End Paper: Block Printing Demo with Bill Fick
Join internationally recognized print artist Bill Fick for this captivating linocut workshop, where artistry and craftsmanship merge to create knockout prints. This hands-on, fun experience offers a unique opportunity to explore the art of linoleum block printing, a versatile and expressive medium that has captivated artists for generations.
During the workshop Fick guides you through the entire process, from designing your image to carving it onto a linoleum block to finally printing your masterpiece. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or a complete beginner, this workshop welcomes individuals of all skill levels.
The workshop begins with an overview of linocut techniques, tools, and materials. You learn about linoleum, carving tools, inks, and papers. Fick demonstrates various carving techniques, highlighting the nuances of mark making and the potential for texture, depth, and contrast.
Next, it’s your turn to unleash your creativity. Armed with your design ideas and newfound knowledge, sketch/transfer your image onto the linoleum block. Once that’s done, you’re ready to begin the carving process. Using lino tools, explore the art of relief carving by making intricate details, bold lines, and expressive forms.
Once your block is ready, it’s time to print. Learn how to ink your block, apply even pressure, and transfer your design onto paper.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll have gained a solid understanding of linocut printmaking techniques and developed the skills to continue exploring this amazing medium on your own. Leave with a collection of unique prints, each bearing the imprint of your artistic vision. All materials generously supplied by Speedball Art Products.
About the instructor
Bill Fick is a printmaker who lives and works in Durham, North Carolina. He is currently a lecturing fellow at Duke University in the Department of Art, Art History, and Visual Studies. Over the past 25+ years, he has exhibited his prints nationally and internationally and has taught at many institutions across the US, including UNC (Chapel Hill and Greensboro), Pratt Institute, and Rutgers University. Fick’s work is in the collections of the Fogg Art Museum, New York Public Library, and Zimmerli Art Museum. In 1993 Fick was awarded a NEA Visual Artist Fellowship, and in 1995 a North Carolina Arts Council Artist Fellowship. Fick is the director of Supergraphic Print Lab, a creative art studio dedicated to the promotion of printed matter, and co-director of the Zine Machine Printed Matter Festival in Durham. He is also a consultant for Speedball Art Products.
Photo: Courtesy of the artist