Both trendy and still somewhat confidential, linocut is making its way into the world of Do It Yourself activities (creating objects and decorations oneself). We asked Mélanie Roy, a graphic designer, illustrator, and member of the Club Med Live program and an expert in the field, to explain the success of this discipline after her creative residency on the grand open stage of Cefalù.
The surprising artistic properties of linoleum
In the minds of most of us, linoleum isn't particularly artistic. Invented in the 19th century, this material brings to mind more the uniform and dull floor coverings of large real estate complexes than the creation of an elegant work of art. However, this underestimates the properties of linoleum. "Like the material it is based on, linocut was invented in England in the 19th century. Derived from wood engraving, it involves carving a linoleum plate, much softer and tenderer than its ancestor, by removing the whites of the design one wants to create. The plate is then inked and pressed against paper to create the design through color transfer," explains Mélanie Roy. As a graphic designer and illustrator, this multi-talented artist became interested in linocut early in her career and still finds something unique about it today: "I started drawing at a very young age and quickly leaned towards art. I attended a school of applied arts. At that time, I experimented with various techniques like sculpture, monotype, wood engraving, and of course, linocut. The latter has the immense advantage of being inexpensive, making it ideal for students or people hesitating between several artistic practices and not wanting to invest too much money in their materials. Moreover, it is very technically accessible, making it suitable for everyone with consistently successful results. Personally, I return to it when I need to reconnect with the physical, the manual, to step away from my tablet."
Practicing linocut in a dream setting
Linocut has thus accompanied Mélanie Roy throughout her career, from her illustration school and academic drawing to the Fine Arts school in the same city, and then to Club Med during her artistic residency. It was as part of the Club Med Live program - offering artists a week-long all-inclusive live and creative residency at a resort to share their art with the guests throughout their stay - that Mélanie flew to the Club Med Resort in Cefalù last September to offer this new art through three open-air linocut workshops. "It was truly incredible. Besides the incredible beauty of the place, I was set up outdoors, near the pool, with a group of Lyon musicians playing in front of me. It's a rare opportunity to teach and practice in such splendid conditions, in such a setting," explains the artist. "It seems to have inspired the guests since all the workshops were full, with very diverse participants. Men, women, young people, people in their fifties, retirees, French and people from other nationalities. Some had wanted to try linocut for a long time, others were discovering the discipline, and some wanted to take a souvenir home," recalls Mélanie Roy. "In fact, everyone left with prints of their drawing and their engraving plate. That's the beauty of linocut; it works every time.
"Even though DIY has been brought to the forefront lately, applied arts have always had a special place at Club Med. What interests us in this practice and in Mélanie's profile is her friendliness in conducting creative workshops that are easy to set up and appeal to a wide audience - essential conditions to join the Club Med Live artistic crew," explains Lucie Goddard, Responsible for Artistic Experiences and Ambiance Communication of the Club Med Live program.
Linocut, accessible and relaxing
According to Mélanie Roy, the success of linocut is indeed explained by its technical affordability and undeniable results: "Contrary to what one might think, it doesn't require any drawing talent since one can be inspired by existing images. During the workshops, I had drawn several shapes for the guests to trace and compose their own design. The only thing linocut demands is patience; one needs to concentrate for more than ten minutes at a stretch, otherwise, it might seem long. Much like any artistic practice." This particularity makes linocut ideal for those needing an artistic activity to relax. "Its slow and calm nature makes linocut very meditative, very gentle. It truly empties the mind, making everyone feel good. Moreover, the results are always beautiful and varied because the different successive color layers create truly different impressions from one another. It's very satisfying for the originator of the work." In the realm of Do It Yourself, the emergence of a trend is always linked to the sense of accomplishment it provides to its practitioners.
A trendy and fulfilling activity
In fact, linocut pleased some guests so much that they wanted to continue once back home. Here again, linocut has many qualities. Linocut kits are easily available online, in art stores, or DIY shops, containing tools, engraving plates, ink rollers, and all the little things necessary for practicing this art. "For those wanting to delve deeper into the practice or its knowledge, I recommend visiting the numerous exhibitions or reading the many books on the subject, which are far more abundant than one might think. Finally, I suggest taking an interest in the great artists who have used this technique, including Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse," suggests Mélanie Roy. She emphasizes, however, that one doesn't need to be a genius like these painters to find pleasure in linocut. On the contrary. "In general, it's crucial to let go of the idea of not having a gift or not succeeding at the first attempt. What artists post on Instagram is only the part of their production they're satisfied with. Everyone fails and discards a lot of things. It's like sports; it's an outlet. You don't have to be a champion to find pleasure and practice daily. It's the same with artistic practice," analyzes the young woman wisely. According to her, her stay in Cefalù was a great source of inspiration: "Being able to sit by the tranquil zen pool or in the cove where water activities take place, drawing calmly in front of all that beauty, was very inspiring. It did me good in my practice. In fact, I made a linocut of it.
📷 - Agathe Blanc
