I'm going to be doing a series of linocut prints that are portraits of different punk stars. It's been a long time since I've done any carving, so I decided to do a test run.
I finished a small (4x5) print of Sid Vicious last night and did 4 test prints. You can see one of them at my xanga.
I'm going to be doing a pretty large edition of them (haven't decide exactly how large... maybe 100] and selling them for $10 if anyone is interested.
Let me know what you think of it.
Punk Rock Prints
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vertigo25
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Punk Rock Prints
The firemen came and broke through the chimney top. And me and Mom were expecting them to pull out a dead cat or a bird. And instead they pulled out my father. He was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. He'd been climbing down the chimney... his arms loaded with presents. He was gonna surprise us. He slipped and broke his neck. He died instantly. And that's how I found out there was no Santa Claus.
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Shadow Of The Fox
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I'm curious, though, how that sort of thing is managed.-
vertigo25
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Not completely sure how you mean, but I think you're asking about the process, so I'll describe that. If I'm completely wrong or this doesn't answer your question, or if you want more info, let me know.
This is probably more information than you actually wanted, but I talk a lot...
"Linocut" is a form of relief printing. In relief printing an image is typically carved (not always, though... there are a few processes considered to be relief printing which don't involve carving, the most common being "Collagraph") into the chosen medium. The parts of the image which will carry ink are left raised, and areas which will be blank are carved away. The most common mediums are wood ("woodcut" or "woodblock"), linoleum ("linocut" (this is not the type of linoleum you put down on your kitchen floor, though)), and a soft, eraser-like material ("softblock," or "eraser carving"). The relief printing most people are personally familiar with, however, is cutting shapes into potatoes for craft projects. Whatever the medium, it's usually referred to as a "block" (as opposed to other types of printmaking where the medium is usually called a "plate").
The Sid Vicious image was done using linoleum (Speedball Battleship Grey to be exact).
First, you need an image of whatever it is you're going to be printing... say... Sid Vicious
Then you need to get that image on to the block backwards. There's many, many ways to do this. Sometimes, people will draw in pencil directly on to their block.
I use two different methods depending on my mood. They both start in the computer. I use Illustrator to draw the image. When I'm done, I print it out on a black and white laser printer. In the case of Sid, since I did two colors I printed out two pages: one that would show where the red ink would be and one that showed where the black would be.
The first method I use to transfer the image to the block is to trace the image in pencil on light weight velum or tracing paper. When done, you put it down on the block and burnish it by rubbing something all over it. I use a bone folder.
The second method is a lot cooler, but can give you a buzz (and not in a good way) if you're not careful. I print the image out and then lay it face-down on the block. Then I soak a rag with acetone (available at any hardware store very cheaply) and rub the rag on the back side of the laser print then burnish with the bone folder. I also sometimes use blender pens made by Chartpak (they have to be Chartpak). The pens contain a solvent called Xylene. It's much more effective than acetone, but much more caustic as well. You also have better control over where the solvent is going with the pen than with the rag.
Then the fun begins!
I was using Speedball linocutters up until yesterday. They're inexpensive, but don't stay sharp. Yesterday I got my first set of "real" tools made by Power Grip. I got them at this super cool Japanese woodworking store in Berkeley that I could have spent my entire life savings at... but I digress.
Basically, you use a V shaped gouge tool to outline all the areas where there will be ink, and then use the other assorted tools to shave away all the rest.
You take your block printing ink, squeeze out a little on to the "inking plate" (I use a piece of glass out of a cheap picture frame), and roll your "brayer" (aka "roller)" over the ink until you get it to a certain consistency. I get it to where it actually makes a "tack!" sound when I lift the brayer up, and the over-all look of the ink is like the peel of an orange.
Then you roll the ink on to the block. You put your receiving paper down onto the block and burnish it. The tool used to burnish it is called a baren, but I've never actually seen anyone use one. Most people use a wooden kitchen spoon. I, actually, don't burnish. I use a large rubber brayer and apply a lot of pressure.
Then you peel the paper away from the block. Ta da! Art!
