ErolinStudios
'Bat Skeleton'
'Bat Skeleton' is a single colour linocut, printed onto 250gsm Somerset Satin paper. I had been thinking of a bat skeleton print ever since my neighbour gifted me a timy mummified bat skeleton they had found in their attick (now safely in my University office where we have a license for such thigs)
The deisgn came to me as I lay awake in bed one night as these things sometimes do. First thing the next morning I sketched out the rough design ready to carve.
Like many of my prints the first stage in creating this print was to draw out the design. While I had the overall image in mind I needed to search for reference images of bats and bat skeletons. As mentioned above I have access to real bat skeleton which was useful but as the position wasn't the same additional references were also needed.
Once happy with the drawing its time to transfer it on to the lino. I use the 'carbon transfer method' whereby I trace over the image in pencil and then turn this over and rub the back (either with a pencil or 'bone folder') to transfer the graphite to the lino surface. I then trace this with a permanent fine liner to make the lines clearer.
The red colour here is from the lino having been stained with watered down acrylic paint (before transferring the image) to help the carved areas to stand out more.
This is the first print I printed on my new Gunning Etching press - you can see it coming of the press in the video below.
And here is the finished print. Printed on 250gsm Somerset Satin paper with Cranfield Caligo safe wash oil-based ink.
This will eventually be a limited edition of 25 prints.
Paper size: 48 x 28cm
Actual print size: 40.5 x 20.5cm
