Lesley Trussler

We’re packing up to leave Toulouse and return to the UK so all is chaos.

Meanwhile I thought I’d post my method of registration for multi coloured oil based lino prints.

With strong double sided tape, I stick two strips of thin but strong card onto the back of the plate. This allows me to hold the lino above the paper and line up corners and edges pretty perfectly. Clean strips of waste paper laid at edges also allows me to rest my grubby fingertips on the paper if I need to without soiling my printing paper. For a large plate I position the card on opposite corners.

The oil based ink has enough tack to allow me to press down, turn the whole lot over and print as usual without the paper slipping.

Thin card is essential as it allows me to roll on the ink on without any disruption to the surface.
And the biro scribble at the top reminds me which way is up.

I’ve tried registering the paper over the block with all sorts of guides and jigs, but it just doesn’t work for me.

I dont have a huge experience with oil paint, but have started using painting as a way to explore subjects, colours and textures with a view to creating prints.It’s interesting to think about how I observe and put down colour and pattern. I am definately a printmaker who paints, not a painter who prints.
I tried to work fast on this one, dead fish, oil paint & solvents on a hot day in the south of France make for one smelly studio, though as usual there are 3 or 4 failed attempts underneath this one which just got wiped off.