Illustrator Sophy Hollington puts a contemporary twist on the traditional art of lino-cutting, with her work often nodding at vintage aesthetics. Common themes include folklore and alchemical symbolism, with her pieces ending out somewhat mystical (one specific series sees a stylized interpretation of tarot cards).
“I like my compositions and carvings to have a balance of black and white areas,” she explained in an interview with Metal Magazine, adding that there’s something wasteful about carving a lot away completely. “However, regardless of the lino, I’ve always appreciated detail and scenes and tableaus,” she notes. “Why not say more if you can?”
With more than 35k followers on Instagram and selected clients that include The New York Times, The New Yorker, Bloomberg Businessweek, and WIRED, there’s clearly an audience to her overcrowded illustrations.
“I don’t have a proper press, so I print everything either using my small pinch press or the back of a wooden spoon,” says Hollington. Her messy process adds to a textured finish. “I’m certainly not a fantastic printmaker in the traditional sense at all but I prefer the textures and imperfections to a solid black print,” she says, “especially when that’s so easily achieved digitally.”
We have to admit, we’re totally obsessed.
