It has become an annual tradition at Jackson’s!
Each year we ask artists to submit a photo that will encourage people to make their own linocut Christmas Cards. Since there are so many lovely, skilled printmakers on Twitter we always do the photo competition there. Every year we get some great photos from creative artists.
The Winning Photo
This year we have a winning image from Andrea Clement that will feature in our newsletter about printing your own cards. In addition to it being a beautiful card design it is a great photo layout for inspiring cardmaking, with the carved lino block, the tools and the multiple printed cards all showing. Thanks Andrea, we think your great photo will inspire people to try making cards this year! Andrea will receive a £50 Jackson’s gift voucher.
We have also commended the really good photos from eight artists who will each receive a tube of Caligo Safewash Relief Ink.
Andrea Clement’s @Andreajane71 great photo of linoprint cardmaking – a folk-themed dove design.
Andrea also submitted another beautiful photo that also uses large areas of blue ink to set off the snow-coloured paper, to great effect!
Andrea Clement’s @Andreajane71 second design – Polar Bear
Runner-up Highly Commended Photos
More creative cards using linocut printmaking!
Veronica Butt @Vickywicks538
Happy Christmas Chickens!
Veronica Butt @Vickywicks538
Christmas Chickens 2017! Going jolly Red!
Tina Hagger @haggytea
The tricky Puffin who tested my printmaking patience straggling at the back as usual!
Note the Important Orange pencil!
Tina Hagger @haggytea
Phathlo Blue depiction of my local creek, Oyster House & a Thames Barge in a Snowglobe.
Tina Hagger @haggytea
Glistening black ink and snowy black skies.
Lynne Fornieles @silentscyther
Four cards – dogs and snowmen!
Rachel Willock @rackel22
‘Meowy Christmas’
Louise Webb @off_thepress
Some work-in-progress card printing. I love the mistletoe in the pear shape!
Louise Thompson @LouThompsonBA
Peace dove with different papers and inks.
Chris Pendleton @CWPendleton
Great polar bear!
Melanie Hunt @mortelover
Great skill with a rainbow roll ink gradient!
Melanie Hunt @mortelover
A lovely rainbow roll ink gradient!
Make Your Own Cards
We hope these great examples of printmaking will encourage you to have a go at making your own linocut Christmas Cards this year!
Here are earlier blog posts that might help with the technical aspects:
How to Make Your Own Linocut Christmas Cards.
Create Your Own Festive Cards Using Lino Print
Click on the underlined link to go to the Printmaking Department on the Jackson’s Art Supplies website.
Postage on orders shipped standard to mainland UK addresses is free for orders of £39 or more.
Fantastic article! Inspired me to
take a first step into block printing 🙂
I have a query though: I used SoftCut
block (smooth side) and Jackson’s
water-based relief ink. The ink
failed to wet the surface of the
block and ‘pulled back’ into beads.
Cleaning the block with alcohol made
no difference – suggestions welcomed.
Hi Andrew
Sorry to hear about the problems you had with the Soft
Cut and water based inks. My suggestion would be to get
an eraser (a plastic one such as the Staedtler Mars eraser,
or a putty rubber) and ‘rub out’ the whole surface of the
soft cut. Brush away any rubbings and then try inking up.
I have found this gives a surface texture with better
adhesion for the ink. If that doesn’t work let us know and
we’ll run a few other tests and see if we can find a
solution.
Many thanks for your comments and hope you enjoy the
block printing!
Lisa