Tuesday Chats is back. We are excited to introduce you to Yasmine from Yas Charlotte.
Yas is a printmaker working on paper and fabric, creating block prints inspired by nature, the human form, and everyday life. Have a read of our interview with Yas below, and head to her website to have a look at her beautiful handmade prints.
What three words best describe your work?
I would describe my work as textured, patterned and colourful.
When did your business first start and what made you do it?
After an injury, I could no longer work with horses, so I went back into working as an artist which I had been doing on the side, but only working in paint, mainly in watercolour. I had seen a block printing kit in my local art shop that I tried out, that made me make the switch from paint to block print, but it was a slow and somewhat painful process, I cut my hands a lot in the beginning.
How is your work created from start to finish?
I start with a blank piece of lino. Sometimes I have a vague idea of what I want to carve, sometimes I will sketch straight into the lino. It's quite rare for me to sketch on paper beforehand, as I will sketch what I'm thinking, feeling or seeing at that time, so in some ways my art can be a little bit like my diary.
How do you think your printing style has evolved?
I definitely experiment more with colour, scale and texture now. There are more finer details than when I first started. Back then, my prints were just simple outlines printed in black on very small blocks.
Which digital platforms and programmes have helped shape your business?
Instagram and Photoshop have definitely been invaluable to me in getting people seeing my work and making them look as good as possible. Also, Procreate has helped in many ways too as it allows me to experiment with ideas and work out placement of the different blocks, before committing to paper.
What is your greatest printing achievement to date?
My greatest printing achievement is forever changing as I evolve as an artist, but right now my greatest achievement is my recent series on neon paper, they have come out so much better than I ever could have expected.
Do you have any advice for those looking to start their own business?
The biggest piece of advice I could give is just don't be afraid to ask for help, it's definitely something I regret not doing sooner.
Any exciting plans in the pipeline?
I'm currently working on some paper goods (greeting cards, wrapping paper, notebooks etc) and a block printing course, but these won't be for a little while yet.
Yas is kindly offering readers 10% discount until midnight on Sunday 26th July with code: LMM10.