Caroline Clarke designs for living, and in her spare time, she makes art.
And while she enjoys a number of different art techniques and style, printmaking – a hobby she took up since moving to Newfoundland - is her favourite.
“I love drawing and I love graphic design. I just like being creative, generally,” says Clarke. “But printmaking is a really special, old-school type process. And it’s really simple and affordable. If the electricity goes, I can still make posters. I just like the hands-on aspect of it.”
A graphic designer by trade, Clarke’s love of drawing started in childhood. After a program in interdisciplinary design studies at Kwantlen Polytechnical University in British Columbia, she worked in sign printing for eight years.
Printmaking is just the latest art style that Clarke has added to her toolbox. Since moving to Newfoundland in 1997 with her husband, who is originally from Gander, Clarke’s involvement with the local arts community led her to dabbling in printmaking.
“I started working at the craft council in 1999. That certainly influenced me,” says Clarke.
“I’ve been lucky to have a lot of friends over the years who are artists and they’ve certainly influenced me. When I got into printmaking, I met Tara Bryant at the craft council and she said, ‘Sure, you can use my printing press’ and that allowed me to really start learning about printmaking and how to do it.”
From there, Clarke taught herself the principles of printmaking and went on to work at St. Michael’s Printshop, an artist-run centre in St. John’s, N.L. with printing presses that members can use.
Last year, Clarke illustrated a children’s book for Running the Goat Press entitled The Mystery of the Portuguese Waltzes. For Clarke, the project was a perfect fit for her style.
“Children are able to suspend reality easily,” says Clarke. “I have a girl sitting on a giant accordion and I don’t think kids think twice about that, or how odd that actually is. I like making scenes, so it just kind of feel natural to me.”
Finding inspiration, she says, has been easy.
“I think I’m an illustrator through and through,” says Clarke. “My biggest inspiration has been music. I’m a musician, so I’ll listen to music and it will inspire images for me. For me, it starts with words – mine, or somebody else’s.”
In 2005, Clarke held a solo show on linocut prints based on playing cards at the craft council called The Hand You’re Dealt. Over the years, she has collaborated in other group shows with other artists at the council.
“Art is a just a life-long learning thing. You can learn in school, but you learn as you go,” says Clarke.
Easy printmaking at home
Trying your own ideas in linocut is an easy project that you can take on at home. Making your own greeting cards, Christmas cards or invitations are all possible project goals that you could consider for a linocut project.
Aside from an idea, the first consideration is the material you’ll be drawing on and carving, and your cutting tool – a lino cutter.
“You’ll need a cutter,” says Clarke. “You can get them at Cansel up on Kenmount (Road, in St. John’s) or order them online. Basically, I would start with linoleum. If you don’t want to pay for it, you can usually contact a flooring place.”
Flooring companies will often give away end pieces of linoleum if you ask them, she says, adding that someone could even start out by using a Styrofoam tray as their first material.
With your material, draw the image you’d like to carve out.
“There’s two ways you can do it. There’s black and there’s white line. And white line is when you draw out your piece and you cut out the lines. The only tricky part of printmaking is in reverse,” says Clarke. “Also, if you have writing, you to have to cut it out backwards. Some people have a little bit of trouble with that at first.”
Once you have your image carved, apply ink.
“Inks are thinker than paint, so they work a bit better,” says Clarke.
Choose a water-based ink if you’re concerned about cleanup or if you’re working on a project with children. One brand Clarke recommends for water-based ink is Speedball.
To transfer your new artwork from the inked lino to paper, rub with the back of a wooden spoon.
“You put your ink on your carved piece, put your paper over that, and then you rub it. And that’s it. That’s really it,” she says.
Finding a starting idea for your first creation is as easy as looking at what others have done on Pinterest.
“The internet is an amazing source of inspiration,” says Clarke. “Google linocuts. Make it simple – don’t make it too complicated and take it from there. And do something that interests you.”
She loves the creativity her hobby offers.
“That’s the beauty of printmaking. I’ve seen a lot of people who say, ‘I can’t draw’ and they’re amazed at what they can do,” says Clarke. “The nice thing about linocuts is that it takes what you draw and makes something different of it.”
What you need to try your own:
- A piece of linoleum flooring with finish sanded down and removed, or other material to carve (a Styrofoam food tray is another easy material to use).
- A lino cutter, about $10 (available online, or at local art supply stores).
- Ink (consider using water-based inks if you want easier cleanup or are doing a project with kids).
- Paper.
- A wood spoon to press and rub your print to paper.
Beginner printmaking classes are often available – look for information in your community.
