Luke Holcombe Studio

Luke Holcombe is a graphic artist and printmaker based in Bath, creating prints and paper goods inspired by nature, travel, and adventure.

Luke grew up near Oxford and moved to Bath in 2004 to study Architecture, which he practised up until a couple of years ago. “I’ve always had a passion for drawing and design but a few years ago I felt the calling to get more hands-on again,” says the printmaker. Sensing this, Luke’s partner, Ruth, found a city centre workshop space which they swiftly stocked with tools with the initial intention to explore product design and furniture making. At the same time, the pair moved to an apartment in need of renovation, and Luke also went freelance.

Throughout the following few years, the duo designed and renovated the apartment in between work projects, making furniture and joinery; from drawer units and wardrobes, to doors and even fitting the kitchen!

During the build, with lots of time to reflect on what he enjoyed the most, Luke began to fill sketchbooks with ideas, before eventually experimenting with print. He comments; “I guess all of this time I’ve been searching for a pursuit that combines artistic expression with practical skills and it’s taken me this long to stumble into printmaking!”

Luke aims to create collections of prints around a theme, which usually start with a small sketch. Further sketches from reference images follow in order for Luke to get body positions, hand gestures, and scenery to feel natural. He then makes collagraph plates whilst also experimenting with looser monoprints alongside. These are then scanned and combined digitally, where he plays around with the designs further. “I’m trying to find a balance between intentional mark making whilst remaining open to an element of chance,” describes Luke.

As well as being constantly inspired by the creative people who he surrounds himself with – his partner is an illustrator and he grew up with a very creative family – Luke is also influenced by photography and cinema. For example, his recent Ocean Collection was ignited after Luke considered just the edges of the image and how he might be able to capture the feel and framing of film stock using printmaking. He made an inking plate using a piece of acetate, rounded the corners, and began drawing ink inwards from the edges to create a sense of lens flare/vignette effect.

Currently, Luke is mostly working from home and keeping his list of equipment small: inking plate for monoprints, card for making collagraph plates, roller, and black ink. He states; “I think this has stopped me from overthinking the process (although that’s debatable?!) and reduces the friction between idea and execution”. Luke’s digital process involves scanning prints at high resolution, layering, blending, and collaging using Affinity Designer, usually working at quite large scales to produce final prints. “I can’t pretend a Macbook isn’t a useful tool but I’m more drawn to analogue processes and the physical impression of a plate or block on paper!”

Having now been renting his studio space for joinery in the centre of Bath for around 5 years, Luke is planning to re-purpose the space for printmaking. After accumulating stacks of off-cuts from his woodworking, he is currently developing a series of woodcuts. The studios also have a shared print room with a 32” etching press, screen printing table and dark room, thus Luke’s next projects will almost certainly involve intaglio processes and some screen printed editions.

www.lukeholcombestudio.com
@lukeholcombestudio

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