Making a Collagraph - The 'House on the Crags'

Im so pleased to be able to show you some photos of my very first edition that I have been really busy creating this past couple of weeks. I have used a palette consisting of cadmium yellow and cobalt blue, mixing them to create the greens and reducing them with the transparent ink for lighter tones. The print was created from 2 plates that were inked and pressed separately.

Inspired by our local house on the crags:

Inking the plate and the ink palette.

A completed print. Im very pleased with the outcome and how the sky and fields flow into a point together towards the left side as they disappear into the distance.

Inks have arrived

I have been patiently awaiting the arrival of the inks from Hawthorns which arrived this week. The pigment strength is brilliant and lightfastness of 5. I couldnt wait until the weekend so last night I adorned my apron and gloves and got to ink mixing and plate inking. This is a bit of an experiment in terms of using the press as my new press is the Blue Boy relief press from Baker Fabrication here in the UK. I want to figure out how it will print up collagraph as it is a relief press. However if the texture on the plate is not so deep and the paper has been soaked the print can be achieved with a slight intaglio effect though not one that you get through an etching press (as expected). It will be interesting to see how this press can perform by pushing the boundaries of its limits in terms of intaglio whilst also performing relief printing techniques on the same pressing or by going first for a plate of shallow intaglio features and then a second plate that prints relief. Obviously it also has its use through the medium of lino cutting. So heres a pic of the press and my first print from it using the Hawthorns inks.

As can be seen on the print the press has picked up the textures in some areas and printed in relief in others (the house silhouette and cabbage field).

Printing with a Pasta machine as an etching press

I just had to write about this fantastic discovery I just made whilst looking into gum arabic transfer methods I came across a method for using a pasta press as an etching press - brilliant. Heres the link to the Happy Faces Chicago Blog where it has been well documented and the final results all photographed.

Printing Day at PeterPainterPrintmaker Studio Sheffield

I have been slowly working my way (for about 2 years now) towards a session at the PeterPainterPrintmaker studio in Sheffield. I really enjoyed my first time using an etching press and creating a dry point plate as well as a collagraph plate. Peter was so patient and helpful. He helped me when I required it and had many tools (love the roulettes), inks and mediums to work with not to mention the array of presses he has in his studio now. The sessions are very fairly priced and its a hive of action and creative spirit.
       I hope to share with you my print when I return to the studio this week as my collagraph plate wasnt dry enough last week to print from. I will mostly be preparing plates at home in future and go to the studio to ink and use the presses mainly. Heres a couple of photos of his studio set up:

Visit to the Botanical Gardens

I recently enjoyed a visit to my local botanical gardens, we're so lucky here in Sheffield to have the gardens and the victorian glass houses. There are many people devoted to looking after the gardens including many volunteers and the friends of the botanical gardens. Heres a few photos of the beautiful plants there.

Im particularly fond of all the leaf patterns and variety of shapes.