Yorkshire Sculpture Park

This reflection is from a visit to Yorkshire Sculpture Park on Tuesday 21st August 2018.

The striking work of Giuseppe Penone is the first art we visited. The work is presented in an exhibition called ‘A Tree in the Wood’. This focused on the way wood holds memory and the passing of time. One piece in particular was a large outdoor sculpture called ‘Lightning-struck Tree’, this was an eye-catching tree crafted from bronze and gold. As an outdoor exhibition this piece is able to catch the sunshine making it an even more sticking piece of art.

James Turrell’s ‘Deer Shelter Skyspace’ is a place that never fails to take my breath away. It is never what you are expecting when you visit this underground bunker in the middle of the park. The stone and brick hidden in a hill, does not give any clues to the crisp and tranquil interior. Best seen on a partly cloudy day this piece of art takes you out of the world for a few minutes and allows your mind to fall quiet.

For something completely unique and new there is ‘Seizure’ by Roger Hiorns. An amazing piece of creativity; copper sulphate crystals in an arrangement both bizzar and inspiring. This instillation is small and confined with knowledgable staff that fully explain the process that took place to create this piece.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is an amazing setting with a vast range of work; installations, formal gallery space, and juxtaposing sculptures in a beautiful landscape. I will look forward to my next visit.

  

 

Lino Printing Process

Lino Printing is a process that requires carving into a piece of Lino to produce a relief print. It is a form of block printing that gives work very crisp and exact lines. Depending on the design it can produce very simplistic and striking work or more detailed and textured art. Lino printing results in extreme contrast using two different colours or tones.

Stage 1: Design
A simplistic design can be cut straight into the Lino free hand. More complex compositions could be sketched out and replicated onto the Lino with a permanent or biro pen.

Stage 2: Carving
Using Lino cutting tools the design is carved out from the surface of the Lino. As this is a relief print the areas cut out will remain the colour or tone of the paper and retain only small portions of the ink.

Stage 3: Inking
Lino printing is done with water based inks. Using a roller it is applied to the Lino in an even thin layer, the amount of ink will alter the texture of the print. A smaller amount of ink will produce work with more stippling and a more prominent texture. Too much ink can seep into cut areas and loose definition of the lines. For water based inks allow twenty four hours to dry.

Example of relief Lino printing – by Rose Kerbyson

Softer Linoleum is easier to work with and carve into. However the standard tougher Lino will produce a crisper line in printing, this is more appropriate for detailed designs. To avoid redrawing a complex design, an alternative way to transfer it onto Lino is using a multi purpose adhesive remover. Place a photocopy of the design (ink side down) onto the Lino, then wipe over with the adhesive remover.

The Lino process can be pushed further through reduction printing. This involves layering prints with different colours or tones. Once the first Lino print is complete, carve further into the same Lino block. Print a second layer on top of the first image in a darker colour, taking care to line up the second print with the first. Any areas that are cut out for the second layer will remain the colour of the first print.