First Prints

After making my first linoleum block prints, I was amazed with how approachable and enjoyable the medium is. After just a short time sketching out some designs and then cutting away what was to be the negative space, I was able to create and recreate the same images over and over, with total accuracy. This made experimentation with patterns much easier than if I were forced to recreate the image by hand each time. Bellow are some of my experiments with block printing ink, ideas for my block designs, and some initial prints.

Testing ideas for a way to extend and complicate the design of the cord. These blocks would be interchangeable and could make for interesting variety in the body of the pattern.

Here is a design that I liked enough to base the final product of my piece on. I intend to produce numerous cords positioned at staggered heights that create a sense of movement across the piece. 

More ideas for cord extension

Experimenting with more organic cord extensions. None of these designs made the final cut.

After a few hours of experimenting with design, I began to get my hands dirty with some block printing ink and a good old fashioned rubber brayer. This is a test of the evenness of the ink application of the brayer.

Here the first two blocks can be seen. I began printing with black ink with the bow and moved to the EKG resembling cord shape. The other colors were added later to test their coverage.

This is the first appearance and test of the head of the cord. It is aligned with the EKG pattern. A red echo layer was added later as a test of multiple color printing.

A test of the EKG pattern's ability to match up closely with itself.

Here the first three blocks are all matched up together in a mockup of the final composition.

Above are the physical blocks used to make the prints shown. I sketched the design out in pencil and carefully carved away the negative space, leaving only the surfaces I wanted to transfer ink to.