Fields & Flowers, Kilkeaveragh

Fields & Flowers, Kilkeaveragh
reduction linocut by Teresa Newham

Our recent trip to County Kerry generated so many ideas that I thought I should make a start on at least one of them.  This reduction linocut is based on photos I took from our friends' living room window, and an Inktense pencil sketch I made of the same view.

source material: the sketch helped me see the potential
© Teresa Newham

I took some time over the design; the first draft was a little too graphic, and I altered the treatment of the clouds and the trees accordingly.  I set out to print just three colours, the first two overlapping as little as possible, so as to speed up the drying.

getting it right: refining the design
© Teresa Newham

For the first time in ages I was using traditional lino instead of softcut, and I had to adjust my cutting technique accordingly.  I soon got the hang of things again.  It's much easier now that I use a cutting mat - made of carpet gripper - instead of a bench hook.

the three reduction cuts, from one plate
© Teresa Newham

I traced the design onto the lino using carbon paper, and inked it with a pen. After making a few prints I discovered that the pen was transferring to the prints. So I cut away the clouds rather than wiping them, to prevent the pen transferring onto any more.

troubleshooting the sky
© Teresa Newham

I'd forgotten to wash away as much of the ink and carbon as I could before printing, so I did that after I'd printed the blue.  I used the prints where the pen was showing as trial runs for the green layers, to get the colours right - putting everything to good use!

the second printing: uneven marks add texture
© Teresa Newham

The result is a cheerful interpretation of the countryside around our friends' house on the Iveragh Peninsula.  It's not one of the obvious views of mountains or the sea, but it has a charm all its own.  And there will be more prints to come, I'm sure . . .

the finished print: only some will make it into the edition
© Teresa Newham