KenSwinson.com

Category: printmaking

  • Variable Edition Block Prints

    framed watecolor linocut of truck driving through country scene with sheep in kentucky


    I have been experimenting with a technique, where I paint watercolors over a linocut.

    limited edition of variable edition watercolor linocut

    It’s a kind of hybrid work of art. It’s part an original painting, and part printmaking. After some research, i decided to limit the times I paint this particular print to 5. The ev after the number means the edition is variable. Even though the design comes from the same block, the colors are different each time.

    If you’d like to see this in person, you can see me this Saturday at the Duveneck Art Show in Covington, KY. It’s in George Rogers Clark park (right across the river from downtown Cincinnati) from noon-5pm. hope to see you there!

  • New Woodcut – Sheep In The Stars

    Yesterday was Print Day In May. To celebrate, I invited friends to my home/studio for an afternoon of printmaking.

    I made this woodcut of a sheep in the stars

    sheep reduction woodcut

    It’s  4 1/2″x6″, printed on an 8×10″ paper-signed by Ken Swinson

    reduction woodcut of sheep on traditional printmaking press
  • Print Day In May 2018

    Print Day In May 2018

    To celebrate Print Day In May, I thought it would be fun to invite my community to visit my home/studio for an afternoon of making prints.

    friends printing together with a traditional press

    We had a great crowd…probably couldn’t have held any more people in the house.

    a family carving linocuts together

    For many of the participants, it was their first experience with printmaking.

    friends sitting together making linocut prints

    What better way to spend Print Day In May, than to introduce others to the joy of printmaking?

    linocut of a candle
    linocut of a hot air balloon
    linocut of an angel with a shield and sword
    linocut of a brave girl in a storm
    chuck keller with tree linocut
    mary lou keller with a sunflower linocut
    bear and dog linocut
    goat and pattern linocuts
    woman portrait linocut
    man with dogs linocut

    I was too busy helping everyone through the process to take many photos or do any printing of my own,

    sheep reduction woodcut

    But I did print this little woodcut after everyone went home.

    hand holding 2 color sheep linocut

    I had a great time. Thanks everyone for printing with me. Let’s do it again next year!

  • Rabbit Hash General Store Woodcut Timelapse

    It’s finished! All 12 glorious layers of woodblock color! I forgot to take a photo of every layer, but I did get 8 out of 12 and put them into a timelapse for your viewing pleasure.

    reduction woodcut of rabbit hash kentucky

    Tomorrow, April 23rd (monday) we’ll be in Rabbit Hash, KY for April’s Artzine from 10am-4pm. Stop by!

  • Rabbit Hash General Store Layer 9 (of 12)

    carving reduction woodcut

    I’m still cutting away on my “Rabbit Hash General Store” woodbcut. I’m on layer 9…only 3 more to go.

    reveal of reduction woodcut work in progress by kentucky artist ken swinson

    If you would like to visit Rabbit Hash, KY in real life. This Monday, ArtZine will be from 10-4pm at the barn in Rabbit Hash, KY. The theme is “I remember when…”

  • Rabbit Hash General store woodcut (layer 7 of 11)

    pink ink and brayer for printmaking

    I’m over halfway finished with my Rabbit Hash General store woodcut (7 layers out of 11). Today, I’m printing purple.

    The colors might look a bit crazy right now, but it should all come together once I print the other 4 colors. stay tuned!

    animated reveal of reduction woodcut of the general store at rabbit hash kentucky

  • people will never forget how you made them feel

    I’m part of a project, called artZine. Each month, visiting artists collaborate with the community of a different small town to create a self published magazine. each month, there is a theme. April’s artZine will be on the 23rd, and our theme is “I remember when…”

    this activity is free and open to the public. April 23rd, at the barn in Rabbit Hash, KY. There is still time to draw, paint, write, print, or create an entry however you are inspired. We’ll meet from 10-4pm.

    for my entry, I chose to make a linocut of Maya Angelou’s famous quote because it illustrates the abstraction of memory, and the importance of kindness. Rabbit Hash, KY.

    people will always remember how you made them feel

  • eagle creek – layer 9 (of 11)

    Its always exciting to print a new layer, and watch a reduction print come to life. I feel like I am getting closer to. my goal of printing in a painterly way.

    reveal of reduction woodcut of eagle creek in ripley ohio

    stay tuned, only 2 layers to go!

  • newsprint patterns while printmaking

    patterns from newsprint test prints

    I use newsprint to clean my blocks in between colors. I re use the newsprint, and sometimes I get a nice surprise when the colors line up in a certain way. as beautiful as the finished artwork, I think.

  • Reduction Print – April 16, 2016 -Ripley, Ohio

    This video shows a little bit of what goes on during the 2 weeks it took to make this reduction woodcut of a river village (Ripley, OH) on the Ohio River.

    My background as an artist is in many mediums, but primarily painting. This project is part of an experiment to see if I can print similar to the way I paint.

    Because the block is destroyed as part of the printing process, there is only a very limited edition of 12 available.