prints

Little Owl Linocut Print

| Cat Among the Pigeons Press

I finally finished my 5th owl in my linocut series English Owls. In this series I was interested in each owl’s feather patterns and facial disc form, which I wanted to simplify into caligraphic mark making for the linocut. For each owl there is a black and white version as well as a handcoloured version. For the coloured version, I wanted to capture the beautiful patterned camouflage colouration of the feathers.

Little Owl, the owl that is closely associated with the Greek goddess Athena and the Roman goddess Minerva; representing wisdom and knowledge. The genus name Athene commemorates the goddess, whose original role as a goddess of the night might explain the link to an owl. The species name noctua has, in effect, the same meaning, being the Latin name of an owl sacred to Minerva, Athena’s Roman counterpart.
In this print I have given the Little Owl a rather sweet countenance; sweet-cheeked and wise!

Printed with Charbonnel Aqua Wash Etching oil-based printing ink on specialist printing paper, Zerkall 210 gsm. Though an etching ink, it can be used successfully for relief printing using a press; I have a handpress at home. I love using watercolour with relief prints, I like how the watercolour seeps into the paper in contrast to the velvety ink sitting flat a top. Each owl is printed in a limited edition of 30 prints for each version (b/w and coloured). The printed surface is 15×20 cm.

I’m trying to get better at capturing my processes on camera, which I share on my instagram account. I regularly post on insta, so do follow me there for my latest news.

Here are the five owls in the series, available in my Etsy shop (20% off sale running on all prints) and Folksy shop (use coupon SUMMER20 to get 20% off all prints) with free delivery in the UK.

I am pleased with this series, I believe I have achieved what I set out to do. I would love to know what you think of this series – do you have a favourite owl? My favourite is always the last one I have made, therefore the Little Owl!

(© Catherine Cronin)

Spring Sale Has Sprung

| Cat Among the Pigeons Press

My Spring Sale has sprung! Get 30% OFF my bold, colourful handmade prints througout April plus free shipping in the UK

Sale live in my

⭐️Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CatAmongstThePigeons

⭐️Artfinder shop http://www.artfinder.com/artist/catherine-cronin

Use code SPRINGSALE30 in my ⭐️Folksy shop https://folksy.com/shops/catcronin

Primrose Linocut Print Process

| Cat Among the Pigeons Press

Yes I am an artist who likes to make images of blooming plants! Beautiful images of flowering beauties. I find nature amazing, an endless source of inspiration, and being around plants and animals definitely lifts my mood; amazing how a flowering plant can bring such joy into the moment, the day.

I was inspired to make a print of a purple flowering primrose, a winter bloom brightening my balcony with its peeping colourful flowers and patterned leaves. Usually my working practice is to undertake observational drawings and colour studies, continue working from these into a figurative or graphic style, refining the design for the intended media. I’m trying to get better at documenting the different stages of my work.

Preparatory drawings:

Observational drawing in pencil of a flowering primrose.
Observational pencil drawing
Colour study of a flowering purple primrose.
Colour study in watercolour
Design in colour for linocut print of a flowering purple primrose.
Design idea for linocut
Black and white collage design for a linocut print of a flowering primrose.
Final design for linocut line block

Once I had finalised the line block, I carved and printed it, and experimented with colour painting to figure out the blocks of colour. I also bought the design into photoshop to add colour layers. I cut the blocks for the green and purple colours, thinking I would hand finish the tiny amount of yellow at the heart of each flower.

Colour experiments:

Carving the line block for Primrose print design.
Finished carved line block for Primrose print design.
Proof print of Primrose line block.
Digital colour design of a flowering purple primrose.
Proof print of Primrose line block, handcoloured with watercolour paint.
Proof print of Primrose line block, handcoloured with watercolour paint.
Proof print of Primrose line block, handcoloured with watercolour paint.
Proof print of Primrose line block, handcoloured with watercolour paint.

I usually print my linocut blocks at home using a table top hand press, but the size of this design was too big for the press, and I realised that I would need to print it using a baren. Previous experiments had shown me that to achieve successful prints with a baren you need to use a lighter weight paper. I chose Awagami Silk Pure White Japanese paper for its bright white colour, smooth on one side and rough on the other, it has a good weight and strength for layering ink. I used Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks which are non-toxic, have a lovely colour range and they roll out wonderfully into a velvety layer. Check out this information sheet.

