Posts in category: Behind the Scenes

Each year I take part in the 20:20 Print Exchange, organised by Hot Bed Press. I started in 2011 – and became hooked. This year I created a linocut with added blind embossing. Here’s a little bit of behind the scenes on my 2025 edition and my box.

Firstly, the 20:20 print exchange concept is simple: each printmaker creates an edition of 25 original prints, on paper that’s 20cm by 20cm. Printmakers submit work through their print workshop, and in exchange receive a randomly selected box of 20 prints from other participating printmakers. I love the sense of community, as around 50 UK and international print workshops take part. In fact, this year 744 artists took part from studios as far afield as Canada and the USA.

I tend to see my 20:20 print as an opportunity to experiment as well as extra practice at editioning.

This year, for the first time, I designed a linocut plate and an emboss plate to work together. It was experimental and I learnt a lot. Some things went well, others were more challenging, but that’s often the way when you try something new!

My idea was to create an abstracted ‘landscape’ and play with the sense of space and depth.
I kept the linocut simple and had sleek lines, and the plate and paper slightly bigger, so I could cut it down to 20 cm square. I chose Fabriano Unica paper, which I tested first, as I wanted a paper that would work fine dry with the lino layer and wet for the emboss.

Things that went well

I was happy with lots of elements:

• the consistency of the lino layer
• the gradation worked well too
• I liked the ambiguity of the spaces
• and the austerity of the design.

What did I learn?

Paper expands and contracts when wet – and does so differently depending on the direction of the grain. This caused a few issues with trimming down, but luckily didn’t spoil too many. I hadn’t spotted when cutting my paper that I did not have all the paper grain going the same way. I learnt that paper expands differently with and against the grain… I’ll know next time to check.

The outcome

I sent off an edition of 25 prints, which I called ‘Echoes’ in October. And I just received a fantastic box – including works from Germany and Russia. Take a look!