Homework:
Before class, we were instructed to prepare printing plates for our exploration of printmaking during class. The plates that we make should be in response to one of the projects completed during the rest of class. The parameters were to create at least three plates using various materials. We could have chosen from linoleum, rubber, styrofoam, and cardboard for collagraph printmaking.
For my plates, I decided to imitate some of the patterns and textures found in the painting I completed based off of sound. I specifically chose to focus on the section with the sun motif. I wanted to see what it would be like to use all kinds of surfaces for my prints, so I created six different plates for class. All of the plates had some sort of radiating pattern with different thicknesses and lines. Below is a picture of the plates I created.
While creating the plates, I made a lot of observations on how the material responded to my actions. The rubber plates, the smaller rectangle with a beige color, were soft and easy to cut into. The linoleum plate, the dark grey colored rectangle, was difficult to cut into. It was difficult because the surface is hard, but it could become easier to cut into if you heated it. The plate could be heated by putting it on a vent or heated by a hair dryer. The styrofoam plate was easy to work with, but it was easy to cut through the material. The best tool to use for making marks on the styrofoam plate is a dull pencil. The cardboard plates can be used for collagraph printmaking, gluing items onto the board to print textures or shapes. I chose to use marbles and puffy paint to create raised surfaces to print with. The corrugated cardboard was used by pushing the raised ridges down to create negative spaces to print.
Below are pictures of my printmaking process:
Class Notes:
After working on making prints, we discussed what we noticed about the process and result. We started by talking about positive outcomes and what kinds of techniques we used to create those effects. I mentioned that during my process, I used the brayer to make faded patterns. When rolling the brayer over some of my designs, there were marks left over on the brayer, so I used them to create larger rolls of paint on my prints. As shown on the black tissue paper, there are transparent yellow streaks made by the brayer over the lines made by one of my plates. It was also mentioned that people used different plate positions to create various designs and overlapped areas. There were also a lot of prints with multiple colors, some blended and some overlapped. Some of the overlapped colors were also done with registration to create an image. Printmaking is also a good medium for students because you have the ability to create multiple pieces and plates could be done with inexpensive materials.
Below are pictures of my class's final prints:
