Making Chocolate, Reduction Linocut and For the Love of Dogs

Chocolate
reduction linocut 6x6

Chocolate is brain food.  It improves the blood flow to the brain and feeds us to keep us smarter for longer.  At least that's what the scientists say.  I bet if those folk have ever done a reduction lino cut they would totally agree with its ability as brain food. 
I have a very special friend in my life and she is a huge chocolate fan and has two lovely chocolate labs.  Four years ago, I made her a chocolate themed gift.  We both are Christmas time babies - just one day apart, so we share a special bond of holiday babies.  This year, it was time to share more chocolate love with her for her birthday. 
 

Step one - yellow
Step Two - cut away and print in brown

A reduction linocut is a method where a multi color print is made from one block.  Through progressive carving, inking an printing the image emerges as the block is slowly destroyed.  In the end, there is only the one edition of the printing and the image can never be reprinted. 

 

Step Two - Printed in Brown
Step Three - cut some more and print in dark brown

Thinking backwards and in terms of layers really got the cobwebs out of my brain.  I printed 10 in hopes that I would get one good one.  Its amazing how different they all are even though they are from the same block.  The amount of ink, the registration and the color mixing made them all unique.  In the end, there were four good enough to call an edition. 

Want to see how the pros handle reduction linocut?  Check out this video about the work of Dave Lefner http://vimeo.com/9858444 . 

Happy Friday everyone!