Reduction Linocut Progress

Here is some progress from a reduction linocut I am working on. Otherwise known as a suicide print. In a reduction linocut you are using the same block to print all of the colors in an image. This means you are progressively cutting away the image and printing in layers.

For example I am printing this piece in 5 colors, therefore i'm going to print this plate one color at a time going from light to dark.

First I drew the image that I wanted to print, and traced the image onto a sheet of linoleum. I wanted this piece to be more graphic, and emphasized the fluidity of the Koi fish.

Then I cut away areas on the linoleum where I wanted the white to show through. The first color I rolled onto the linoleum was yellow, because it's the lightest color.

Here is the first print. I need to print my whole edition at once since I will not be able to go back and print this color again. That's why it's called a suicide print. The next color I will print is orange, so I will need to cut away any areas of the image that I want the yellow to show through. I will progressively add more colors and print for each part I cut away.

If you enjoyed learning about this process and want to receive more updates on this print and others, join my weekly newsletter below.