It seems very appropriate that in my one hundredth post I am mentioning frogs, considering frogs have featured quite prominently here. In my last blog post it was all about using thread and stitches as a way to make marks on fabric. This time it is all about following the artistic process from beginning to end. I am to make a linocut.

A linocut entails craving a negative image into a wooden panel or suitable plastic surface, then applying inky paint to that surface, laying textured paper down, pressing with your hands and transferring the picture, onto the paper. Really, it just means that you are making a very big stamp.

I am meant to take at least ten prints to record the development of my image. Below is my third print, and I have paint on my hands from just making a fifth. My design can be seen beside my embroidery project in the blog post below, and the idea for the design came from the lower frog photo from Christmas eve.

This is my first ever attempt at linocuts, and so if you can tell I’m making a frog, then I’m doing well. If you can tell it is the Christmas Eve frog, than I’m doing very well indeed. Although, it has to be said, that it is kind of looking a bit prehistoric and fossil-laic to me.