My name is Ian O’Halloran. I am a professional Artist and Printmaker living and working in the Sussex Weald near Herstmonceux (UK). I am and always have been inspired by the British landscape. I came to art later in life than most, having had a career in civil engineering first and not getting to art college (at Eastbourne) until I was 30. Describe your printmaking processes. My main printmaking process is multi-block linocut, but I have also recently started making drypoint engravings (using the acrylic plates sold by Handprinted). I love the flowing lines that can be created with Lino and use the ‘battleship’ grey blocks as they are softer than the brown. I build up my prints in layers using typically around 12 colours on 4 to 6 blocks. I tend to print my images in the same order that I would paint them i.e. starting with the sky and working forward from distance to foreground, but there are always exceptions. My drypoints are engraved onto the acrylic pates with etching needles and I’ve discovered that I can use sandpaper to get some nice half-tones. I’m now experimenting with using more than one colour when I ink up the plates and sometimes I use watercolour on the finished print to add another dimension. I really like the connection between drawing and printmaking that you get with drypoint. How and where did I learn to print? That’s easy. I am still teaching myself! Why printmaking? I call myself ‘The Accidental Printmaker’ as that’s pretty much how I got into it. When I was at Art College, I studied painting and that’s the art career I followed after leaving. I had a few successful one-man shows and all was well. Then after my wife and I had kids it all changed. I found that I no longer had the time or energy to create. After a couple of years of not doing art at all, things calmed down slightly and I realised that I needed to get back into being creative. Painting was not really an option as it requires a sustained input of time, so I had to find something more process based that I could pick up and put down easily. A friend is a printmaker and I liked the results she got, so I thought I’d give it go. It was like coming home and I felt I had ‘found my tribe’ amongst printmakers, they seem to be so much more supportive than painters. Interestingly, when I look at some of my paintings now, I can see that they were very much part of my journey towards printmaking. Where do you work? I’m very lucky to have a home studio where I work and can also show work to any visitors. It’s the shortest commute I’ve ever had. Pros: I like being able to pop in whenever I have an idea or need to work on something. Cons: interruptions! Describe a typical day in your studio. There’s really no such thing as a typical day. It very much depends on what needs doing – sometimes it will be more mundane tasks such as framing or mounting work for an exhibition, printing my hand printed cards or editioning prints. But as I usually have a few projects on the go it might be something more interesting - like carving a lino block, test printing colours or working on composition drawings for a new print. How long have I been printmaking? I’d dabbled on and off for years but didn’t really get properly stuck into it until about 2007/8 What inspires you? I have always been inspired by the English landscape (and by Artists who depict it especially Paul and John Nash, Eric Ravilious and John Piper) and I am particularly drawn to certain types of landscape – what I think of as Ancient Landscapes - ones that tell a story and where there is more going on than meets the eye, which is why you will often find standing stones, dolmen, chalk hill figures and trackways in my work. Whilst most of my work is based on actual locations, I’m not trying to create an exact likeness of somewhere but more a sense of what it feels like to be there. To this end I tend to use colour to evoke an emotional response. What is your favourite printmaking product? Oh dear! Hard to choose just one. But if I had to it would be Cranfield traditional oil based relief inks.  If I’m allowed to choose favourite equipment it would have to be my trusty wooden spoon – I could make linoprints without my press if I had to, but not without my wooden spoon! What have you made that you are most proud of? My wife and I have spent the last 30 years creating gardens from a 5-acre field into a productive and wildlife friendly haven, so it would probably have to be that Where can we see your work? Where do you sell? I have work in Edwards & Todd Gallery (High Street, Lewes. East Sussex) My work also appears on ‘The Artists Bridge’ (Hailsham. East Sussex) I’m also a member of The Sussex Arts Collective and show work with them regularly throughout the year at their gallery (Gallery UNO in Seaford, East Sussex) You can see most of my work on my website and can buy cards and artwork from my Etsy shop. Also, I’m on Instagram and  Facebook. What will we be seeing from you next? My year started with the shock of my linocut ‘Autumn Hillside’ winning the Handprinted/LinoPrint4 Competition! (thank you Ben Dickson and Handprinted) My print (and those of the 