The Linocut Edition: Numbering, Rejects and the Limits of Artist's Proofs
A candidate must submit an edition of 12 signed and numbered linocut prints for moderation. The image is 20 cm × 15 cm on 28 cm × 22 cm cartridge paper (180 gsm), printed with water-based ink. From 15 pulls, nine are clean; three have registration off by 2–3 mm because the cardboard jig shifts; two have finger smudges; one has a torn corner in the margin. The candidate wants to sign all 15, submit 12 and keep three as artist's proofs. The block is still in good condition, and there are four days before the deadline. The school has a press, but the candidate has been printing by hand with a wooden spoon. There is enough paper for six more pulls and enough ink for about eight. The assessment criteria reward consistent editioning, technical control and documentation of process. A classmate advises trimming the torn print and calling the smudged ones 'unique'.
1. Decide the edition size and numbering, and justify your decision with reference to edition conventions.
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The edition size is a declaration, not a description of whatever survives. If the requirement is 12, the candidate should aim for 12 matching prints and number them 1/12 to 12/12 in pencil, with title, signature and date. The nine clean pulls can form the first nine of the edition only if they are consistent in ink density, registration and paper condition. The three misregistered pulls are not edition-worthy unless the variation is intentional and consistent; here it is a jig fault, so they should be marked as rejects or printer's proofs, not numbered. The two smudged prints and the torn print also fall outside the edition. Artist's proofs are not a dumping ground for failures: they are usually additional impressions outside the numbered edition, marked AP, and should still be of acceptable quality. If only nine clean prints can be produced, the honest solution is to reduce the declared edition to nine and document why, but the candidate should first use the remaining paper and ink to reprint.
2. Propose a reprint and quality-control plan for the four remaining days.
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Reprint three to five pulls, not six, so there is a margin for error. First fix the registration: place clear register marks on the block and the paper, and replace the cardboard jig with a simple stop that is taped down and checked before each pull. Ink the block evenly and avoid over-inking the edges. Print on dry paper; if the paper is damp, the ink will offset and the sheet will cockle. Dry each print flat between newsprint under a board. Handle prints by the margins or with clean paper tabs. Check each pull against the nine clean prints for registration, ink density and surface marks. Number only the prints that match. Keep a log of pull number, condition and decision. With four days, print on days 1–2, dry on day 3, and sign and document on day 4.
3. Evaluate the classmate's advice and explain what documentation should accompany the submission.
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The classmate's advice is wrong on both counts. Trimming the torn print would alter the sheet size and hide a defect rather than resolve it; in an edition, the sheet is part of the work, and trimming one print makes it inconsistent with the others. Calling smudged prints 'unique' misuses the idea of the unique impression: a smudge is an accident, not a deliberate variant, and an edition depends on consistency. If the candidate wanted variant editions, that would need to be planned and documented before printing. The submission should include a number log, a reject log, process photographs of the block and registration jig, and a short note explaining the edition size and any rejects. The torn print can be retained as a printer's proof or destroyed; it should not be signed as part of the edition.