I also used Ternes Burton registration pins and tabs for the first time, with a homemade cardboard frame for the block position. I highly recommend these pins and tabs, this is the best registration result I have achieved in a multi-block print.

Printing process:

Ternes burton pins and tabs.
Pins & tabs
Primrose line block positioned in registration fame with Ternes Burton pins taped in place.
Line block in frame with pins in place
Paper with attached Ternes Burton tabs, positioned on pins on the lino block registration frame.
Paper with tabs positioned on pins
Carved lino block for purple petals in Primrose print design.
Lino colour block 1
Carved lino block for green leaves in Primrose print design.
Lino colour block 2
Carved lino block for line work in Primrose print design.
Line block 3
Printed purple colour of Primrose petals, with hand colouring in yellow.
Printed green colour of Primrose leaves and purple colour of petals.
Final four colour linocut print of Primrose.

I have only just started to try and capture my printing process, these are early days and I am on a learning curve!

I did add the final yellow colour by hand painting Daler Rowney FW Acrylic Artist ink. The final edition size was 16 prints, paper size 32 x 32 cm. If you are interested in purchasing this print, please head over to my Etsy shop.

Colourful linocut print of a flowering purple primrose.

(© Catherine Cronin)

Christmas Print Sale 2020

| Cat Among the Pigeons Press

Where has the year gone? Seemingly slow, each day a groundhog day and also so fast – we are nearly at Christmas!

I’m having a sale in my Etsy shop, 20% OFF all original prints, and as always free shipping in the UK on unframed prints.

And if you are in the USA spend $35 and get free shipping too!

Here is a selection of some of my available prints. I hope you like them!

Munch, Rembrandt, Symbolist Printmaking Exhibitions Now at the British Museum

| Cat Among the Pigeons Press

There are ‘heavy-weight’ printmakers currently on display at the British Museum; two large ticketed exhibitions – ‘Edvard Munch’ and ‘Manga’, and two free displays on ‘Rembrandt: thinking on paper’ and ‘Symbolist Prints’. I did the Munch and free displays  in one visit and I highly recommend them to anyone interested in drawing, printmaking and symbolist art. I have yet to see the ‘Manga‘ exhibition, I am pretty excited about it, it looks fantastic!

Edvard Munch – love and angst – till 21 July 2019 – British Museum

An opportunity to see a collection of Munch’s prints, that cannot be missed. His coloured pastels and paintings of ‘The Scream’ are so famous and familiar to me that it is hard to ‘see’ them in any meaningful way. But viewing his lithograph of ‘The Scream’ in the exhibition I was struck anew by the tension between the peaceful scene and the figure vibrating with horror and anxiety.

Edvard Munch, The Scream. Lithograph, 1895. CC BY 4 The Munch Museum.

 

Rembrandt thinking on paper – till 4 August 2019

For me Rembrandt is a master of line and tone in drawing/printmaking; in this exhibition of 65 prints and drawings, you get to see the work in progress, the printed image in different states (a real treat).

Rembrandt
From The British Museum blog: Rembrandt’s depictions of women.

Symbolist Prints – till 18 July 2019

A small display that packs a punch. Wonderful to see some old favourites by Odilon Redon such as his smiling ‘Spider’ lithograph. My favourite print in this display is ‘Seaweed’, an aquatint by Olaf Lange.

Olaf Lange Seaweed aquatint crop
Olaf Lange (1875-1965), Tang (Seaweed), 1912, Aquatint. British Museum, Presented by AEC Simoni, 1958,0730.39.

 

I do hope some of you get the opportunity to visit the above exhibitions – Enjoy!

 

Happy Holidays – Christmas 2017

| Cat Among the Pigeons Press

As we approach Christmas I would like to wish you all Happy Holidays and I hope you all have a festive and merry break! It has been a great pleasure being part of the WordPress community of bloggers and seeing all the creative and accomplished art being produced. It is very inspiring! Enjoy this recent linocut design from me of a cheeky red squirrel in the snow amongst the pine cones.

(© Catherine Cronin)