Since Sid is a two color piece you have to do all of this for both colors. I carved both blocks, and then ran the red block for all the prints. When they dried, I then did the black.
This, BTW, is known, as "hand pulling" the prints. You can also use various presses, but they're all very pricey and far out of my range.
If you want to learn more, do Google searches for "relief printing," "block printing," "woodblock printing," "linocut," etc. There's a lot of great tutorials all over the Internet, and some extremely talented artists.
You're probably familiar with Ukiyo-e, or "floating world" Japanese prints from the 19th century. What most people don't realize about them is that they were all woodblock prints. Eastern style woodblock is a bit different than western style, but just as rigorous. If you ever get a chance to see one of these prints up-close, I highly recommend it. Seeing them on the screen or reproduced on paper really takes away a lot of quality.
Anycow...
Like I said, probably WAY more info than you needed.
BTW... if it's something you're thinking about getting into, Jerry's Art-a-Rama in Knoxville has all the supplies you would need, a really friendly staff, books on the subject, and great prices.
-edit: a TON of typos... probably still a lot more in there somewhere... and a bit of editing to make it more clear-
This is probably more information than you actually wanted, but I talk a lot...
"Linocut" is a form of relief printing. In relief printing an image is typically carved (not always, though... there are a few processes considered to be relief printing which don't involve carving, the most common being "Collagraph") into the chosen medium. The parts of the image which will carry ink are left raised, and areas which will be blank are carved away. The most common mediums are wood ("woodcut" or "woodblock"), linoleum ("linocut" (this is not the type of linoleum you put down on your kitchen floor, though)), and a soft, eraser-like material ("softblock," or "eraser carving"). The relief printing most people are personally familiar with, however, is cutting shapes into potatoes for craft projects. Whatever the medium, it's usually referred to as a "block" (as opposed to other types of printmaking where the medium is usually called a "plate").
The Sid Vicious image was done using linoleum (Speedball Battleship Grey to be exact).
First, you need an image of whatever it is you're going to be printing... say... Sid Vicious
Then you need to get that image on to the block backwards. There's many, many ways to do this. Sometimes, people will draw in pencil directly on to their block.
I use two different methods depending on my mood. They both start in the computer. I use Illustrator to draw the image. When I'm done, I print it out on a black and white laser printer. In the case of Sid, since I did two colors I printed out two pages: one that would show where the red ink would be and one that showed where the black would be.
The first method I use to transfer the image to the block is to trace the image in pencil on light weight velum or tracing paper. When done, you put it down on the block and burnish it by rubbing something all over it. I use a bone folder.
The second method is a lot cooler, but can give you a buzz (and not in a good way) if you're not careful. I print the image out and then lay it face-down on the block. Then I soak a rag with acetone (available at any hardware store very cheaply) and rub the rag on the back side of the laser print then burnish with the bone folder. I also sometimes use blender pens made by Chartpak (they have to be Chartpak). The pens contain a solvent called Xylene. It's much more effective than acetone, but much more caustic as well. You also have better control over where the solvent is going with the pen than with the rag.
Then the fun begins!
I was using Speedball linocutters up until yesterday. They're inexpensive, but don't stay sharp. Yesterday I got my first set of "real" tools made by Power Grip. I got them at this super cool Japanese woodworking store in Berkeley that I could have spent my entire life savings at... but I digress.
Basically, you use a V shaped gouge tool to outline all the areas where there will be ink, and then use the other assorted tools to shave away all the rest.
You take your block printing ink, squeeze out a little on to the "inking plate" (I use a piece of glass out of a cheap picture frame), and roll your "brayer" (aka "roller)" over the ink until you get it to a certain consistency. I get it to where it actually makes a "tack!" sound when I lift the brayer up, and the over-all look of the ink is like the peel of an orange.
Then you roll the ink on to the block. You put your receiving paper down onto the block and burnish it. The tool used to burnish it is called a baren, but I've never actually seen anyone use one. Most people use a wooden kitchen spoon. I, actually, don't burnish. I use a large rubber brayer and apply a lot of pressure.
Then you peel the paper away from the block. Ta da! Art!
