The Three Crones

Linocut illustration experiments

Lino cut print

A short process post for you this week! I’ve been enjoying making linocuts lately, especially since my dad gifted me 4 brand new Pfeil tools for my birthday last week. You’ve seen my crow linocuts in this post, but this week I was pleasantly surprised when these three old ladies appeared in my sketchbook. I was chatting with my pal Frances Ives whilst doodling a bit and I think I was just distracted enough to not awaken that inner daemon that usually perks up with malicious excitement whenever I attempt to draw a person.

Sketch with fountain pen

It took me a few attempts to get the middle lady in the way I wanted, so hooray for a piece of scrap paper and the humble glue stick.

Once I was done in ProCreate I transferred my drawing onto a piece of soft cut lino and started carving.

First ProCreate sketch

Lino block

Pfeil tools

Second ProCreate Sketch

In my enthusiasm I started on the block immediately but later in the evening, after fiddling a bit more on the Ipad, I decided to change the middle lady’s robe from white to black. After printing the block I had to make a few adjustments in photoshop, but mistakes were easily fixed.

Linocut print with tweaks done in Photoshop

I was so chuffed with the end result that I decided to see how it would look in a folktale book using a tale from Italo Calvino’s Italian Folktales.

I’m quite excited to see where these linocut experiments will take me. I’ve found enough interesting tales already, like ‘The Serpent King’, ‘The Garden Witch’ and ‘The tale of the Cats’. Will keep you posted.

Thanks for being here and see you next week.

X Maris

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Links:

Tips from printmakers

Linocut for beginners

Ursula Le Guin on Italo Calvino

Read Italian Folk Tales by Italo Calvino on Everand

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