My Process: Linocut Graphic Picture Books

Inger-Lise Kristoffersen describes the remarkable linocutting process behind her silent graphic picture books The Girl in Search of her Shadow and The Man, the Fly and the Unruly Girl and how they got published in Columbia:

The progress of doing a silent graphic picture book

Linocut graphic picture books: Examining the final test print

I begin by writing an “illustration synopsis” of ideas I have in my head. I also have a notebook of ideas from which to choose and work. I often rearrange my ideas from different stories and pick the parts that I find most exciting to draw. While sketching I make sure that the illustrations are easily readable without explaining too much, as this makes the story boring to read. I always like to leave some sense of wonder behind for the reader to explore.

Sketching

When tracing a drawing onto the linoleum sheet it must be mirrored as the finished print will appear reversed. I therefore often sketch my ideas beforehand on paper and later trace the final drawing onto the linoleum sheet and work on it from here. Like altering the drawing by adding something new or erasing something unwanted.

Lino cutting

When cutting the linoleum sheet, I must invent a graphic language that goes with the work. About halfway through the cutting, I do a test print. At times I do several test prints before the final print. By doing so I can judge how much more I need to cut or perhaps not to cut according to the image. Test prints often turn out different than one imagines, which can force you to change the original idea of a print. This only makes printmaking so much more exciting to do. If the linoleum sheet is too hard, I often warm it up before cutting.

Printing

When inking my linoleum sheet, I use a graphic roller, also called a brayer and make sure I apply the right amount of ink to the sheet. This I do by looking at the shining in the ink when applied to the linoleum sheet. A method I have learned by printing over the years. The time spent working on a graphic silent picture book is usually 3 years. From writing the synopsis, sketching, layout to finished artist print.

Materials

I use my own printing press to print limited editions of my artwork. Some prints I keep for exhibiting only and some are for sale at my website https://ingerlisekristoffersen.dk/shop-graphic/ You can also order the print by demand. The artworks towards my picture books are printed on Sumi-E 80 gr. Japanese paper, using safe wash relief inks.

How I met my Colombian publisher

I met my Colombian publisher Francisco Toquica by coincidence in 2013 when invited to do a printing workshop and exhibition of my original graphic artwork THE MAN THE FLY & THE UNRULY GIRL (Danish title Manden, fluen & det ustyrlige pigebarn) at the University de Antioquia MUUA in Medellin. This was before the project was published as a book.

Back then Francisco Toquica was a newly graduated artist student, who together with some friends had started Cain Press, an independent publishing house, in Bogota. After seeing my artwork at the exhibition Francisco Toquica became interested in publishing my book. This was made possible with a grant from the Danish Arts towards publishing my picture book.

So, in 2014 Cain Press published my first picture book. This was before the book was published in Denmark. In 2019 Cain Press published my 2nd graphic silent picture book THE GIRL IN SEARCH OF HER SHADOW, (Danish title Pigen der ledte efter sin skygge) thanks to the Danish Arts Foundation.

As my graphic picture books are silent books, the only translation needed is the title plus text on the front and the back cover synopsis. Due to my schooling in Colombia and Hong Kong as a child, I do my own translation for my books in Spanish and English language.

Planning the exhibition at Gallery Nada Bogota

Exhibitions

Besides publishing my graphic picture books, Cain Press arranged exhibitions of my original artworks at Centro Cultural Edicional Universidad National de Colombia, and Gallery NADA in Bogota, and did an extremely nice work, promoting my picture book at FILBO 2019, (Feria de Libro International de Bogota) with blown-up black & white images of my picture book artwork at their stand.

Signing books at FILBO Bogota.

About the books

The Man, the Fly and the Unruly Girl
Graphic picture book w/ linecut illustrations
Published in English and Spanish
21.5 x 30.0 cm (wide)
Story: A man shares his lunch with a fly. When the fly tells of its many journeys, wings are growing out from the man’s back, and together they fly out into the world only to be captured by an insect-collecting girl.

• Contact for Foreign Rights: Inge-Lise Kristoffersen

The Girl in Search of her Shadow
Graphic picture book w/ linecut illustrations
Published in English and Spanish
21.5 x 30.0 cm (wide)
Story: A girl’s shadow becomes jealous and runs away to The Shadow Island. A place where shadows go when they get tired of their owners. The girl follows her shadow through thick and thin in order to bring it back home.

• Contact for Foreign Rights: Inge-Lise Kristoffersen

Inger-Lise Kristoffersen

Grew up in Denmark, Colombia and Hong Kong. Graduated from Design School Kolding. Working with illustration for children, paintings, drawings and graphics.

www.ingerlisekristoffersen.dk