3 runners up) was shown at the Horsebridge Arts Centre in Whitstable, alongside work from some of the best linoprint artists around. It was a real honour. Next up will be an exhibition at Gallery UNO (Seaford) as part of the regular shows of the Sussex Arts Collective this runs from: 13th May – 5th June  Also in May I’m really excited to be taking part in my first ever print fair – ‘Ink, Paper & Print’ at Lewes Town Hall on the 24th May. Then in July I’m taking part in another print fair (also at Lewes Town Hall) ‘Strange Magic Print Fair’ on 26th July Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives? I’m not sure I’m in any sort of position to dispense advice about anything. However, some things that I’ve found helpful have been: - Making sure I pay attention to the boring things like composition, perspective and drawing – I’ve seen a lot of prints spoiled by poor composition/design - a strong image is important. I also try to not get to obsessed by the craft of printmaking and keep reminding myself that I’m making a piece of art. I’ve seen a lot of amazing, technically brilliant prints that ultimately are not very interesting to look at. I had to spend years finding my own style, but I believe that I have now developed a visual language that makes my work different from other artists. This was not a contrived thing and cannot be forced, you’ll just have to trust it will arrive in time. One last piece of non-advice: make work for yourself and not for any other reason. It will show if you don’t! To see more of Ian, follow him on Instagram or sign up to his newsletter!

I'm Rosie, a 32 year old female artist who is mostly from Bristol but can't decide whether to live in Bristol or the Welsh borders so is a bit all over the place. I've been a full time artist for eight years, mostly making art about our relationship to mortality and nature by exploring the human body and the earthly elements. Describe your printmaking process. The printmaking process I've ended up working in is probably the best one for intricacy and sensitive mark making. Some etchers work in 'dry' point techniques where you directly scratch the plate, so I suppose my way is 'wet' point? The wax is rolled and smoked onto the surface before drawing. Wherever the wax is taken off from the copper the acid will be able to get to. As a lover of drawing, to be directly scoring the ridiculously thin and delicate wax ground with my needle point tool is just the most satisfying possible surface to work on. It's a game of how you disturb the surface of the polished copper really. Then the ink sits in the grooves and disturbances but I also love to paint in smoky textures with the ink where most printmakers choose to keep it clean and consistent. How and where did you learn to print? I learned etching alongside loads of other totally brilliant skills on my Drawing and Applied Arts degree at UWE in Bristol. I graduated in 2014 after 3 years of full on learning and exploration and I miss it so much.   Why printmaking? I got passionate about print when I was also making 3D work in metals including copper and brass and I was just fascinated by all the ways you can manipulate metal, a material that I'd always considered so permanent. Copper plate etching was the perfect mixture of my love of drawing, mucking about with metal and process as well as producing multiples. I'm so precious about my work and knowing I could have an edition where if I wanted to stitch, tear, paint or write on one then it was alright, I had another if it didn't work out.  Where do you work? I've got my own chaotic, woody and cosy studio at Estate of the Arts in Bristol with my 140 year old star wheel etching press; the most precious and inconvenient object I own. I bloody love my space and it's become my anchor while my inability to decide where home is continues... I'm surrounded by dozens of other at years ago when it was just an empty industrial estate and now it's filled with 60 artists. It really feels like it's going to be impossible to ever leave here! Describe a typical day in your studio. Open big annoying shutters. Little neighbour dogs come over for a tickle. Black tea. Music or radio immediately. Stare at my diary, order sheets and endless to do lists that don't totally make sense.   If I'm working on a new plate I'll be at my table easel surrounded by sketchbooks, reference materials and tea. Some days it's all about framing as this is all done in house with my assistant so I'll be finishing prints in gold leaf, emboss stamping and signing a lot. Other days it's about printing so I'll need to do a big tidy up, get tearing paper to size and get my apron on. And lastly order days where I'll be making parcels, (I re-use all my packaging so it can take ages) and working on admin while huddled over the radiator.  Lunch is always at 1 and I sit with my other maker mates in the yard, no matter the weather.   How long have you been printmaking? So I learned loads of printmaking techniques in my first year at Uni which was 2011. Jesus it's 2025. Have I really been printmaking for FOURTEEN YEARS?! I'm definitely still only 'scratching the surface', (weheey) with this craft. I've gotten so carried away with just drawing on copper and there's so much potential for more.   