Ready to Print

I've signed up for Dijanne Cevaal's online linocutting course. I've been wanting to do more with printing and am impressed with Dijanne's work. An online course means I can work at my own pace, in my own time. On the other hand it doesn't have that sense of a fenced-off time to do the work. I need to make sure I protect the time day by day or at least week by week. The first lesson arrived last weekend. Today I'm making time for it.

I picked up these leaves on my walk today--looking forward to my first actual lino cutting exercise.

In fact the first exercise is a sampler of different textures. It looks like a good way to get used to the different cutting tools. The second exercise is a leaf.

Speaking of cutting, I've made myself a rough and ready bench hook. I definitely don't want to cut my fingers rather than the lino. I know I need to keep my hand behind the cutting blade. I'm hoping this will save me from that sudden impulse to reach out for a slipping bit of lino.