A visit to Douai Abbey and a failed collagraph print

We were lucky enough to recently stay with a friend for the night in the cottages at Douai Abbey, near Reading Berkshire. A beautiful Abbey that was built in the 1930s and extended with incorporated modern stained glass windows in 1993.

I took inspiration from the windows to produce what I thought in my head would be a wonderful collagraph idea. For the plate I used was an Aldi oat milk carton and once I carved onto it I still had this vision in my head that would work.

I printed 3 copies on the Xcut Xpress and was happy with the results, until I tried to add colour.

This first attempt was watercolour, which really didn't work at all, just too bold and stark.

The next attempt was just pencil, which didn't work either, too wishy washy.

The last print I left uncoloured and have used it as reference in my sketch book that I have designated for collagraphs, so although the idea didn't work, I have still learned from it and actually I much prefer the simplicity of the untouched print.

Maybe I should have used different coloured inks at the printing stage but have yet to build up a collections of inks. I may well give I t another go another time though.