Hang up your tinsel and get your winter woollies on! Christmas is just round the corner, and we’re back with our annual festive list of gift ideas, for both budding and expert printmakers alike.
Cards and Sketchbooks
Fabriano Medioevalis Cards
Perhaps you fancy making your own handprinted or painted Christmas cards this season? The Fabriano Medioevalis cards are perfect for just that. Medioevalis is a high quality mould-made paper produced in Fabriano since 1904. The cards come with four deckled edges, hand trimmed from watermarked sheets. Each pack comes with 20 cards and 20 envelopes, available in 3 sizes – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/fabriano-medioevalis-card-envelope-packs/
Fabriano Venezia Sketchbook
Another beautiful product from Fabriano, the Venezia sketchbook is the absolute perfect gift for any artist. Made of the finest Academia paper, ideal for drawing, painting and other sketch work. It consists of 48 sheets all elegantly bound in a beautiful hardback cover. The texture on the cover is inspired by the modern mosaics present in the San Marco area of Venice. This sketchbook shows the best combination of Italian fine arts style: Venezia and Fabriano – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/fabriano-venezia/
The Hahnemuhle Sketchbook Diary
Perhaps you know an artist who travels a lot, who is always on the go, taking in inspiration wherever they can? The Hahnemuhle Sketchbook Diary is right up their street. With the left page lined and the right page plain, it is perfect for jotting down notes and ideas. The spiral binding allows the book to open flat, and there is a pocket in the back and two labels to personalise the front cover. A super affordable stocking filler, it is A6 in size, which means it fits right into your pocket! – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/hahnemuehle-sketch-diary/
Intaglio Printmaker Kits
Our much loved printing kits are back in stock in time for Christmas! The Relief Printing Kits are the ideal starter boxes for any budding printmaker. This set includes everything you need to create your first print, from start to finish. It also comes with instructions included to help you on your way and everything fits into a lovely kraft box. Both kits come with different options of inks: oil based, oil based but water washable and water based.
Traditional Relief Printing Kit – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/traditional-relief-printing-kit/
Kits for Kids!
Start them off early! Heres something for the young artists. We have a great range of printmaking starter kits for children, to get their creativity flowing over the Christmas season.
Essdee Block Printing Kit for Kids
Have fun and learn about relief printmaking without the need for sharp tools. This kit includes: 100ml block printing ink, ink roller, ink tray, pencil, 6 sheets of PrintFoam and instructions – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/essdee-block-printing-kit-for-kids/
Speedball Speed Screen Kit
Speedball’s Speed Screen Kit is an easy to use and affordable way to screen print. The ready to use mesh sheets allow you to create permanent photographic stencils without the need for harsh chemicals or emulsions – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/speedball-speed-screen-kit/
Ink Sets
Schmincke Aqua Linoprint Set
This handy little set is a great introduction to our beautiful range of Schmincke inks. Schmincke Aqua Linoprint Inks are a water-based relief ink with natural binders. These inks are high quality artist inks which give even, sharp results of high colour intensity – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/schmincke-aqua-linoprint-set/
Daley Rowney System 3 Original Introductory Set
This acrylic introduction set from Daler Rowney doesn’t have to be solely reserved for painting – pair them with the System 3 Acrylic and Textile Medium to create a fun range of screen printing inks. This set would pair great with our Speedball Speed Screen Kit, as all inks are water based, non toxic, and child friendly! – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/daler-rowney-system-3-original-introductory-set/
Tool Sets
Inexpensive Pencil Type Cutter Set
The best set of tools for beginners! Our Inexpensive Pencil Type Cutter Set is a great little starter kit of gouge tools and carving knives, which make it the best choice for both lino and woodcut printmakers. For 5 tools under £13, you can’t go wrong with this choice – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/inexpensive-pencil-type-cutters/
Power Grip Japanese Set
For both beginner and intermediate printmakers alike, the Power Grip Japanese Set is wonderful for refining your lino cutting skills. These robust Japanese cutters come with long honed handles and sharp, high quality blades and come in a handy plastic display box, whilst still being a very affordable choice https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/power-grip-japanese-set/–
Set of 6 Swiss Cutting Tools by Pfeil
For the more experienced lino cutters who fancy a nice upgrade, our Set of 6 Swiss Cutting Tools by Pfeil is the perfect gift. Each tool has a beautifully honed mushroom handle made from pearwood. These tools can be used for lino, vinyl and wood and are of high quality – precisely ground and polished. All tools are forged from steel which guarantees high strength and a razor sharp cut. This set has a range of U and V gouges, ranging from large to fine – https://intaglioprintmaker.com/product/set-of-6-swiss-cutting-tools/
Books
A Printmaker’s Cookbook: Images in Relief by Dianne Fogwell
This book originates from Dianne’s 40 year career as one of the most respected printmakers and artists’ book practitioner in Australia. With this publication, Dianne answers the questions most frequently asked by aspiring and established printmakers alike. This book breaks down Fogwell’s artworks into Ingredients and Methods in a fun take of a cookbook.
‘This is not so much a ‘how to do it book’, but a ‘how Fogwell did it book’. In other words, once you know how it was done, you can understand something of the complexity and sophistication of the print and proceed to enjoy some of its subtleties.’ Sasha Grishin.
This book is a great insight into different ways prints are built with inspiring techniques to dig your teeth into – buy here
Linocut for Artists and Designers by Nick Morley
This book contains clear, step-by-step instructions to a series of projects that develop your techniques and ideas. It has detailed information on which tools to buy, where to find the best materials, and how to set up your working space. It also has over 300 illustrations and profiles of eight international linocut practitioners to provide insight and inspiration.
Whether you are printing by hand on your kitchen table or on a press in a print studio, this book gets you started and goes on to explore the myriad creative applications of linocut. It encourages you to experiment with different approaches to image making and explores new ways of thinking about how linocut can be used.
Nick Morely is a linocut artist whose prints are collected internationally. As well as illustrating for leading publishing houses, he regularly teaches workshops, curates exhibitions and writes articles and a blog on printmaking. He recently set up Hello Print Studio in Margate, England, a communal studio for artists and designers who want to make prints – buy here