Collagraph Plates
I still have not printed my linoleum cut. I’ve another to cut and I want to add some lines to it before I do. The class moves on. I’m being dragged along without enough hours in the day or energy in my body.
I do come home from the end of class with my enthusiasm renewed. We have begun working on collagraph. I had ordered Collagraphs (Printmaking Handbook) by Hartill & Clarke. Their shipping policies are more kind than those of US companies.
Yesterday I got a look at Collagraph Printmaking by Mary Anne Wenniger. Looking at other people’s books always costs me money.
Anyway, here’s a look at the plates I’m working on.
Bamboo underlaid with tissue paper and gauze. The sidebar is heated tyvek, ironed to flatten. All these plates need more acrylic medium and a lot more sticking down. My husband brought in the shrink pack of generic super glue.
The cats jumped into the fishtail palm that is recovering from last winter’s hard freeze. I decided since this was already broken that it was fair game for a collagraph plate.
This one is dry bok choy. I had to reconstitute it partially to unfold it. I think it will make a good looking print. One of my classmates grew up in Hong Kong. The scent of the soaking bok choy drew her to my table. The remainder of the package, reminding her of home, went home with her to make soup.
From food for the soul to food that feeds both the soul and the body:
Fresh waterchestnuts!
If you have never had the opportunity to eat fresh waterchestnuts do keep watch in the oriental markets. They are a pain to peel. I simply sautéed them with a little peanut oil, garlic, ginger, and green onion. Food fit for the gods. You will never buy a tin can again.
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what a great class you’re in…i have some linoleum and my one attempt at carving it almost cost me a finger…i was told to try heating it up first to make it easier to carve into but I haven’t attempted it again.
Karoda, lay the linoleum in the sun; it will help a lot. You also need a bench hook. You can make one with a piece of plywood. You want a thin slat on top at one end and on the underneath on the other. Then one slat fits against the lip of your table. It gives you a place to push your cutters against. If the cutter skips it will hit the thin board that is holding the linoleum in place.
Some people cut a triangle in the top, thin, board. This gives a place for the corner of the linoleum to push against.
Here is a good diagram. Sorry for the long hotlink. I apparently can not bury it in the comments.
http://books.google.com/books?id=d8qkEub3-3kC&pg=PA22&lpg=PA22&dq=bench hook printing&source=web&ots=fS0O_pqYhr&sig=O_Ss9kttuMEp8Zd38JIaZixERZk
Thelma, what sort of fabric are you going to print on? Will you use some of your already dyed fabric or plain fabric (silk, muslin, canvas, what huh?)
Sonji, I wish I knew. I have both white and unbleached muslin pressed and rolled. I have peruvian pima cotton sateen left from the Left Turn Lane.
I also have a padded board so that I can print by hand. The big press at school has a bed 30″ x 50″.
I’ll print on Rives BFK for now.
I had sam put the paper cutter up on the work table and chopped the bamboo into three. Leaves the main one to fit the school press. Then two long, narrow, interesting pieces with tissue, cheese cloth, and tyvek in place.
There are more plates ready for construction, i.e. three coats of gesso each side.
Now, where did I put that thirty hour day?
Nice work thelma…btw, I’ve just tagged you…you’ll see it on my blog…sorry…love you really…!!