• Design Challenge: Create a linocut plate and 10+ prints.
• Assignment Goals: Students demonstrate understanding of texture, pattern, proportion,balance, emphasis and observational drawing
• Parameters: Must save and use resource photos, Must choose an animal, insect or a plant on the endangered species list, Lines/shape must extend off the page on 3-4 side, Must have overlapping shapes, Must have a variety of Line work (thick, thin, continuous, etc.), Background must be filled with 1 uniform texture.

Planning and Sketches: After doing extensive online research on endangered plants I decided that I would take on the plantanthera praeclara, which is also known as the western prairie fringed orchid. This flower is only native to Canada and the United States and is endangered because of habitat loss caused by deforestation. The first sketch I did for the drawing turned out to be the layout I went with because it was the one that didn't overuse the negative space and wasn't very crowded. It had the best composition and just had a very good look overall.

Process: While carving out the linoleum I ran into a few problems, the worst one being the ones caused by the blade size 1. I used this blade to carve out the small details in and around the flower, while doing this I accidentally took up large chunks because I was trying to dig too deep into the linoleum. I solved this problem by going a little at a time and not trying to push too hard. I also managed to cut my finger and to prevent that from happening again I changed the way I was holding the blade and how I had my fingers positioned on the plate. I ran into problems of my neatness while printing, during this time I had ink all over my hands that I accidentally transferred onto my paper, so to solve this I began to take more time and watched where I put my hands.