Meet the Maker: Scarlett Rebecca
Hi I’m Scarlett Rebecca, a printmaker living in Brighton. I split myself between two creative lives; half the time I work from my studio as surface pattern designer using printmaking in my designs and the other half as a fine art printmaker and technical demonstrator at Brighton University.
Describe your printmaking process.
I am a relief printmaker and I predominantly use linocut, when I am working at the studio I will draw from life and work these drawings into a rough pattern. Then I will cut them as intuitively as I can, without relying too heavily on the drawing. I will then print the designs on my little nipping press and turn them into a technical repeat in Photoshop or Illustrator.
How and where did you learn to print?
I started printing when I was in High School, we had to do forgeries as part of our technical understanding and I chose a Cyril Power linocut. Since then I’ve been hooked, I studied textile printmaking and I’ve done many short courses, including ones at Print Club London and BIP here in Brighton. The last course I did earlier this year was etched lino at The Art Academy with the wonderfully talented Steve Edwards.
Why printmaking?
Because it is unquestionably the best art form, I try to tell everyone this. The texture, the shapes, the depth of mark and colour, I love it! I think people unfamiliar with printmaking are often scared or intimidated by it. I want everyone to try it and love it. I have been teaching print classes for nearly 10 years, now I run print workshops for couples from my studio.
Where do you work?
I split my week between my studio in central Brighton and the fine art printmaking department at Brighton University where I work as a technical demonstrator for lithography. During the summer break while the students have been away I have been researching and experimenting with lithography techniques. I have had a huge amount of fun trying out Mokulito – lithography using plywood instead of stone or metal. It’s an incredibly exciting technique as your results will differ depending on which type of wood you use, plus you can employ woodcut techniques to the surface!
Describe a typical day in your studio.
I usually get to my shared studio between 10 – 11 and stay there until 8 or 9, depending on how absorbed I get. I will answer emails and do as much ‘boring’ stuff as I can first and then I will warm myself up with some drawing, usually listening to Desert Island Discs podcasts. Then I will look over what I have been working on the day before to make sure it’s not rubbish! I have been working more and more in illustrator recently, trying to capture/retain the textured effects of my linocuts and I am not very fast so this takes up a lot of my time! I try to get out for a little break in the afternoon but I am naughty and sometimes I will stay at my desk all day. When I am bleary eyed and probably making rubbish work I will walk home.
What inspires you?
Pattern, texture and shape. I take a lot of inspiration from the natural world; wildlife, flora and fauna. I try to take inspiration from the world around me, I recently challenged myself to 100 days of finding pattern (you can see my finds on my twitter) since then I am seeing pattern and inspiration everywhere!
What is your favourite printmaking product?
My Pfiel cutters, they are my most treasured printmaking possessions, and proper fresh battleship grey lino, I just love the smell.
What have you made that you are most proud of?
I started a side project last year aiming to use up my small scraps of lino, I cut an A-Z of small wildlife illustrations. It used up my lino scraps perfectly (I had to be a bit inventive with some drawings!) and I enjoyed learning about British wildlife.
Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?
I sell cards and prints in a couple of shops here in Brighton and you will find me at the Christmas Open House Festival at Bluebell Would house, and I will be doing the Fairy Tale Fair at the Open Market on November 26th.
Online you can buy my work from my shop.
What will we be seeing from you next?
I have a few larger scale linocuts planned that I will be slowly working on over the next few months alongside design work. I will be working on a stone lithograph for an upcoming exhibition of stone lithography in Japan, translating an image of my brain from a recent brain scan onto the stone.
Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?
Draw every day.
Keep up to date with Scarlett Rebecca and her work on Instagram, Twitter and via her website and shop!