Since Sid is a two color piece you have to do all of this for both colors. I carved both blocks, and then ran the red block for all the prints. When they dried, I then did the black.
This, BTW, is known, as "hand pulling" the prints. You can also use various presses, but they're all very pricey and far out of my range.
If you want to learn more, do Google searches for "relief printing," "block printing," "woodblock printing," "linocut," etc. There's a lot of great tutorials all over the Internet, and some extremely talented artists.
You're probably familiar with Ukiyo-e, or "floating world" Japanese prints from the 19th century. What most people don't realize about them is that they were all woodblock prints. Eastern style woodblock is a bit different than western style, but just as rigorous. If you ever get a chance to see one of these prints up-close, I highly recommend it. Seeing them on the screen or reproduced on paper really takes away a lot of quality.
Anycow...
Like I said, probably WAY more info than you needed.
BTW... if it's something you're thinking about getting into, Jerry's Art-a-Rama in Knoxville has all the supplies you would need, a really friendly staff, books on the subject, and great prices.
-edit: a TON of typos... probably still a lot more in there somewhere... and a bit of editing to make it more clear-
The firemen came and broke through the chimney top. And me and Mom were expecting them to pull out a dead cat or a bird. And instead they pulled out my father. He was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. He'd been climbing down the chimney... his arms loaded with presents. He was gonna surprise us. He slipped and broke his neck. He died instantly. And that's how I found out there was no Santa Claus.
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Shadow Of The Fox
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That was exactly what I was wondering. Thanks! It sounds like a simple enough process, but I'll certainly be going to Jerry's to get how-to help. -
vertigo25
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A word of caution:
It's fucking addictive!
It's fucking addictive!
The firemen came and broke through the chimney top. And me and Mom were expecting them to pull out a dead cat or a bird. And instead they pulled out my father. He was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. He'd been climbing down the chimney... his arms loaded with presents. He was gonna surprise us. He slipped and broke his neck. He died instantly. And that's how I found out there was no Santa Claus.
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Shadow Of The Fox
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Hardcoregirl
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vertigo25
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Thank you Morgaroo.
I keep looking at the actual prints... and not to toot my own horn or anything, but the scan really doesn't do it justice.
I ended up giving all of the test prints to my girlfriend, and I'm about to start cutting the paper for the actual prints. I think I'm going to do however many I can get out of the paper I have on hand. I'm not sure what that will work out to, but I'm going to try selling them for ten dollars each.
I've also changed the idea behind the Punk Idols project. I'm going to make them all saints. So they'll be kind of like Icons. They'll all have halos and there will be certain symbols in each of the prints.
This is what I'm thinking so far:
Sid Vicious: Patron Saint of Heroin
Johnny Rotten: Patron Saint of Anarchy
Joe Strummer: Patron Saint of the Revolution
Joey Ramone: Patron Saint of Cool
Jelo Biafra: Patron Saint of America (or maybe California...)
Ian MacKaye: Patron Saint of Sobriety
Mike Ness: Patron Saint of White Trash
Nina Hagen: Patron Saint of Motherhood
Siouxsie Sioux: Patron Saint of Goth
GG Alan: Patron Saint of Blood
All of these titles are just an initial idea, and may change. I'm also open to ideas.
I keep looking at the actual prints... and not to toot my own horn or anything, but the scan really doesn't do it justice.
I ended up giving all of the test prints to my girlfriend, and I'm about to start cutting the paper for the actual prints. I think I'm going to do however many I can get out of the paper I have on hand. I'm not sure what that will work out to, but I'm going to try selling them for ten dollars each.
I've also changed the idea behind the Punk Idols project. I'm going to make them all saints. So they'll be kind of like Icons. They'll all have halos and there will be certain symbols in each of the prints.
This is what I'm thinking so far:
Sid Vicious: Patron Saint of Heroin
Johnny Rotten: Patron Saint of Anarchy
Joe Strummer: Patron Saint of the Revolution
Joey Ramone: Patron Saint of Cool
Jelo Biafra: Patron Saint of America (or maybe California...)
