Linoleum art gets a fillip in the city

CHENNAI: With 15 years of experience as a dedicated art educator, specialising in fostering creativity and empowering students through visual arts, Sandhya Gopinath conducted a linocut printmaking workshop that was both diverting and instructive.

“As a high school Visual Arts Educator at the American International School Chennai, I design engaging curricula for 2D Art, Advanced Art, and IBDP Visual Art. I also mentor students for college portfolios,” Sandhya says. A core member of the Indian Art and Design Educators Association, the 39-year-old artiste curates conferences and provides insights as an art education consultant.

“I major in acrylic on canvas, but I love learning other mediums as well. I have learned printmaking - lithography, linoleum and copper plate engraving. I am currently taking time to master ceramics, pottery - art forms that have recently captured my interest,” the artiste states.

The printmaking process using the lino sheets or blocks is an engaging process where the design can be carved on the lino block, rolling the ink evenly onto the block and using paper to print. “The design that is carved out will not get inked. One needs a good understanding of positive and negative space.

 Once the block is ready for printing, multiple prints using various colours can then be made,” explains Sandhya. The recently concluded linocut printmaking workshop gave the city a fresh insight into the printmaking technique, invented in the late 19th century.

“Printmaking as a medium is very new to the people of Chennai. But with the power of social media, linocut printing has become popular. The participants of the workshop were open to learning something new and enjoyed the immersive artistic process,” Sandhya states.