To compliment Printmaking Month on our Customer Engagement Calendar, we spoke to Joe Bignold, a talented printmaker based in London. Joe is a self-taught artist that creates wonderful handmade linocuts. His style can be described as quirky and avian. To learn more about his journey as a printmaker, check out the interview below!
Where are you from and where do you currently reside?
I’m from the UK and I’m currently living in London.
What drew you to printmaking, and how did it feel when you did it for the first time?
I’m relatively new to printmaking. I’ve always illustrated and painted but only discovered printmaking around four years ago. I was playing with black ink for a while but when I started adding color and saw the impact it made to the work, then I was completely hooked.
What has kept you engaged and committed to your craft over the years?
A love of illustration and trying to turn what I have in my head into a print. I enjoy the challenge that comes with printmaking – even though it doesn’t always pay off!
How have you grown as an artist in the past five years and what are the major contributing factors to your growth?
The covid lockdowns are what pushed me on. Having extra time on my hands allowed me to focus on printmaking and grow as an artist and illustrator.
What are some of your favorite pieces you’ve done?
My favorite piece is always what I’m currently working on. I get obsessed with an idea until it’s complete, then on to my next one and then that becomes my new favorite.
What materials do you most commonly use?
In the order of the start of the process to the finish:-
- My trusty Seawhite A4 pad and pencils – I use these for ideas and designing my prints.
- Tracing paper – I can’t live without it, it’s how I transfer from my pad to the lino.
- Battleship grey lino – my favorite lino, it’s nice to carve and gives crisp edges.
- Swiss Pfeil tools, they’re a bit pricey but super sharp and fit nicely in the palm of my hand.
- Cranfield Safe Wash inks – they’re oil-based and give great coverage and clean up with water.
- Speedball rollers – king of the budget rollers!
Do you have any advice for up-and-coming printmakers? Are there any tips or techniques you can offer?
Unfortunately, there aren’t any shortcuts in printmaking (if you find some, please let me know). The only advice I can offer is to keep practicing, keep drawing and cutting, and don’t get despondent when it all goes wrong – and it will, often! My favorite printmaking quote is “Printmaking is fun because it takes a perfectly simple process like drawing and makes it as complicated and error-prone as possible”.
What are your website and social media links?
This is my linktree: https://linktr.ee/LiquoriceLino
