Category Archives: Printmaking 1

Introduction to printmaking

Recycling paper

Recently I had a paper-making lesson.  I’ve made paper once before but it was in a large class situation and most of the preparation was done by the organisers in advance.  This time there were only two of us – … Continue reading

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Print 1. Assignment 5: Tutor feedback

Responding to tutor feedback I won’t be going through all my tutor wrote regarding my submission for assignment 5, but overall I’m pleased with her feedback for the work I’ve done and I appreciate where she detailed both positives and … Continue reading

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Print 1: Physical submission

Herewith the work I am physically submitting to the assessors for this course:

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Printmaking 1: Course review

This has been a very steep learning curve.  I don’t come from a painting, drawing or printing background.  I had a few printing lessons before starting but really came to the course green. The first 8 months were frustrating, disappointing, … Continue reading

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Print 1. Assignment 5: On-line submission

Combination prints, chine collé and further experiments Task 1 (Project 13) Three combination mono and lino prints Awagami paper, cream coloured, around 150gsm. Original post here Genshi paper, cream coloured. Original post here Chinese cotton, white, lightweight. Original post here … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 15: Review

Combination and experimental prints. Whilst my images, techniques and outcomes are very varied and don’t appear to adhere to a theme, the beach and surrounds were my subject – specifically Cronulla which is a large vibrant ocean-front town. My personal … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 15: Design 4

Monotype printing Today I had a complete change of pace and direction.  The first three designs for this project have been carefully thought out and executed.  I decided to try a landscape without too much planning – the never-ending quest … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 15: Design 3

 Woodblock & chine collé – design for a beach bag. I’m very excited about this design.  My aim is to produce a single colour print ‘Margaret Preston’ style with a border and include chine collé instead of her hand-painted technique. … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 15: Design 2

Beach towel design: Reduction lino print. It was a beautiful day at the beach and I spotted a man stretching just before going to surf.  The sea looked way too calm to me but, hey, what do I know?  I … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 15: Design 1

Beach-wear and accessory brand: Combined lino & monoprint. Whilst at Cronulla with my camera last week I wasn’t just aware of my generalised surroundings and scenery, I was also people-watching.  One things that struck me is how popular Billabong brand … Continue reading

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Print 1. Caring for tools

For Christmas we received a large fruit hamper in a wooden box from a grateful client.  I gave my husband Christmas day off and then put him to work on Boxing day.  He cut the box in half, top to … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 15: Printing and thinking.

I’ve been working on my beach scapes after my day at Cronulla.  Whilst the photos aren’t bad, and I’ve picked up some interesting small features, my drawings reflect exactly what I’ve seen and I’m not terribly inspired by them.  Whilst … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 14: Revisit

I am desperately trying to keep the collagraph layers and prints I previously did on greaseproof paper glued together, but it’s not working terribly well.  I can see myself becoming an excellent reference for the manufacturer, proving that these sheets … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 15: A day out with the camera.

I took myself to Cronulla for an afternoon.  It’s a large coastal town very popular with both tourists and locals – in fact, everyone.  People from around Sydney frequently go there by train for the day.  I live around 20 … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 15: Research

Today I’m concentrating on looking at printmakers who depict land and urban scapes.   Here are a few I’ve picked out to showcase: Adelaide Elizabeth Perry 1891-1973 Adelaide Perry used lino for much of her printed images.  The soft close-textured product … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 15: Working on the theme

In this project I am required to produce a series of 4 prints with a related theme which demonstrate a variety of techniques learned throughout the course. I’ve been back through the projects to assess what type of work I’ve … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 14: Review

Can you see opportunities to develop this printmaking technique? Yes.  I really enjoyed the inclusion of collage into the ‘sandwich’ of print layers.  It adds another dimension, a point of interest and a colour effect not possible to produce with … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 14: Prints

I did further work on my lino to improve the design, took a rubbing to test it, and reworked the surface of my foamex monoprint base. The impasto medium doesn’t dry 100% on the foamex, it remains slightly tacky even … Continue reading

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Experimenting with texture

After my printing disaster yesterday I had some ink left to use.  Over the past few months I’ve read quite a bit about the use of carborundum on print plates.  Carborundum is a very fine powder made from silicon carbide, … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 14: Print proofs

Proofing the plates. I’m printing 3 different plates: the base foamex board as a combined monotype and collagraph, the feature linocut design and a further blind embossed linocut. Blind embossing: The aim is to create a further section of brick … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 14: The design

Developing the design I didn’t have a subject matter in mind when I started this project so, whilst sitting in the garden, I doodled and thought.  I started with a nine square grid. It may be a large stretch of … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 14: Selecting techniques

Planning the print process I really enjoyed Project 13 despite the length of time it took me to get through it.  I’m going to build on the techniques I used to create the carousel horses prints.  Some of the points … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 14: Research

Today I’m looking at artists who use chine collé in their work. Rachel Gross I see the consistent thread running through all her pieces as being the use of paint, collage and bold shapes.  Her methods include intaglio, aquatint shapes, … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 13: Further prints.

