A woodcut print is a type of relief print in which the artist carves into the surface of wood using a chisel or gouge, which is then inked, and transferred on to paper either by hand burnishing the back of the paper or with the aide of a printing press. Linocut printing is a variation on the woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum is used as the relief surface, sometimes mounted on a block of wood. In many of my pieces I choose to embellish the final print with watercolor.
Also called Serigraphy, silkscreen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A squeegee is pulled across the screen to fill the open mesh with ink and transfer the image onto the substrate. To create a multicolored print, each color must be stenciled on separate parts of a screen, registered so the colors line up, and layered on top of one another to create the full image.
Lions, Tigers, and Bears! I started with a blank skateboard, carved the design using wood gouges, and hand pulled prints from the inked surface to create a limited edition. After all the printing, I painted and sealed the skateboard.
From onesies to matching tank tops for bachelorette parties, silkscreen printing is a versatile medium that allows for creative designs for any occasion.