Friday 12 June 2015

Studio Series: Collograph

Toothpick collograph detail © Karen Thiessen, 2015
My printmaking class is nearly over and this term I focussed on two processes: screen printing and collography. Collograph printing is new to me and it captured my imagination and enthusiasm immediately. One week I prepared seven plates of various found objects adhered to presentation board and the backs of old sketchpads for class. My first print was a failure and this was a very good thing as I learned right away what not to do (don't start with yellow ink, don't press too hard when inking your plate, don't over-ink your plate). As I work with this technique over time, I'm sure I'll learn more do's and don'ts. The above image is a collograph of flat toothpicks (inspired by Kai Chan's early work) on Japanese paper. I like working with Japanese paper because it's affordable, very forgiving, and I don't have to soak it before running it through the press. I'll share more of my results in coming weeks.

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