Collagraph Printmaking

[CHClements]

Be sure to check out this new article by Sarah Wittmer, "talkingbanana". It's a great way to use up those odds and ends art scraps. I really learned a lot about collagraph printmaking from this article!

Collagraph Printmaking Article

Thanks for a well-written and well illustrated article, Sarah!
carly

[Alan Cross]

Thanks Carly that was a great bit of work....Sarah makes it look so simple...
Alan

[sassybird]

Great article, Sarah. Thank you for taking the time to write it. Collagraphs are so much fun to do, and a great way to incorporate those bits and pieces from other projects into a new piece of work. It is also nice that you don't have to wipe the plate, like you do with intaglio, between each print.

[Diane Cutter]

Well done, Sarah Banana....

You have a future ahead of you. Well written and well illustrated.

Diane

[printzessofthenorth]

Originally Posted by CHClements

Be sure to check out this new article by Sarah Wittmer, "talkingbanana". It's a great way to use up those odds and ends art scraps. I really learned a lot about collagraph printmaking from this article!

Collagraph Printmaking Article

Thanks for a well-written and well illustrated article, Sarah!
carly

Thanks for the article Sarah! I'm thinking about taking up the challenge Maybe some one else on the printmaking forum might join me? hummmm?

[talkingbanana]

Thanks everyone.

[LilKitten]

Originally Posted by printzessofthenorth

Thanks for the article Sarah! I'm thinking about taking up the challenge Maybe some one else on the printmaking forum might join me? hummmm?

If I had a printing-press I would! Not that that has ever stopped me in the past, mind you...

Great stuff, Sarah

kitten the returning kitten

[spaciouslands]

If I had a printing-press I would! Not that that has ever stopped me in the past, mind you...

I'm late to this thread but I thought that I'd give my 2 cents worth anyhow! I've read somewhere that people have used their car as a printing press for monotypes, so why not for relatively small collagraphs? Put down a piece of plywood, set up the print plate, paper and felt on the plywood, cover with another piece of ply so you don't get tire tracks on your print and drive over it! If you don't have a press or have access to one, it's worth an experiment.
-Rick

[zardoz]

Originally Posted by printzessofthenorth

Thanks for the article Sarah! I'm thinking about taking up the challenge Maybe some one else on the printmaking forum might join me? hummmm?

alright printzess I'm game ...
don't have a press but I got an 84 blazer (one of the big ones) and plenty of plywood

[printzessofthenorth]

Hey Z,

Now I'm gonna have to live up to my own challenge! Ok. I will if you will.

debbie

[artmaker58]

Sarah,
Please use non-toxic printmaking inks. AKUA are best for all printmaking needs. Also, try your best to do your art without getting ink or paint on your hands or clothing. This is a test of an artist. May have looked 'cool' in the past to walk around with paint on the hands and clothes but these days among professionals it is the sign of amateurism. Take care of your body and don't let the art and its materials make you sick or cause you to develop allergies. There is great pride of accomplishment in printmaking art. This feeling is greatly enhanced knowing you did it without getting ink on your hands.
artmaker58

[Printmakerguy]

Originally Posted by artmaker58

...try your best to do your art without getting ink or paint on your hands or clothing...

...these days among professionals it is the sign of amateurism.

Uh oh- I guess this is why I am still an amateur

-Andrew

[AudreyFeltham]

It looks like you have treated the collograph late as an etching and have wiped the plate. Collographs can also be printed as reliefs, and it makes an
interesting project to have students create a plate that can be printed in both
ways. It helps them understand the difference between the relief and the etching process, and also helps the students better understand the whole aspect of "making" the collograph plate so that the textures/lines print as they want them to print. Carpenters glue and water based varathane make
an awesome mark making device for collographs...it creates a cracklature
effect. Apply the carpenter's glue, dry the surface with a hair dryer, then
apply water based varathane. Dry the varathane with the hair dryer, and
then ink up and print. The tension between the varathene and the glue, as it is drying, causes the glue to crack, leaving tiny cracklature marks.

Audrey Feltham

[Sacmo52]

Wonderful presentation. I am curious though why you are placing the plate upside down? As a master printer I have always printed all of my plates face side up,intaglio, relief, & collagraph. It seems to me that you might get better impression with the image if the blankets formed the paper to the face of the plate as opposed to the back of the plate. The cushion blanket second from the sizing catcher is the blanket that will force the damp paper into the details in the plate. This would be good for a blind print too. ( inkless print). The print seemed to print okay as far as I could tell from teh photos.
Just a thought.
I teach middle school art and am glad to see other art teaches making prints with their kids! Thanks Sarah!
Steven

[psychoptimist]

Great idea! And coincidentally my wife has plenty of "scraps" lying around because she likes to sew her own clothes lol. Can't wait to try to come up with something for all the leftovers.

~psyche~