Sun Series #1

Sun Series #1

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Adventures in Printmaking Day 5 and 6


"Nest"
collagraph print with colored pencil
"Nest" collagraph print with monotype lace*
(before colored pencil)

I have set September aside to explore and recharge my artistic spirit by returning to printmaking,
something I reallyenjoy but not part of my regular art practice.  Although I think maybe it should be.
I have made about 15 prints in the last six days, all using this nest collagraph plate
that I had made several years ago.

The reason for using the same plate over and over is to end up with several good prints as one has worked out all of the bugs in printing this particular plate.  The bugs being the pressure of the press, how much ink to leave on the plate (plate tone), the kind of ink or pigment*, the type of paper.
All of these variable affect the end product.

The final works that I have gotten that are most successful are the ones where I have incorporated colored pencil
after the piece has dried.  I love the depth of the image and the way the embossed areas
pick up the colored pencil.  I haven't been able to get that just from the way I have been wiping the plate.
So more practice and experiments in regards to using more than one color of ink are called for.

I think because I have been doing so much mixed media work that adding other media to my work
is my defaultmove.  Not that this is bad.  Mixed media and collage are part of my visual voice.
 I am almost finished working with this particular plate and will move on to others that I have
and make some new ones. I aso want to work with monotype some more.
So more to come.

*The pictures of these two pieces were taken at different times of day and in different places.  The finished piece isn't quite that dark and the original print isn't quite that light.  This work is on stonehenge printing paper and instead of the Akua inks I have been using I worked with my R&F paint sticks that I use in encaustic painting.

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