The linocut series «Rat Odyssey» is a graphic interpretation of the original comic strip «Three Captains, ” exploring themes of forced journey, adaptation, and the struggle for survival through the lens of textural black-and-white graphics.
• Technique: Linocut, hand printing • Materials: Printing ink, heavy paper • Series Format: A3 — 4 pieces
Original graphic series inspired by the author’s own comic, «The Three Captains.»
Concept
The project examines the classic myth of Odysseus—a forced, perilous journey—through the lens of graphic storytelling. Black typographic ink allows for maximum tonal tension, conveying the dark romance of the sea and the graphic expression of comic narrative, transforming a story of terrestrial survival into a visual epic.
Page one
Compositional start of the «Odyssey.» The chosen perspective emphasizes the monumental scale of the element and the vulnerability of the characters. The seagull here functions as a symbol of fate and doom—it is she who drops the rats onto the deck, initiating a chain of adventures and forcibly turning the rodents into sailors.
Page two
The phase of the characters adapting to a new world. This work places a key emphasis on the technical capabilities of linocut—the conveyance of materiality. Through contrasting hatching and incision, the synergy of polar textures is explored: the hard metal of the hull, layers of shell, rust, the soft fur of a rodent, and the smooth feathers of a bird. The characters are literally «fused» into the texture of the ship, accepting their fate.
Page three
The only horizontal sheet that expands the series' space and alters the dynamics of perception. The etching conveys the fury of the elements and the approaching storm. Within the context of the «Odyssey,» this work serves as a connective thread—it is this catastrophe that confronts the ship’s inhabitants with the deep-sea monster in the next part.
Page four
Concept: A battle between rats and a disoriented octopus, which was washed onto the deck by a storm. A gray rat protects its white friend using the captain’s pencil.
The series reaches a dramatic peak, constructed from dynamic diagonals and a high contrast of paint patches. Two mysteries collide: an octopus expelled from the depths and rats defending their new territory. The use of a human object (a pencil) as a weapon emphasizes the characters' ingenuity and metaphorically connects them to the author who creates this world. The characters finally embrace the fight and become a true team.
The project successfully merges the culture of the authorial comic with the traditions of printmaking. The series is resolved in a unified tonal palette, where the depth of the black color enhances the overall atmosphere of a tense yet captivating sea journey. The characters journey from random «ticketless riders» to a full crew that becomes part of this ship.