What inspires you? I use making art as a kind of diary. There'll be something that's happened in my life that's made me either visualise a certain animal or something that I want to be closer to, or it's something that is troubling me and learning more about it eases me. Learning and intimacy with the world around me I suppose.  What is your favourite printmaking product? Oh well it's got to be Somerset Velvet paper that's made in Wells. 100% cotton, handmade, textured, soft white beauty.   What have you made that you are most proud of? That changes all the time. That's such a hard question! Most recently it's actually probably my new anatomical stained glass window. But I am also proper chuffed with my human hand piece 'Strings' , which has already been rejected from three different open exhibitions despite only finishing it 2 months ago. Boo. Where can we see your work? Where do you sell? I'm exhibiting at the RHS Spring Malvern show 8-11 May as part of the Cotswold Craftsmen Guild. I love shows, I do more than twelve art fairs and craft shows a year. I get to go around the country and meet so many people and talk about EVERYTHING. I also have a huge miniature giclee print and card collection which are more affordable little reproductions which I sell in shops and galleries around Bristol such as Molii Fishponds, Upfest Gallery and Me & East in Totnes but I have most of my work on my website shop and originals by enquiry. Also it’s not technically official yet so I haven’t told most people but I’m opening a gallery studio in Hay on Wye in a few weeks! Me and my friend Pia Longden are combining our love of glass, paper and stone in this little space at the back of Hay Castle. It’ll be open every Thursday and Saturday at least, from our opening party onwards on Saturday 17th May, but you can contact me to see if we’re open. What will we be seeing from you next? I'm working on a few things; a new big splashy wave aquatint etching and my first painted stained glass commission. I've just got back from a trip to Japan and I have a real hankering for a massive heron piece too. Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives? Keep a forgiving eye on how your creativity fluctuates through time. I really beat myself up over not being more explorative or making enough new work, but noticing the small ways that in that period of time your heart or head get switched on and use that as fuel. Even if it's expressing something in a really small way that's for nothing else but really being with that moment, just do it. Also for printmaking in particular, never throw any misprints away (someone will always want them), keep a journal of your plate progress and editioning notes (I never do but wish I had) and always have nail polish in the studio (in case you got ink or general print goo staining your hands and you get invited on a date).  To see more of Rosie, follow her on Instagram or see her website!

I’m an illustrator and printmaker based in Portsmouth, Hampshire. I’m inspired by nostalgic storybooks and I love to create whimsical hand-printed illustrations. I used to work part-time at Handprinted, but in November 2024 I decided to give being a full-time artist a try! It’s only been a few months so far, but I’m really enjoying giving 100% of my time to my art practice.   In my studio with my Adana 8x5 printing press Describe your printmaking process. I mostly work with linocut, and currently I’m favouring combining multiblock with reduction. I start out with a drawing, which I will draft a few times before putting the final sketch onto the block. I cut my blocks quite slowly with a lot of control, but I leave a lot of things to chance. Rather than having a full idea of the marks I’ll make, I’ll work textures out on the block. This way, I find my final prints are always very different from my sketches, and there’s a depth in there that I can’t achieve with just pencil or pen. Sketching process for ‘Take Flight with Me’ How and where did you learn to print? I studied illustration at the University of Portsmouth, where I had an induction to learn printmaking techniques. I dabbled in linocut and screen-printing during my degree - but I’m ashamed to say I didn’t make good use of the facilities back then! I think I maybe made three linocuts in my time there?  I graduated in 2011 and I picked up linocut again in 2014. Since then, I’ve been on various courses to develop my linocut skills. I’ve also taken courses in wood engraving, etching, screenprinting and collagraph. After trying other methods, I always came back to linocut with a different set of eyes, ready to push the medium even more. A comparison on how my skills have improved over the years  Why printmaking? Printmaking is a tried and tested medium for storytelling. As an illustrator obsessed with nostalgic imagery found in storybooks and fairy tales, it makes perfect sense for me to use printmaking for my illustrations. I also find linocut very therapeutic and meditative. I can get lost in the process and I think it’s my way of being mindful and finding some inner peace. Although I find the printing part stressful at times! ‘The Song of Seven Thousand’ Linocut - based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale ‘Jorinde and Joringel’  Where do you work? For the last 1.8 years, I’ve been working from a beautiful studio space at Hotwalls Studios in Portsmouth. It’s a stone's throw away from the beach, and it’s nestled in the old part of Portsmouth where you can still see lots of historical buildings.  