Economy of Line Studios

Test Print: Street Scene, Asakusa

2010-08-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

A familiar theme, for those who know my work. This is a hand-pressed test print, rather than one pulled using a press -- I'd like to get back to 3 Fish to produce another series using the blocks I've created over the past few months, and see again what a difference it makes to use a high-pressure press with oil-based inks. Still, enough to get a feel for the composition.

Classicalizing: Pericles Portrait

2010-08-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

Test print of a rubber stamp from a famous portrait bust of Pericles, originally dating to the 5th century BC (this one a Roman copy).

Seascape: Coastal Waters

2010-08-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

I've always been fascinated with boats and water, and using the block-printing technique adds a certain, almost abstract, quality to the rigging, while communicating a powerful sense of motion.

Lino Block and Print

2010-08-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

A self-portrait, with a view toward the technique. The print is a test, without a high quality of paper and not much pressure. If the block is put through a heavier duty press, with a higher degree of pressure, some of the shading quality of the individually carved lines will show up even in the white space, providing an insight into the process in the final piece. I hope to get back to 3 Fish Studios at some point soon to produce another series of prints on Eric's press.

Three Cranes

2010-08-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

Two views of Three Cranes.

Linocut Portraits

2010-08-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

One of the ideas that became immediately apparent when I first took an interest in linoleum block printing and rubber stamping is that your choices are limited in terms of how you can represent certain forms, shapes, and gestures. I find that this makes the choices of the artist more clear to the viewer, allowing a clear window into the artistic process, which is what makes any piece of artwork interesting. To paraphrase my grandfather, we look at artwork to see the artist, to get to know his particular viewpoint, his method and his manner of going about things. When the artist himself is visible in his work, the communication of ideas can take place between artist and viewer that makes great art truly great.
Given that background, I find that linoleum portraits have proven exceedingly interesting, as an accurate representation of a face and personality is not a matter of exact photographic likeness, but rather a sublimation of the key lines, the key elements that form a recognizable feature. It is the process of seeking out those lines, those key elements, that makes the idea of linocut portraiture so intriguing for me, and while I am far from perfecting the craft or my own technique, it is an important step along the way to economy of line.

Ascending: Figure Study

2010-07-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

This is a preliminary print of a larger rubber stamp piece, with some artifacts of the inking process to be seen surrounding the figure -- suggesting a 'starry night,' perhaps?

Handmade Hands: Revolution

2010-07-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

This is a piece that started out as a hand study and then seemed to take on a certain grandeur all its own.

New Series: Nearly Live Model

2010-01-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

This is a series of figure studies making use of the wooden, posable figure so familiar to artists. It will be varied and ongoing -- as well as good for a laugh.

First Cut: Victorian Series

2010-01-12T13:22:00.001-08:00

This is the first in what will be a series of San Francisco Victorians, done in the medium of linocut. I love the way the medium both communicates the architectural complexity of the subject but also provides its own unexpected quirks with each project, making each image unique, and recognizable.

Landscapes: Manhattan and Tokyo

2010-01-12T13:19:00.000-08:00

Here are two recent landscapes I've come up with, the Manhattan scene is a linocut and the Tokyo scene is a rubber cut depicting Asakusa Temple and marketplace.

The Owl

2010-01-05T12:01:00.001-08:00

These two images are part of the bird series I have been working on, again printed from a rubber block using water-based ink. This time I've finished off the owl with a watercolor wash, and added the chop I use to sign my block prints.

Recent Work: Bird Series

2010-01-05T11:49:00.000-08:00

These two images are part of a block print bird series I have started -- the technique and execution lend themselves to the subject, as the image of the bird can stand out easily before a roughly rendered background, creating the effect that the bird is in focus while the background is in a softer focus. The image of the owl, however, makes use of the stark contrast of the night to evoke a haunting sense for the creature's deadly accuracy and stealth. Both of these images were carved on rubber, and printed using a water-based ink.

Recent Work: A Linocut Series Produced at 3 Fish Studios, San Francisco

2010-01-04T14:22:00.001-08:00

In the recent past I had the opportunity to work with Eric Rewitzer of 3 Fish Studios in San Francisco, where I produced a series of twelve linoleum cut plates and printed them using his hand-crank letterpress. I've explored both figural and landscape compositions in this series, and will be taking what I have learned in both cases into my future work. I am currently planning an extensive series of San Francisco-based fine art prints, and should have them available and on display in my etsy shop (bryankitch.etsy.com) in the next month. I hope you enjoy!