GCSE FAST TRACK PORTRAITS

Creating a Linoleum Print Portrait

What is lino printing?

• Lino printing is a form of relief printing• Artists carve out textures and shapes from a

piece of lino using special carving tools• It is the same in process as woodcut, the lino is

simply softer and easier to carve• The lino is then printed onto paper with the

help of a rolling press.• A popular lino printing method is called

reduction printing.

Pablo Picasso – Reduction PrintingAround 1939, Picasso was probably the first person to experiment with a reduction method by cutting and printing each colour from one block until only the last colour portion remains. This is known as reduction printing.

Your task – Lino Print Portrait

• Your task is to research, plan and create a lino print portrait.

• It can be a self portrait or a portrait of someone else, maybe an Olympic athlete?

• It should use colour and expression to communicate ideas and meaning

• See the next slide for a nice example!

Key questions:

How many colours or tones are used?

How would you describe the texture?

How are these textures created?

How do the expression, colours and textures communicate meaning?

Creating a lino print portrait

How to structure your sketchbook:

1. Write your early intentions using the 4 headings2. Investigate and Research – Character & expression

/ colour / artist examples3. Experiment with reduction printing, poly printing4. Final design & experimentation5. Final lino piece and stages

1. Write your early intentions

• Use the 4 headings to write down the task in your own words and what you hope to create (your intentions)

Process

Content

Meaning

Purpose

TOP TIP:You could include some small thumbnail drawings to show your idea visually

Creating a lino print portrait

2. Investigate and research

• Investigate facial expression and character• Investigate colour and it’s meaning• Link to your intentions for the lino print

TOP TIP:Create a number of double pages using images, annotations and thumbnails of your ideas.

3. Experiment with reduction printing

• Present your poly printing experiments in your sketchbook

• Annotate using key vocab• Link to your ideas and intentions for the lino

print

Investigating expression• Look at the list of adjectives that can be used to describe character or

expression, can you add to the list? Use a dictionary to find definitions of those you do not know.

AggressiveDefiantNonchalantSadHappyThoughtfulReflectiveAngryCalmPassiveSubmissiveDominantDistracted

ConfusedFocussedTiredExhaustedEnergeticElated

Positive Negative

Categorise the adjectives by organising them in the circles below:

Choose 3 words to investigate further:Collect 2 portrait images that communicate each wordDescribe how the CONTENT of each image communicates that word

Extension: investigate more words considering a wide range of sources

See the examples:

This portrait looks defiant because the face of this man is very rigid and firm set, like it will not be moved. His brow is squeezed and his eyes look very focussed, like he has a task or a goal

Defiant: open resistance, bold disobedience

Defiant

Elated, shocked, ecstatic?

Investigating colour

• Choose a character / expression / mood that you want to communicate in your lino print.

• What colours will you use, what do they represent?

• Use watercolours to produce a colour grouping in your sketchbook.

• Make notes about what the colours mean• Include the cultural meaning

Cultural meanings of colours

• What do these colours represent in western culture?

• Red, green, blue, yellow, green, grey, black purple.

• What do they represent in other cultures? E.g. Chinese, Indian.

• Use the word doc on the website to help and do your own research.

Investigating Artist Work

• Investigate and analyse at least 2 images from artists who use relief printing.

• Kathe Kollwitz and Pablo Picasso.• Use the 4 headings CONTENT, PROCESS, MEANING, PURPOSE• Compare the culture, purpose and meaning of the artists• Extension: extend by investigating another artist:• Contemporary - Stanley Donwood, • 1800’s Japanese woodcut - Katsushika Hokusai• The images do not need to be portraits, you can still analyse

the process.

Kathe Kollwitz

Self portrait 1923, woodcut

Pablo Picasso

Woman with a necklace, 1959, linocut

Design and experiment

• Draw out a design for your linoprint using pencil

• Consider composition and the option to zoom in

• Use watercolours to show the 3 colours you will use

• Use polyprinting to experiment with colours, textures and the reduction process.

Reduction printing – key vocab

• Printing plate• Carving tools• Printing ink• THE 3 Rs• Roller• Rolling press• Registration

Stage 5 – Lino printing

• Experiment with using the tools to create texture and tone

• Keep and present your experiments with short annotations

• Print each stage of the lino print at least 4 times.

• Select your favourite print as the final piece!