“Ensuring Passionate Craftsmanship and High Quality Fine Art”
Passionate Craftsmanship
The linoleum block prints are all hand carved in studio by Mandisa.
Each print starts off with a simple compositional sketch followed by a detailed color story (if the print is colored).
She then proceeds to a fully rendered illustration to determine the major areas of highlights and shadows. At this point Mandisa mentally maps out “blueprints” for what types of lines she wants to carve for the final piece.
“There are so many ways a printmaker can carve in order to create an illusion of depth; which is why experimenting through the use of linework is critical and fascinating to me.”
After this is completed, the carving process begins. There may be multiple blocks carved depending on whether or not the print has color layers. The process can take anywhere from a few days to a month or so to complete.
High Quality Fine Art
Physical well-being and environmental sustainability are deeply important to Mandisa and play a huge role in the ethos of The Hummingbird Mill. For this reason, she uses Akua Intaglio soy-based permanent inks which are non-toxic and environmentally safe. The inks create colors that are bright, vivid and won’t fade with time.
Each block is then printed on gelatin-free Canson L’Aquarelle Héritage Hot Press Watercolor Paper. This acid-free paper is mold-resistant and made of 100% cotton creating a strong and slightly textured touch.