Ken Januski - Linocut Prints

Ken began experimenting with linocuts in late 2010. He had no formal education in printmaking though he did take a couple of courses in lithography and etching in the Student Union of UC Berkeley when he was a student there. He had no training at all in linocut, or woodcut which he took up a few years later.

Ken started with straightforward one-color linocuts. But soon he was experimenting with multi-color reduction linocuts as in the Green Heron with Twelve-spotted Skimmer, and Blackburnian Warbler at Magee Marsh. He continued to do one color linocuts but then added multi-block linocuts and sometimes woodcuts as well, as in the Black-throated Green Warbler at Magee Marsh and White-tailed Deer, Green Heron and Wood Ducks.

Occasionally he'd seek color in a simpler way by hand-coloring, with watercolor, a simple black linocut, as in the Green Heron with Eastern Pondhawk.

Since 2015/16 he's spent much more time with woodcuts than linocuts, finding the softer surface of the Shina plywood that he uses, especially appealing. As well he got tired of using oil-based inks and solvents and so since 2018 has used almost exclusively moku hanga and watercolor/gouache.

Female American Kestrel Eating American Robin. Linocut by Ken Januski. Edition of 16. Image is 6x8 inches, entire print is 9x11.

Green Heron with Twelve-spotted Skimmer. Reduction Linocut by Ken Januski. Edition of 12. Image is 6x8 inches; entire print is 9x11.

Blackburnian Warbler at Magee Marsh. Reduction Linocut by Ken Januski. Edition of 12. Image is 6x8 inches; entire print is 9x11 inches.

Black-throated Green Warbler at Magee Marsh. Reduction Linocut and Woodcut by Ken Januski. Edition of 20. Image is 4x6 inches; entire print is 7x9 inches.

White-tailed Deer, Green Heron and Wood Ducks. Reduction Linocut and Woodcut by Ken Januski. Edition of 15. Image is 6x8 inches; entire print is 9x11 inches.

Northern Mockingbird with Carolina Chickadee. Linocut by Ken Januski. Edition of 15. Image is 4x6 inches; entire print is 7x9 inches.

Green Heron and Eastern Pondhawk. Hand-colored Linocut by Ken Januski. Edition of 11. Image is 4x6 inches; entire print is 7x9 inches.