Michael Gage

I'll be teaching printmaking at the South East School of Art in East Grinstead, West Sussex, starting on 16 February 2011.

• Create original fine art prints using traditional and modern printmaking techniques.
• Learn methods that are easy and safe to reproduce at home, without the need for expensive equipment.
• Explore relief techniques such as card prints, linocuts, and woodcuts.
• Find out about preparing and cutting blocks; inking and printing; editioning.
• Experiment with single block, multiple block, and reduction blocks.
• Improve your knowledge of colour theory, composition, and narrative.
• Be inspired by historical and contemporary techniques and printmakers.
• Take part in both individual and group projects.

For more information, see www.southeastschoolofart.co.uk.

I always take a sketchbook on holiday, but French artist Bastien Dubois not only goes one better by turning his travel sketchbook into an animated film...



...he also gets nominated for an Oscar! (Best animated short film.)

To see the full version of this film, click here.

First stage of a new linocut.



It took about eight hours to draw and cut this first layer. Then I printed it in a pale blue to dark grey gradient. (Yes, grey; this is a bad photograph.)

At this stage, the print looks very much like the London linocut. Perhaps that's inevitable with cityscapes: you get blue at the top for the sky; grey at the bottom for the road; and a confusion of building in the middle.

Four hurt in traffic accident as racing car ploughs into toy meeting! Doctors said that Duck was in a serious but stable condition, and that Mickey Mouse and Mr Playmobil were hurt but responding well. The letter W escaped with minor injuries and was allowed to return to the alphabet after treatment.

Our on-the-spot reporter sent in this picture of the scene immediately after the accident.


Ink and watercolour on paper, approx 10 x 8 in.

One of the best sessions yet at our life drawing group: a model and a pose with a story to tell. Everyone was inspired by the subject: see the other work at life drawing group.



Pencil on paper, A3.

Ink on paper, A4.

Pencil on paper, A3.