Winter is approaching here in Ireland, today was cold,grey and raining so I'm getting all my colours and pens out to start working on some new, bright designs. There's nothing more inspiring to me then seeing other artist's workspace and studios which give a glimpse of how they do it, so my next blog will be all about the artist' workspace. You can check out my new FACEBOOK page in the meantime until I get some research done!

Art is childsplay!

So I'm on the floor painting my next masterpiece; the canvas is drying and I'm feeling revived after blending in beautiful colours of ivory white, beige, taupe and midnight black together. Layers of texture from the paint are peeping through the canvas and the gold leaf which I've applied onto the image is shimmering, winking at me even in the shadows of the room. I've just inked up a lino block in black ink ready to hand press it onto my painted canvas, when I hear my youngest daughter entering the room and sitting down beside me chatting. I have to say my kids are my biggest critics and encouragement. This time she says "WOW MUM, that is AMAZING, I love it!!!!" Phew, I think to myself, it must be okay! Then as I turn my back to put my paintbrush into the water pot, already I hear her getting up to get back to playing. Somehow, she has stood on my inked up lino block, which I was sure was way out of her reach, and I shout "WOW, Josie, THAT is amazing!!" Holding up her foot as a piece of art, we both giggle and get the baby wipes out to get cleaning. Art is childsplay!

How to transfer text onto Lino

I've tried a few ways of transferring text from a photocopy or drawing onto lino and marmoleum to use in a print. Hope this helps...

1. Photocopy text onto paper.
2. Use masking tape to hold the page in place on the lino..Remember to attach it backwards!
3. Place a sheet of blue carbon paper from an invoice book in between the photocopy and the lino.
4. Use a pen to redraw the text.
5. The image line will be blue, but faint.

Better & easier is: instead of blue carbon paper, use a soft graphite pencil (8b) on paper & use this face down between the photocopy and the lino.Much easier.

TOP TIP: Your text should be backwards on your lino, as printing it later on to paper will reverse your image.

Mum's the word

I came across this photo of a painting of mine from 2009. I called it "Adore" and looking at it now in 2013, it still inspires me. I can remember painting all the layers of paint and working through from dark to light. The gold leaf heart I applied by hand at the very end. My inspiration for this painting was of a loving angel or mother, with many hands ( us mums can never have too many! ) I hope you'll be inspired by this image too...

Inspiration for my Linoleum prints

I found these gorgeous china pieces at a "junk for treasure" event at church. Everyone brought in old junk and swopped it for new stuff they saw as treasure.I love how imperfect they are, each one individual with lumps and bumps. They inspired me so much that I designed my own  plate designs which are on my website to buy. The technique of lino printing reminds me of this old china,it too can produce quite imperfect prints- prints with "mistakes" and flaws.However, it's exactly that which can give a print it's uniqueness and real personality.

Heat up your Lino before working on it.

Top Tip: 

Heat up your piece of Lino before attempting to engrave anything. If you don’t, you are more likely to injure/scrape yourself or scrape unwanted lines out of your design.

How to heat up your Lino:

1) Use a hairdryer

2) Put it on a radiator

3) Place it in warm sunlight

4) Sit on it!