Linocutting with new tools

For Christmas and Mothers Day my girls brought me some new linocutting tools. I now have a set of 5 Pfeil tools and they are amazing. Who knew what a difference good tools would make.

This is a photo I took a few years ago of my daughter and grandson and I thought I'd have a go at doing it as a Lino cut print. 

It didn't turn out too badly and I've learnt some lessons along the way for next time.

Original photo reference

Turned into silhouette 

Photo reversed and transferred to Japanese Lino

Cutting started with my new Pfeil tool

Finished Linocut for first print 

I was really happy how things had gone, having spent a quiet day concentrating on the cutting. 

One of the main things I noticed that was that the Pfeil tools are so sharp they didn't keep slipping and skipping off along the Lino. I'll get a sharpening stone to keep them like that. The other benefit is that I now have a V and U shaped tool that's just 1mm and its much easier to get fine lines and details.

First prints

My first print included trees and it was ok, I was happy until I kept looking at it and kept seeing how bad my trees actually were. Theres a definite skill in doing linocut trees and I don't have it, not yet anyway, but I'll persevere and get better. I also realised that my planks of wood looked very much like my water so that would also need changing.

Second prints

I decided to remove the left hand trees altogether and carve away more Lino in an attempt to make my planks of wood look more like wood but in hindsight I probably should have left that part alone because once it's gone it's gone and there's no going back.

I also really need to learn about paper; what paper is best for what job, because I have wasted a LOT of good quality paper in trying to get this one print and its not cheap. 

I've realised that I give up on things too easily and move onto other projects because rather than starting with something simple, when trying to learn a new skill, I tend to jump right in at the deep end thinking 'I can do that'. When it doesn't go quite as planned or look just as I expected I feel like I've failed and become too self critical. I need to work my way up, rather that just plowing in headlong, hoping for the best and setting myself up to fail. I need to learn to enjoy the process. I've only done a few Lino cut pieces and should be really proud of what Ive achieved so far.