Printmaking 3- Woodcut Relief

Woodcut Relief- One Step, 2013

 My studio concentration for my art-education degree is printmaking, so I am taking my third printmaking course which happens to be woodcut relief. I do have some experience with this medium, in the previous semester I made a large 3 ft. x 4ft. wood cut that was printed using a steam roller (image to the left). I was able to choose the subject matter of piece; I decided to return to an etching I made that was very similar to this on a much smaller scale. I wanted to experiment with fore-shortening, which is when an object appears larger than it actually is because it is closer in distance to the viewer. I was also interested in making the viewer feel uncomfortable in that the hands of the piece are moving towards them.  

I am now finished with my second woodcut that is themed after El dia de Los Muertos, which is spanish for Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead is a holiday most commonly celebrated in Mexico on Nov. 1 and 2nd. Instead of mourning the loss of loved ones or visiting their graves when they have passed; the culture celebrates the life of all family and friends who have passed away. The families of the deceased often make elaborate altars that are filled with the favorite meals of the deceased as well as their personal belongings, which are often called offerings. As a class we were asked to create an image of a sugar skull, which is a common food, in the shape of a skull, that is made to remember the deceased. Wooden Masks are also worn to remember and hide the wearers true identity. My idea was to create a skull from other skulls and each skull would represent a family member who has passed away; the entire piece would represent them being part of my family (sketch to the left). The all seeing eye represents myself watching over them and it is more commonly known for the eye of God watching over everyone. The next few images are the steps that I took in getting to the final print.

 I first had to transfer my image to the wood block and then mark with permanent marker the areas that I am not going to carve (black stays red goes). The reason that red paint is added to the surface is because it allows you to see the marks that you have made with ease. It is important to cut the outside of the block if it is not going to be used in the image, this is because you save time by simply cutting it away with a jigsaw. At the end of the process ink is rolled onto the block using a roller and the printed onto paper using a press. I greatly

enjoyed making this piece an I am looking forward to create more wood blocks throughout the semester. The next theme is "mug shots" we are supposed to make a mug shot of an individual and make it satirical. I plan on posting that project as well as more in the future.