A new Linocut print for the Kitchen Stories series

The other day I was visiting a great collective exhibition called "El grabado" (meaning printed artwork) at CICCA, Gran Canaria. I was pretty surprised by their collection which consisted many famous artists such as Velasquez, Rembrandt, Goya, Picasso, Bacon and many more... All together 42 pieces of printed artwork with different printmaking techniques.

Watching to orijinal linocut artworks.

This is my favorite piece from the exhibition, a linocut by a famous Canarian artist Antonio Padrón. (They displayed his original lino plate also)

This is how I draw the negative image with my small light pad.

This lino hold redball pen ink well, so I transferred the image drawing and eliminating few things by hand. I may look for a white carbon paper for easier image transfer later on.

The carving the lino took many working hours. My composition was very detailed, so my patience level was very high

Carving  before proof printing

Cutting the paper for the prints

Prepared the registration lines for the paper (there is a line right at the edge of lino which doesn't show here).

Inking the plate with brayer

Carefully pressing the paper with the back of wooden spoon.

The magic moment, pulling the paper

This is the proof print. After checked its details, I found out few more places to carve. Next day I printed the final print below (see pic)

"Saturday mood", by Birsen Ozbilge, 2016

Limited Edition hand pulled linocut print ( Edition 1 of 25)

Paper size 6.5" x 9" ( 17 x 22 cm.)

Image size 4" x 6" (10 x 15 cm.)

Available, click on ETSY Shop

You think the wooden spoon is only for the soup, right? Well, you are wrong... :)

Last week worked on another linocut print. I had carved this linoblock long time ago and only printed the proof print. So this time it needed to be fixed for small adjustments and details. I printed the first few editions on Rives printmaking paper, pressing with the wooden spoon, this paper holds the ink very nicely but after a few prints I got tired by pushing the wooden spoon. I think on the long run I might need a table top printing press.

Pulling the print

"Exhibition hall" by Birsen Ozbilge, 2016

Limited Edition hand pulled linocut print ( Edition 1 of 25)

Paper size 9" x 10.5" ( 22 x 26.5 cm.)

Image size 11.5" x 14" (30 x 36.5 cm)

Available, click on ETSY Shop

Lately I have been working on a sketchbook drawings project. Every time we go somewhere in the island I take my sketchbook and pencil box with me to draw the landscape views. The other day we went to Telde, Melenara beach (see pic below). 

Sketching at Melenara beach

"Melenara beach" by Birsen Ozbilge, 2016

charcoal  drawing on sketchbook

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Who doesn't need a coffee break? A new linocut artwork to share

Rives cream color printmaking paper stock

After I printed the last linocut print on a nice cream colored paper, I was curious about that if I had more of this paper... And I discovered that I had bought a big batch of this paper at Pearl Paint, NYC about 18 years ago. What a stash! (It's a pity that fantastic art store is closed now) I searched "Rives" (see pic) which is the watermark on the corner of the sheet, Voila! It's made in France 100 % cotton rug, acid free and perfect for using printmaking. So, I decided to make more linocut prints. I already ordered printmaking inks and soft lino sheets which will be here in 10  days or so... In the mean time I am using my lino and black ink stock.

work in progress Playa del Burrero on landscapes sketchbook

The inspiration of my new linocut design came from a drawing I made on my sketchbook. I used  image of Playa del Burrero as the background and added a few elements which they were not in the composition, so this way I created an imaginary picture drawing.  A coffee maker, a coffee cup (pic below), a cupcake and the "Kitchen Stories" book. I shared the linocut printing process so you can have the idea of how it has been made. Each print is a unique handmade artwork. They are signed and numbered as they are limited edition prints. 

Design is transferred to linoleum

Carving the linoleum

Inking process

Pressing the paper with wooden spoon

Pulling the print

"Coffee break" by Birsen Ozbilge, 2016

Limited edition original linocut print 

(number 1 of edition of 25)

Paper size 7.5" x 11.75" ( 19 x 29.5 cm.)

Image size 5" x 9" (12.5 x 22 cm)

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New Handmade Linocut Print is ready to ship! Be the first one to get it...

Here these are the photos of work in progress and the final linocut print. The idea of the design actually came out from a sketch I saw on my sketchbook. It was not exactly the same drawing, so first I had to modify it for linocut printing. It took two days of detailed carving work and another day for printing 15 editions. I titled the piece as "Sunday mood". 

cutting the lino, work in progress

inking the lino sheet

hand printing on paper

"Sunday mood" by Birsen Ozbilge 

Limited edition linocut print on acid free paper, 

(Edition 1 of 15)

Paper size 8" x 7" ( 20 x 17 cm.)

Image size 6" x 4.75" (15 x 11.5 cm)

 Available, click on SHOP

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Drawing for landscape sketchbook

Yesterday I was out for drawing again. This time I was in Santa Brigida, a beautiful small town in Gran Canaria where I used to live first time we moved to the island. In this town there are several sculptures of children whom playing traditional street games. I love them a lot and I always wanted to draw them. So yesterday I set close to the church and draw about an hour and a half this lovely sculpture. It was really fun work and a challenging composition. 

"Kids are playing" sketchbook page 8

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