Ian MacKaye: Patron Saint of Sobriety
Mike Ness: Patron Saint of White Trash
Nina Hagen: Patron Saint of Motherhood
Siouxsie Sioux: Patron Saint of Goth
GG Alan: Patron Saint of Blood
All of these titles are just an initial idea, and may change. I'm also open to ideas.
The firemen came and broke through the chimney top. And me and Mom were expecting them to pull out a dead cat or a bird. And instead they pulled out my father. He was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. He'd been climbing down the chimney... his arms loaded with presents. He was gonna surprise us. He slipped and broke his neck. He died instantly. And that's how I found out there was no Santa Claus.
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Hardcoregirl
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vertigo25 wrote:I've also changed the idea behind the Punk Idols project. I'm going to make them all saints. So they'll be kind of like Icons. They'll all have halos and there will be certain symbols in each of the prints.
This is what I'm thinking so far:
Sid Vicious: Patron Saint of Heroin
Johnny Rotten: Patron Saint of Anarchy
Joe Strummer: Patron Saint of the Revolution
Joey Ramone: Patron Saint of Cool
Jelo Biafra: Patron Saint of America (or maybe California...)
Ian MacKaye: Patron Saint of Sobriety
Mike Ness: Patron Saint of White Trash
Nina Hagen: Patron Saint of Motherhood
Siouxsie Sioux: Patron Saint of Goth
GG Alan: Patron Saint of Blood
All of these titles are just an initial idea, and may change. I'm also open to ideas.
Thats a really good idea, I love and collect those saint cards. I think GG Allin should be Blood AND feces..lol. Printing some layers/borders/details with some gold and/or silver ink would make them much more authentic looking in the saint card department also.
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vertigo25
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That's a really good idea!
I honestly hadn't thought of that. Hmmmmm... I'd love to actually do real gold leaf on the halos, but that would be pricey. I guess I'll use metallic ink.
Thanks for the cool idear.
I honestly hadn't thought of that. Hmmmmm... I'd love to actually do real gold leaf on the halos, but that would be pricey. I guess I'll use metallic ink.
Thanks for the cool idear.
The firemen came and broke through the chimney top. And me and Mom were expecting them to pull out a dead cat or a bird. And instead they pulled out my father. He was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. He'd been climbing down the chimney... his arms loaded with presents. He was gonna surprise us. He slipped and broke his neck. He died instantly. And that's how I found out there was no Santa Claus.
vertigo25 wrote:
Sid Vicious: Patron Saint of Heroin
Johnny Rotten: Patron Saint of Anarchy
Joe Strummer: Patron Saint of the Revolution
Joey Ramone: Patron Saint of Cool
Jelo Biafra: Patron Saint of America (or maybe California...)
Ian MacKaye: Patron Saint of Sobriety
Mike Ness: Patron Saint of White Trash
Nina Hagen: Patron Saint of Motherhood
Siouxsie Sioux: Patron Saint of Goth
GG Alan: Patron Saint of Blood
Jelo Biafra: Patron Saint of the Communist Nation of California
GG Alan: Patron Saint of Blood, Piss, and Shit
Making a HONDA fast is like coming out of the closet, yeah you might suprise a few people; but in the end.. your still gay.
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http://www.xanga.com/karmakaze
http://www.myspace.com/karmakaze
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http://www.xanga.com/karmakaze
http://www.myspace.com/karmakaze
Nephilim wrote:I think you should do a Johnny Thunders and make HIM patron saint of Heroin.
Sid Vicious could be the patron saint of Killing Really Annoying Girls.
Making a HONDA fast is like coming out of the closet, yeah you might suprise a few people; but in the end.. your still gay.
-
http://www.xanga.com/karmakaze
http://www.myspace.com/karmakaze
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http://www.xanga.com/karmakaze
http://www.myspace.com/karmakaze
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junkie christ
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No no no
GG Allin is the patron saint of drink fight and fuck
but you fight people who win, drink till you puke, then fuck anything that walks if you follow his footsteps
yet ill buy the shit outta the GG one if it looks good
no
You need a Black flag related one.
Henry Rollins, Patron saint of ranting
Misfits?
