I’m giving a linocut workshop this thursday. I thought it would be helpful to give a rundown of the materials I use.
- Cutting Tools: I use Speedball cutters. They are very inexpensive and effective on linoleum. I have not had to sharpen them. If they ever did get dull I would probably just buy new ones.
- Linoleum: I’ve only used mounted linoleum from Hobby Lobby and Wondercut linoleum from Dick Blick. HL linoleum is smooth and soft. Wondercut is textured and extremely soft. I believe the Wondercut linoleum requires more ink to print due to the texture. I use a warm halogen light over my work space that keeps the lino warm. Lino gets very hard to cut when it’s cold.
- Ink: Waterbased Speedball ink is ok. It cleans up nicely. It dries fast. This can be a positive or a negative, depending on what your trying to do. I prefer water soluable oil based ink by Daniel Smith. It dries slower which allows me to be more meticulous with my printing. I usually allow my oil based inks a week to dry before I try framing them. I’ve found that humidity affects the drying time of both inks.
- Paper: I prefer Rives BFK. It holds up well to hand pressing and accepts the ink well.
- Baren: I use two speedball barens. I start with the teflon baren for soft pressure to get the paper evenly tacked to the block. I switch to the regular plastic baren for more pressure. Sometimes the plastic baren will pull the paper across the block if too much pressure is used in the beginning. You probably have to learn “the feel” on your own.
- Brayer: I only use soft brayers by Speedball. I have not experimented with different brands.
This is the time of year when I start to dream of sunny days and warm weather. This picture was taken in the tropical room at Hidden Lake Gardens. I wish I were these fronds soaking up the sun. I’m excited about getting outside today as the temperature is going to be above freezing. On the other hand it means I’ll finally have a chance to scoop up poop that the golden retriever left for me…ha! Despite the stinky chores I still love this time of year. I love the smell of spring…which is basically just the smell of fresh air….and not the smell of a musty house that has been closed up all winter long. My wife and I began to plan our spring break vacation this weekend. We always head to the Smoky Mountains to visit my parents and do a little hiking. We plan to hike to Mt. LeConte again. Hopefully we’ll get another day of clear weather and great views. We also plan to hike to Rocky Top again. The last time we were there we were hiking the Appalachian Trail through the Smokies. I remember sitting on top of Rocky Top enjoying lunch and watching the clouds roll in. It’s so peaceful up there. No lazy tourists, no cars, no roads, no worries….just great views, fresh air and the sound of the wind pushing over the ridgeline. Anyway, the cross country skis get put away today. It’s time to start digging out the backpacking gear….not the serious AT gear but the smaller dayhiking gear and camelbaks. I may even try to lube up the mountain bikes to take them with us this year. I would like to bike around Cades Cove. Cades Cove is open to walkers and bikers for a few hours before they let cars in. When the cars come in you may as well be in New York City. National Parks were created to preserve and to be enjoyed by all. But our oil loving government turned it into “to be enjoyed by all….in cars”. I’m hoping this changes soon…for the sake of preservation and for the planet. People…get out of your frickn’ cars and walk…hike….bike. I’m not the only one who thinks this way. Read 
I spent Presidents day picking up my art from the Image Gallery and taking art to Hidden Lake Gardens. The LCVA will be exhibiting art there starting this Thursday and will be there until April. I stopped in the conservatory to check the flowers. I’m not really sure how long it will take for the bulbs to bloom but they look ready to burst in my opinion. I spent some time taking a few snapshots of the greenery in the temperate and tropical rooms. The sun came out while I was there which warmed up the greenhouses instantly. You could almost sense the flowers and plants starting to smile. I spent Saturday morning cross country skiing at HLG but the snow is almost gone now. The recent rain has melted most of it. I love the snow but I’m also looking forward to spring. The Great American Bird Count was this weekend and I helped HLG count a few birds while skiing. Some folks spotted some Robins but I didn’t see any. I was too busy trying not to run into trees. I ski the hiker trail which is a little more challenging than the posted CC ski trail. The snow was cold and fast so I took the downhills faster than normal. Now that I’m home it’s time to clean up my studio and start on my next project. The paint will be packed up temporarily. I have to create some relief prints for a friend’s wedding. And, I have to get ready for another lino-cut workshop. I’m holding workshops at Adrian College this Thursday and next Thursday. Hidden Lake Gardens has given me plenty of imagery to use for my work. Now I just need to sit down and get started. 
I’ve been working on this acrylic floral (30×40) for a few weeks on and off. I still have a few touchups to do but I thought I would post the pic anyway. I’m a little burnt out on this painting and need a break. I may display this in the Hidden Lake Gardens Show starting in February. 
The Heron 