AttRAct, which stands for ‘art through the Royal Academy careers and creative training’, is a Learning Department programme that offers London based A-level students from selected schools the chance to participate in creative workshops, exhibition tours, studio visits, mentoring in the RA Schools and careers and portfolio advice.

Seventeen students came to the Academy for the day, to hear about Anne’s practice and learn the techniques behind chiaroscuro printmaking. The students examined the tonal prints from the Renaissance Impressions exhibition to inspire their own chiaroscuro linocut artwork.

Working with lino rather than wood in order to produce a two-colour print in one day, the Learning Studio became a hive of activity with students creating their images, cutting and inking their key blocks, and printing in deep tones of brown, blue or green. The tonal block was cut and printed in subtler tones to add depth and highlights. The prints created by the students were diverse in subject matter, showing richly illusionistic effects of light and dark.

Ann Gilmore is Secondary Programme Co-ordinator in the Learning department at the RA

If you’re inspired to create your own linocut, why not check out the range of print making materials from the RA Shop on our #PrintMonth Pinterest board.