Linocut Garden with Blackbirds

Two blackbirds stand among tall seed heads, broad leaves and curling garden stems in an original linocut-style print. A rough rust-colored sun sits behind the upper plants, while olive and cream blocks fill the spaces between the birds. Carved marks remain visible across the paper, giving every patch a slightly different grain.

The upper bird is a compact dark group, while the lower bird stretches across several larger shapes. Seed heads make useful vertical lines, and their round tops are easier to sort than the surrounding leaves. Build the rust sun and cream paper around the middle next. Ink-heavy corners can be matched by the direction of their carved strokes. Keep the small berries and ground marks for the end, once the strong silhouettes have settled.