After finishing project 7, the multiblock linoprint of the seascape view, I was undecided whether I should try to rework the subject. On the one hand, I felt that I hadn’t brought out the full potential of the subject, on the other there was the pressure from getting onwards with the course schedule.

I postponed the decision and completed several research tasks. Each of them gave more nurture to the idea of getting back to my topic, developing it further towards the direction that I had identified in my research: Clean up the motif and make it less fussy in the foreground. I was quite sure that this was the way to go, but I was wary to have another go through the somewhat laborious process of making the design and then consecutive transfer and cutting of three separate linoplates. The problem was that I get bored when I repeat myself. So I had the idea of doing things differently.

I started by making another A4 drawing from my photo. I think the drawing is better as the original one and the inclusion of coloured pencils works nicely. But the problem with the drawing is that it is essentially the same approach as the first version which I used for the original linocutting.

Using this drawing, I might produce an improved version of the first print with better alignment and maybe somewhat cleaner shapes, but it would essentially be a repetition and that was not what I wanted.

The next day, I made a second drawing about half the size to see whether changing the scale would help me to develop a different approach. I produced another nice drawing, but I don’t think the resulting print would be essentially different from the original version. I then produced a pencil sketch of the scene from memory, hoping that this might help to reduce clutter. But somehow, none of my attempts convinced me and I felt quite disheartened.

Trying to understand why I felt so stuck with my subject, I remembered the phrase of “pushing one’s limits”. I think with this subject I’m at a point where I would have to push the limits, but I’m essentially clueless how to do this. It may sound obvious but I had to realize that if I did not change the approach, the result would not be different. Only I had no idea in which direction to go from here.

I guess the experience is quite important because it’s exactly the moment where creativity and experimentation come into play, where I should be leaving the “comfort zone” and try out something new. I feel it’s important but I also feel I’m not in the state of doing it now. I’ll try to keep it in the back of my mind and get back to the subject.

I could be addressing one of the most important things for my development as an artist.