Printmaking course

For a long time I've wanted to do a printmaking course and finally plucked up the courage to have a go last January. 

Prior to the course start date I signed up for a one night taster session. We were asked to take in some designs and I took a number of inspiration pictures and copies of photographs.

After a health and safety talk and a demonstration, we were let loose with the inks and got to have a go at drypoint, using an acrylic sheet. Within my prep work I'd printed off a picture of a charcoal drawing I had done some time ago and after chatting to the instructor decided to do this printing white on black, rather than the usual black on white.

Reference photo taped under the acrylic 

Plate ready for inking

Printed drypoint

Having already had a go at Drypoint I was hoping to be able to get stuck into more of this, Lino or Collagraph printing but the whole term was to be given over to Mono printing and to say that I am terrible at creating one off art pieces spontaneously would be an understatement. 

I watched as the other students dived in and produced great work from just playing around with ink and experimenting with found materials, whereas to start with all it seemed that all I could manage was to make a lovely square print of orange, literally just a printed, slightly graded orange. 

'Orange' and not even nicely aligned at that

I was like a rabbit caught in the headlights and looked upon with slight pity, but on the plus side my bench was very clear and easy to clean up at the end of the night. 

But I persevered for a couple more weeks...

and eventually did do one mono type that I actually liked. It's the ghost print of a too dark, messy, use what's on the bench print.

Mono print original

Ghost print

What was supposed to be fun became stressful and scary. My hopes at becoming a proficient printmaker were becoming dashed, along with my enthusiasm, my being afraid to let go and and get stuck in was holding me back yet again.

After observing my terror I was taken aside by the instructor and asked that as perhaps mono printing was 'not my thing' maybe I would like to have a go at something else. I told her about my hopes of doing Lino and collagraph printing and she encouraged me to have a go the following week. That meant I could work on a couple of designs in advance and have a go at printing them in class.

I had some soft cut Lino at home which I carved and printed the following week.

'Wedding day'

'I'm watching you'

I then brought some Japanese Lino and had another go.

'See a Bee...'

I really enjoyed the lino printing but still wanted to have a go at collagraph. Luckily I got to carve a self portrait, mount board plate on my last week, as sadly but inevitably the classes were cancelled in March due to the first National Lockdown. One day I may even have a go at printing it.

Self portrait collagraph plate

So all in all I guess I can say that although the course was cut short I was very fortunate to be able to have a go at Mono Print, Lino Print, Drypoint and Collagraph. Not bad in just a few short weeks.