The Hotwalls site was built in 1680 and was part of the city’s military defence against sea invaders. The archways below the Hotwalls ramparts used to house soldiers, but in 2016 the site was redeveloped into artists studios. Now each archway is occupied by an artist! The studio is public facing and open to visitors. It provides me a great space to work from, but also to meet people and be able to demonstrate my process. It’s great that I’m able to show how my work is made to curious onlookers. But also, having a flow of people can be challenging at times, so I’ve adapted my way of working and I save certain tasks for when it’s quieter.  Inside the studio, I have all my equipment, tools and presses (an Adana 8x5 and an Ironbridge Etching Press). I also have a selection of my work for sale and on display. It’s also where I host linocut workshops as well as a social Print Club. If I need to do any screen printing, I often book Handprinted’s studio for open access. It’s great that I can access all the facilities there, as I’m not able to set myself up for screen printing at my own studio. Inside my studio at Hotwalls in Portsmouth, all set up for hosting a workshop Outside my studio at Hotwalls in Portsmouth - formerly living quarters for soldiers Describe a typical day in your studio. During the week, I have slow mornings at home; taking my time to prioritise my tasks and do some admin. By 11am, I’m at the studio and ready to do some carving or printing. I try to put in a good few hours of practical work, before heading home around 5 or 6. My evenings are spent on the sofa either sketching, doing a few admin tasks or editing videos. Saturday mornings are usually spent teaching linocut workshops in my studio, and Saturday evenings I host Print Club. It’s a social evening, providing the opportunity for printmakers to meet, socialise and chat, get a bit of work done and ask technical questions for their printmaking problems. During the week, I also spend a day or two working from home; usually on marketing and stocking. I find these tasks are best done at home without the interruptions I get in my studio. My marketing day is spent making content for social media, my website and newsletters. A stocking day will see me prepping work for galleries, stockists and events - so lots of framing!  Working in the studio  How long have you been printmaking? After I graduated in 2011, I got a job working in graphic design and marketing. By 2014 I was starting to get tired of using computers all the time, and I wanted to do something creative with my hands. I thought back to my university days and linocut stood out to me as something I enjoyed and could easily do at home. I decided to invest in some linocut tools - and the rest is history? In the beginning I mostly printed for fun, but in 2021 I started to take it more seriously and decided to launch my business. Alphabet Linocut - Letter ‘I’  What inspires you? I source my ideas from fairy tales, delving into their obscure and sometimes darker origins. These books are often full of beautiful illustrations, which are usually created using printmaking techniques such as etchings or woodcuts. I find the Golden Age of Illustration very inspiring - a period of illustration dating between 1850 and 1925 which was heavily influenced by Art Nouveau, Pre-Raphaelite, and the Arts & Crafts movements - all of which I adore too. I also take a lot of inspiration from mediaeval artworks and architecture. ‘Joy Bringer’ Linocut - based on the nursery rhyme ‘Sing a Song of Sixpence’ What is your favourite printmaking product? I love my Karol Pomykala Dot Tool! I’m often asked how I make the tonal marks in my work, and it’s all down to this tool. It’s hard work when you have a large area to do, but I can’t achieve this tonal effect with my other blades and tools.  Lately I’m really enjoying using a hangito to take out hairline slices of lino. The Gokubosomaru and the Very Fine V Tool are also big favourites of mine. I work very detailed, and these tools enable me to make the slightest of marks. I’m also a big fan of Hawthorn Stay Open inks - I love how these don’t skin and still seem fresh two years later! ‘Take Flight With Me’ Linocut in progress, featuring the Gokubosomaru tool  What have you made that you are most proud of? It’s hard to choose a single piece, I always think my latest piece is what I’m most proud of! Every time I finish something, I feel like I’ve levelled up in some small way, and I carry that forward into the next linocut. My latest linocut ‘Call to Adventure’ really challenged me. It is 10-layer multiblock reduction; one key block, one block using caustic soda, and a third block for reduction. I pushed myself to finish it within two weeks - there was one day when I printed three layers in a row! It’s always risky using multiple blocks, the fear of mis-registration makes me hold my breath every time I pull a new layer from the press. I started out with 30, expecting to lose a few along the way - but the print gods worked in my favour and I was able to print all 30 successfully!  