Glenn Danzig, patron saint of evil
Fear?
entire fear band, patron saint of beer
GG Allin is the patron saint of drink fight and fuck
but you fight people who win, drink till you puke, then fuck anything that walks if you follow his footsteps
yet ill buy the shit outta the GG one if it looks good
no
You need a Black flag related one.
Henry Rollins, Patron saint of ranting
Misfits?
Glenn Danzig, patron saint of evil
Fear?
entire fear band, patron saint of beer
O(+>
Drinking makes you the same asshole your father was.
http://www.knoxnihilism.com/forum - site admin.
Prayer, Praise, Profit.
Drinking makes you the same asshole your father was.
http://www.knoxnihilism.com/forum - site admin.
Prayer, Praise, Profit.
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vertigo25
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I've had a lot of requests for other people, and will probably end up doing them. The people listed above, were chosen for a variety of reasons. To me, they all had a huge impact on rock and roll for various reasons, but were also chosen for their striking visual appearance. They are all very recognizable people (at least to anyone who would be interested in this project).
As an example, at one point, I was going to do Dave Vanian as "Patron Saint of Goth," but every Damned fan in the world would hunt me down like Salman Rushdie hanging out with a Danish cartoonist. Also, I wanted to have more than one woman, and I didn't want to use Debbie Harry or Patti Smith as their general "Punkness" is always open for debate. Siouxsie's "Punkness" once she started recording might be open for debate, but she is really the key between how Goth and Punk are related, and her importance to the early british punk scene is greatly underrated.
I am, however thinking that Sid will be the Saint of The Look, and Johnny will be the Saint of the Voice (a reference to a quote by Malcolm McLaren: "If Rotten is the Voice of Punk Rock, than Vicious is the Look").
Having said that, I actually to plan at some point on doing portraits of Thunders, Richard Hell, Darby Crash, and a triptych of The Damned. There may be others, but that's getting even further ahead of myself... and that's never a good thing.
I also have an idea to do a series of trading cards. That would include a *lot* of people. The trading cards, though, will most likely be silkscreened.
As an example, at one point, I was going to do Dave Vanian as "Patron Saint of Goth," but every Damned fan in the world would hunt me down like Salman Rushdie hanging out with a Danish cartoonist. Also, I wanted to have more than one woman, and I didn't want to use Debbie Harry or Patti Smith as their general "Punkness" is always open for debate. Siouxsie's "Punkness" once she started recording might be open for debate, but she is really the key between how Goth and Punk are related, and her importance to the early british punk scene is greatly underrated.
I am, however thinking that Sid will be the Saint of The Look, and Johnny will be the Saint of the Voice (a reference to a quote by Malcolm McLaren: "If Rotten is the Voice of Punk Rock, than Vicious is the Look").
Having said that, I actually to plan at some point on doing portraits of Thunders, Richard Hell, Darby Crash, and a triptych of The Damned. There may be others, but that's getting even further ahead of myself... and that's never a good thing.
I also have an idea to do a series of trading cards. That would include a *lot* of people. The trading cards, though, will most likely be silkscreened.
The firemen came and broke through the chimney top. And me and Mom were expecting them to pull out a dead cat or a bird. And instead they pulled out my father. He was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. He'd been climbing down the chimney... his arms loaded with presents. He was gonna surprise us. He slipped and broke his neck. He died instantly. And that's how I found out there was no Santa Claus.
-
junkie christ
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hahahahahahahhahavertigo25 wrote:As an example, at one point, I was going to do Dave Vanian as "Patron Saint of Goth," but every Damned fan in the world would hunt me down like Salman Rushdie hanging out with a Danish cartoonist..
holy shit
i have a new respect for you.
and your right, but id hunt you down after i bought one.
if you ever decide to do a glenn one though lemme know. ill buy the shit outta that fast as i can blink.
O(+>
Drinking makes you the same asshole your father was.
http://www.knoxnihilism.com/forum - site admin.
Prayer, Praise, Profit.
Drinking makes you the same asshole your father was.
http://www.knoxnihilism.com/forum - site admin.
Prayer, Praise, Profit.
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