linocut workshop
Introduction to linocut with Gill Thornton
Maximum of 6 participants, suitable for beginners and those with some previous experience.
In this workshop I will guide you through the process of designing, carving and printing your own single colour lino block. All tools and materials are provided, but if you have any tools of your own, please bring them along.
If possible, please bring some printed images/sketches or photos to work from and I’ll advise you about possible designs. I’ll also provide some sources of inspiration. The first step is to use tracing paper to transfer your design onto the lino, so please bear in mind that we will be working to a maximum size of A5. Remember to bring any glasses you need for close up work. We will be printing with oil-based ink, so please bring an apron if possible.
We will be using grey hessian backed traditional lino and printing with oil-based ink. I will show you how to ink up and print a single colour block and possibly a two-colour blended roll, dependent upon time and chosen designs. We will be printing by hand and using a small relief press.
You will leave the workshop with your carved lino block and a small edition of prints.
Gill Thornton is a linocut artist who creates original, limited edition prints from her studio in Garboldisham. Her artwork is mostly inspired by the landscapes of East Anglia or other places she has visited. Many of her prints feature local birdlife, especially on the local fens.
Gill’s fascination with linocuts began after unexpectedly receiving a basic kit for Christmas in 2013. Since then, she has experimented with various techniques and attended a number of linocut workshops, which helped fire her interest in printmaking.
Gill is fascinated by the many processes involved in creating a linocut and enjoys sharing knowledge with others. The reduction method (her favourite technique) uses a single piece of lino to produce a multi-coloured print. The lino is gradually cut away as each layer is printed and the image emerges. Sometimes, only a very small printable area remains for the final, darkest tone. As the block is essentially destroyed during the process, a reduction print can never be reprinted.
Linocut Workshop
Saturday 24th May 2025
09:30 - 13:00
£50 per person, all materials provided
