FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is a linocut relief print?

Relief printing is a printmaking process where protruding surface faces of the printing plate or block are inked: recessed areas are ink free. Printing the image is therefore a relatively simple matter of inking the face of the matrix and bringing it in firm contact with the paper. A printing-press may not be needed as the back of the paper can be rubbed or pressed by hand with a simple tool such as a brayer or baren. The matrix in relief printing is classically created by starting with a flat original surface and then removing away areas intended to print white. The remaining areas of the original surface receive the ink. The relief family of techniques includes woodcut, metalcut, wood engraving, relief etching, linocut and some types of collagraph.



How is a relief print different from any other type of art print?

Each print is individual and unique- The print IS the original work of art! As each print is made entirely by hand, from start to finish, there are variations in each one, and no two are exactly the same. The printing process is carried out entirely by hand, so ink is rolled onto the block ( linoleum in my case) and the paper is laid on top, and hand burnished ( the back of the paper is physically rubbed to press the two surfaces together and transfer the ink) The resulting print varies due to the amount of ink applied and the pressure used to transfer it to the paper.



So what the heck does that mean in English?

Well, if you are a complete newbie to the idea, I will try to explain it. Theres pictures below that may or may not help explain it, but basically it works like this: (1) First I draw a picture, pretty much what I want the print to look like. (2) Then I draw that image in reverse, (or transfer it) on to a flat piece of linoleum. At this stage it is a mirror image of what the final product will be, so things like lettering are of course backwards! It can get a bit confusing sometimes. (3) Then I take some very sharp tools, and I literally carve by hand into the piece of linoleum, all the areas which are going to remain WHITE or unprinted. The parts which are left will be the areas which will be printed. (4) I then take a brayer, ( or roller) and roll a layer of ink onto the finished carved piece of linoleum. (5) Then, a piece of printing paper is laid face down on top of the linoleum block, which is now covered in ink, I then use a baren, to rub the back of the paper, thereby pressing the front side into contact with the inked surfaces. It is important to get a good even distribution of ink from block to paper for consistent results. (6) Peel back the paper to reveal the final print! hang it up to dry for 24 hours, and its done!



Can you really get enough protein and nutrients on a plant based diet?

Yes! Dont believe old wives tales about "complete proteins" or "combining proteins" to fulfill dietary needs. In reality, there are a great number of plant-based foods that are full of valuable protein for vegans, vegetarians, and whole-food plant-based dieters. Soy, nuts, spinach, broccoli, and beans are all amazingly rich in protein. As such, the question how do vegans get protein? could easily be turned around into how could vegans not be getting enough protein? There aren’t many vegan/whole-food plant-based diets that don’t liberally include the foods mentioned above, and that’s far from a complete list. It’s fairly difficult to be protein deficient. Even more, plant-based protein is considered much healthier than animal sources of protein.