Welcome To The Printmaking Studio
Hand carved and printed images. Clean lines and shapes. The modern understanding of the printmaking process goes back a few centuries, but one could argue that it started much earlier with a thumb print in clay or a foot print in sand. Wind River Print explores this simple act, offering limited edition and open edition prints.
About The Printmaking Process
The process is simple, yet the results are striking and dynamic. The primary printmaking method used in the studio is called linoleum block relief printing, or linocut for short. Each print starts with reference photos, sketches, and a specific idea of how the end print will look. Subjects need to be stylized, simplified, and distilled into a design suitable for the carving process that happens next.
Once the design has been established, it is traced onto a sheet of linoleum. Using carving tools that are differently shaped to provide the desired precision, the soft linoleum is carved away, leaving a raised surface that will accept the ink. Any area carved away before the first printing will not receive ink and will leave a white space on the printing paper.
After the first carving is complete, ink is squeezed out onto a sheet of glass and mixed to the desired color. A brayer roller is used to slowly build up a thin, even coating of the ink on the roller. Then going back and forth between the glass and linoleum with the brayer roller, the ink is carefully transferred to the linoleum. Now, the block is ready to print. Paper is placed down onto the inked linoleum block, and is either rubbed with a barren or spoon to ensure solid contact, or run through a printing press. To create a reduction print, subsequent carvings and printings from the same linoleum block create complexity and depth as different various colors are laid down. Each time pieces of the block are carved away, the linoleum block printing surface area becomes less, or"reduced", thus the term reduction printing. After each reduction, prints are hung and allowed to dry.
After the final color is complete, the prints are titled, signed, editioned, and ready for sale. Browse the store now to see prints that are available. For edition policies and definitions, click HERE.
Explore The Work