A Festive Jewel Linocut - The Christmas Pomegranate
With two months till Christmas Eve, I've been busy at my printmaking table designing new festive greeting cards in preparation for the fast approaching holiday season 🎄✨ My first festive design of 2024 is the pomegranate, with its jewel-like seeds and crown-shaped top. The pomegranate has long been a symbol of abundance and renewal and a design I've wanted to do for a while now.
My linocut features plump pomegranates nestled among their soft, furling leaves and delicate blossoms. This design flows in a rhythmic pattern that lends itself perfectly to the concertina card format, allowing the artwork to unfold and tell its story; something I was conscious about when I initially planned the design.
My Printmaking Process
The first part of any design is alway my favourite, it's the part which takes the longest and forces me to deliberately slow down. Using linocut carving tools, I carefully cut away the lino block to reveal the intricate details; from the fruit's outline, the vein of the leaves, and the delicate petals of the flowers.
After hand printing the finished carve, I digitally add colour to enhance and make the most of the design. Here, tradition meets technology in a way that feels almost magical. Working with digital tools allows me to experiment freely with colour palettes while preserving the authentic textures and characteristics of the original linocut. For this design, I chose a palette that speaks of winter warmth - deep rose pinks for the pomegranates, reminiscent of their jewel-like seeds, set against rich forest greens that evoke winter foliage.
What I particularly love about this hybrid approach is how it honours both old and new craftsmanship. The distinctive marks of hand-carved lino - those slight irregularities and bold, confident lines - remain beautifully preserved, while digital colouring adds a layer of consistency and vibrancy that works perfectly for reproduction as Christmas cards. It's a process that feels both grounded in artistic tradition and excitingly contemporary.
Pomegranates at Christmas
The pomegranate has long been treasured as a symbol of abundance and good fortune during the winter months. Its natural harvest time coincides perfectly with the festive season, making it a traditional motif in winter celebrations across many cultures.
Throughout art history, the pomegranate fruit has captured the imagination of artists and craftspeople. Its distinctive crown-like top, intricate internal structure, and jewel-like seeds have made it a favourite subject in festive still-life paintings and decorative arts.
Nowadays, pomegranates bring a sophisticated touch to festive arrangements and winter decor. Their rich red colour adds warmth to winter tables, while their distinctive form provides natural drama to wreaths and garlands. Whether fresh or depicted in art, pomegranates bridge past and present with their timeless Christmas appeal.
A Special Holiday Card
As a concertina-style Christmas card, this design offers something special. Each card can be displayed as a standalone piece of art, bringing a touch of botanical beauty to holiday decorations along with your personalised message. The folded card format brings a sense of flow and movement to the design, as well as showing the intricate details of the linocut technique.
This unique, festive pomegranate greeting card is now available in my online shop. Each card is carefully printed, cut and folded in-house in small batches, maintaining the highest quality.