Lino Print Number 2

Roughs...

• After exploring how faces and shape work together in my mono prints. I came up with the idea of having a sidewards facing face, with a block shape on the other side to complete the head.
• This idea plays with perspective and perception. I want to make a design that can be interpreted in different ways be individuals (linking to huxleys ideas about perceptions and opinions). For example people could see this as a half face, or as a whole face, or both.

• From the previous lino print I knew I wanted to encourage the overlapping and offset of the two layers. So I didnt need to be as precise with how they fit, sitting loosely behind the outlines with in-accurate alignment is part of the quality.
• Although I want to abstract the face more and more, I want to keep some of the obvious huxley characteristics running through all of the prints. Like the hair, glasses, ears, pointy nose etc. And also try and keep fairly consistent line pattern and decoration to tie the designs together nicely.

• Im really pleased with the design, I think it makes a really good next step to abstracting the face. It still looks like the first lino and is obviously the same face (person/huxley) it just has a twist too it that changes it completely, which is just what I wanted to achieve.
• I didn't draw much pattern on to the roughs because I learnt from the first design that I descover pattern whilst cutting the lino. I let the process of cutting away the face help me discover how the pattern will fit inside the face. 
• I like letting the cutting process influence the design, it makes them more unpredictable and makes the process funner and more experimental for me. Rather than just cutting away lines that I have drawn onto the lino.
• I key thing to note is that it is easier to draw onto tracing paper and then transfer it onto the lino. This way your design will be the same way round that you drew it. Also drawing onto the lino is annoying because its hard to rub out and when you try and draw fast with a pencil it can be hard to make a bold line at all.
• I wanted this design to be facing the opposite way to the first one, this will have an impact on the rest of the set. They need to be positioned/facing in a way that works across all the prints. (and i dont want all the faces looking in the same direction, its too predictable.) 

Finished Print...

• Im really pleased with how it came out, I was worried it wouldnt have as good a form/structure as the other, and it would look to flat, but the way the shape its inside gives it an interesting three dimensional form.
• I like the pattern and decoration, its more delicate and complex than the last but I think that is a good thing. And means the designs are progressing and becoming more abstract. 
• I think I have got better at cutting line/pattern whilst producing this. This is good but I need to ensure that the series is a set of equal quality. Not a series of my line quality progressing/improving. 
• Im really pleased I included the shape behind the eye, it adds depth and complexity to the face. And the overlaying lines gives a generally nice aesthetic.

• I thought this yellow worked really well. Maybe because its a subtle colour and the black can sit really well over the top. Not sure I just think it works well!

• I really love this colour combination, its so vibrant, the colours work so well with each other. They are both almost fluorescent colours that give a striking effect together. The overlay works so nicely as well, the blue sits on top perfectly. It gives the design a calmer and happier feel to it.

• Here are all the colour combinations, Its tricky to keep saying which ones are better or worse because they all have good things about them and different qualities. What I will be looking for from now on is how they are going to fit in the series (and which ones work best with others).
• Im going to have lots of options for the final set, full colour, black and green, black and alternate colours etc..
• I good thing too note that I did when making these is that I printed all the blue layers, then added red to the ink bed to make it purple. Therefore i didnt need to roll out a new ink bed, I could get two totally different coloured prints from the same ink bed. Lazy but effective. I took 2 days in the print room too make this so I needed to save time anywhere possible.