I know I’m supposed to be moving on but I just couldn’t resist another couple of horse prints.  Yes, I’ve completed the exercise but where’s the fun if that’s all I aspire to do?  So I dedicated today to play … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 13: Review

Q: Can you see further possibilities from combining two printmaking methods? A: Unquestionably.  I think I’ve only scratched the surface of what can be achieved by combining techniques. The design I chose as the lino print has a lot of … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 13: Final prints

The monoprints have been made using a base of 3mm foamex board which has had some markings made in it.  Using a lino tool I cut a few flower outlines, cardboard diamonds were placed on the clean surface and the … Continue reading

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Print 1. Projext 13: Monoprinting experimentation

I’ve been experimenting with media other than my usual oil based inks for the monoprint base to go with my linocut carousel horses. All samples are on cartridge paper. Caran D’Ache water-soluble colour crayons.  I first rubbed them dry across … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 13: Design & proof lino prints

After my ‘freeing’ experience in the woodcutting and painting workshop last week I decided to get out my rarely used Brusho paints and try to roughly produce some images of horses.  This was to be a quick exercise, with no … Continue reading

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Essence of Place workshop

Painting, drawing and block-printing with Gary Shinfield This workshop, which I attended over two days last weekend, had two parts to it.  The first day we worked on designs, drawing and painting very randomly until we had built a small … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 13: Sketchbook & design work

Trains were my first thought.  I like the idea of a track disappearing into the distance, but the work I did here really didn’t thrill me. I then moved to trams but quickly realised the difficulty in drawing them.  Effective … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 13: Choosing my subject matter

For this project I will be combining monoprinting and linoprinting to create a multi-layered print outcome. I’ve been considering my subject matter.  Whilst away in the USA for the last few weeks I took many photographs and now, having sorted … Continue reading

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Exhibition: PICASSO, Creatures and Creativity

Being overseas in the USA for the last couple of weeks gave me a chance to visit a few galleries, museums and historical homes that I would not otherwise have had an opportunity to explore. I was excited to attend … Continue reading

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Mark-making with paints and tools

I had a bit of fun on Saturday with my friend, Judy – also an OCA student.  We set up her garage with huge sheets of paper and determined to be free and flowing in our mark-making, using whatever bits … Continue reading

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Print 1. Assignment 4: Reading material

A lot of the reading material I used in this assignment I have recorded previously, however I also treated myself to a new book recently. This is a marvellous publication and covers many materials to use as print blocks – … Continue reading

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Print 1. Assignment 4: Submitted prints

For this assignment I have selected the following as a good representation of the prints achieved in this section: Project 11 – working with texture plates. Project 12 – a representational image using a collagraph plate Details: Printed in two … Continue reading

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Print 1. Assignment 4: Review

This has been a fascinating assignment and one where a whole new world of printing has been opened up to me, never having done collagraphs before. I started by attending a collagraph printing workshop with Jet James which gave me … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 12: The printed collagraph

Theme 1: Warm colour scheme Using my previous colour trials as a start point I chose scarlet red, sepia and chrome yellow, along with neutral grey, as my colour palette.  The yellow is an oil paint rather than an ink … Continue reading

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Still life painting class

To increase confidence and awareness of colour, drawing and painting I attended my first ever acrylic painting class, entitled ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS – Still Life Painting.  It felt about my level, and was. Don’t you hate it when you attend something … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 12: Representational collatype plate

Making the print plate I’ve spent the last week creating my retro 1950s living room collagraph plate and it’s been great fun.  Coming from a model-making background means that I enjoy messing around with small components and putting them together … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 12: Representational collatype collage prints

Creating a design The aim is to produce a coherent representational collagraphic image using some of the techniques learned in project 11.  I’ve spent the last 2 weeks considering my subject matter and design. My start point came from the … Continue reading

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The ever-evolving shopping bag.

Do you remember some years ago when the first big push came for everyone to abandon plastic shopping bags at the supermarket checkout?  I do. Here in Australia the retailers stepped up and produced their own version of a re-usable … Continue reading

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Experimentation: Making a print sample book

Part 1: My friend Nola and I get together every month for a day of playing with colour and transferring imagery and/or abstract colour patterns to cloth and paper.  We’ve done a bit of stamping, made glue resists, collage blocks, … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 11: Multicoloured collage block

This part of the project asks us to produce collagraphs in more than one colour. The manual outlines rolling over selected areas of your print plate with different colours.  I also had a go at printing on different coloured papers … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 11: Research. Grace Bentley-Scheck

I came across Grace Bentley-Scheck whilst looking at another artist and was staggered by her collagraph images.  Everything in collagraphs seems to shout ‘simplification’ and ‘stylization’ to me, and even the course manual talks about simplifying imagery to produce it … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 11: Printing the collatype collage block

Single colour prints. Plate 1: The first plate I used was the embossed PVC plastic.  This has been made using the reverse of the method asked for by the course manual and is a personal experiment.  Instead of adhering items … Continue reading

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Exhibition – Bloom

This wonderful exhibition staged by Primrose Paper Arts Inc. was an opportunity to get up close to some stunning works on paper.  The artists used their own handmade paper to create unique pieces including prints, collages, books and sculpture.  The … Continue reading

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On the hunt for print paper.

I was lucky to get a tip on where to find a supply of elephant dung paper which I’ve enjoyed printing on during this course.  So yesterday I went hunting. The Fair Trade Emporium at Marrickville had what I wanted … Continue reading

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Exhibition – Julie Paterson

Having reviewed the artist website before going to the exhibition I had a fairly good idea of what I expected to see: lengths of fabric with big bold designs in muted colours suitable for furnishings came to mind, and some … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 11: Making a test collage block

The initial step for this project asks us to create a 16 section collage block using a variety of items with different surfaces, shapes and textures. BLOCK 1: This  is on a base of 4mm PVC foamex board.  Some of … Continue reading

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Print 1. Project 11: Research. Brenda Hartill

A couple of weeks ago in anticipation of starting the collagraph section of my course I opened the recommended textbook (for this section) for the first time.  I haven’t put it down since.  I was immediately struck by the organic … Continue reading

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