I guess the hard work paid off, when I entered ‘Call to Adventure’ into the St Barbe Open Call 2025. Not only was it selected, but it also achieved ‘Highly Commended’! The St Barbe Open Call show in Lymington is running until the 26th April. ‘Call to Adventure’ Linocut  Where can we see your work? Where do you sell? You can come visit me at Hotwalls Studios in Portsmouth. I’m open to the public, usually Tuesday through to Saturday. The best time to come is the first Sunday of the month, when we have our ‘Open Studios’ and every artist archway is open.  I also sell on my website, or you can find me on Instagram and Facebook. I regularly attend events and exhibitions around the UK. Look for updates on my social media, or you can sign up to my newsletter to be notified when I’m out and about. My next few events include the Hotwalls Spring Market, Printworks Festival at Farnham Maltings, Winchester Print Fair, and Craft in Focus at Hever Castle. My work is also with a few stockists around the UK, including Forest & Cove in Romsey, Llantarnam Grange in Cwmbran, New Brewery Arts in Cirencester and The Craft Centre and Design Gallery in Leeds. My most recent set up at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair  What will we be seeing from you next? I’ve got an itch to deep-dive into some fairy tale illustration, and I’m considering a 6-month project with the aim of producing a body of work around the stories collected by the Brothers Grimm.  I’m also currently experimenting with collagraph, and how to combine this printmaking method with linocut.  From the summer, I’m starting to upscale my linocut workshops, and I will be hosting them in a larger venue, next door to my studio. I’m also delivering some workshops externally for other art groups and organisations. ‘Take Flight with Me’ Linocut - based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale ‘The Six Swans’  Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives? Show up every day and do something that progresses your creative practice forward. Even if it’s just one task, or only 20 minutes that you can spare. Do it every day, build a habit, and those small steps you take will start to feel like a sprint! Also, if you have access to printmaking facilities, either at your school, university or local area - please use them! It’s the best way to meet other creatives, bounce ideas around, get some feedback and find the support you need as a creative. ‘Star Catcher’ Linocut Block —To see more from Frankie, follow her on Instagram or Facebook - or sign up to her newsletter. Or you can visit her studio in Portsmouth: Studio 4, Hotwalls Studios, Old Portsmouth, PO1 2FS

Monoprinting using an open screen is a wonderfully creative way of using your screen printing equipment for speedy, painterly prints. Neocolor Pastels are a great material to use when mono screen printing - you can draw directly onto the mesh and print your drawing through the screen.  A 90T screen is ideal for printing onto paper. Arranging your screen on a hinged board helps you to register your prints, whilst holding the mesh the perfect distance from the paper when printing. We're printing onto cards, just in time for Mothers' Day! With the screen on a hinged board, lay something small under one corner (like a pencil) to hold the mesh slightly further away from the board underneath. Use the NeoColor pastels to draw directly onto the open mesh screen. We have used parcel tape on the back of the mesh to mask out an area an appropriate size for printing onto a card. You don't need to fill the whole mesh area if you don't want to.  When the design is finished, apply a well of Acrylic Screen Printing Medium above the design.  Use a squeegee at a 45 degree angle to push the medium through the mesh and on to the paper underneath.  On the first print, some of the pastel may act as a resist, giving you interesting marks and textures.  Some pastel will remain in the mesh, so print again onto another piece of paper to get another print. Each one will give a slightly different strength of colour and texture. If you're using the same medium to take a print each time, it will become muddy with the colours from the pastels, giving a coloured background - you can either embrace this, or replace the medium on the screen regularly. When you're finished with the design, wash it off with a soft sponge and cold water. Wait for the mesh to dry, and then go again with a new design! For this project you will need: Neocolor Pastels 90T screen Hinged Board and Hinge Clamps Squeegee System 3 Acrylic Printing Medium Spatula Paper to print on - we used cards  Soft Sponge to clean