because I love drawing and design. It is a magical process because you never know how your work is going to turn out once it has been through the press. I’d like to paint too. š
Love it!
Thanks Karen. It was such fun to do! š
wonderful sketching!
Thank you. I love sketching and then printing my designs. The countryside has endless subjects. š
I like this a lot. The lines give it texture and make it look really interesting! š
Thank you. When I was cutting the lines I was thinking about creating movement and atmosphere. š