Saturday, January 02, 2010

playing with collagraphs

A simple way to make a Collagraph plate is to cut shapes out of thin cardboard such as a file folder and glue them, with a glue stick, onto another piece of cardboard. You can coat your finished plate with matte acrylic medium if you want to protect it. I did not do that. The little dots and windows were made with globs of glue allowed to dry.

You then ink up or acrylic up your plate using a Brayer to apply the paint. I dampened my paper first. You have to be fast if you use acrylics as they dry fast. I used Rives Lightweight printmaking paper, because I had some. Place paper moist side down on top of plate. Use your palm to press the paint onto the paper. Remove paper and voila.

This is the first plate I made. I used corregated cardboard for the plate and ended up with lines in the final print that I didn't intend.

This was super fun. I followed the instructions in my new book: Printmaking & Mixed Media by Dorit Elisha.

Tools. Here is a piece of mat board for the plate, a cut out moon from a file folder and the glue stick before assemblage. Oops, should have shown the brayer too.

16 comments:

ArtistUnplugged said...

Love the prints, very interesting, the technique and the colors are wonderful. I haven't tried any printmaking since college. Your "sisters" page is wonderful as well and I like the image you chose for New Year's Day! I will be saying "twenty-ten" as opposed to "two-thousand-ten" myself, didn't know why we hadn't done so previously! Happy New Year to you....love the photo with the red beret'!

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

These prints are absolutely charming! Isn't making collagraphs fun and surprising?

Lynn Cohen said...

Thank you for another lesson and inspiration to try something totally new to me! And you can bet I will! What a way to start the new year.

You look smashing da'ling in your new red hat! Was this a Christmas gift I wonder?

Nice that you could help your son too even if mostly just by being there.

Mary Richmond said...

OMG this looks like so much fun i want to stop what i'm doing and go make my own! very cool ;-)

thanks for stopping by my blog--i put up the garden pictures to make myself feel sunny enough to slog through all the files, etc. i'm working on...don't worry, it's snowing and yucky here right now too ;-)

keep having fun and happy new year!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I have never seen such a thing. Interesting Suki. It looks like fun with beautiful results.

Anonymous said...

Oh, this sounds like just the thing for me to try tomorrow. Thank you for the tutorial! I was thinking about printmaking today when I saw an exhibit by Tammy Ratcliffe, who specializes in chine collé.

~Babs said...

These are outstanding Suki.
I especially love that first blue one.I've not tried this method of making prints, but I'm sure inspired by your post.
Really great compositions too!

Teri said...

You always manage to come up with the neatest things Suki. Great printing!

Annie said...

I love these! How fun and it makes me want to try this :-). xoxo

marianne said...

Wow this is awesome!
Seems so easy....... but I doubt that
The result is wonderful!

Love that moon and stars and so nice you can use these several times!

♥>M<

Anonymous said...

Suki, thanks so much for sharing, this looks like so much fun and makes we want to try it immediately!
I love the house, and it makes me smile cause I guess it must be YOUR house:)
Happy new year and a big hug, and thanks for all the poetry, color and inspirations you share with us on your blog,
love
Andrea

Anonymous said...

Very nice prints. What a great way to re-use old file folders and cardboard scraps. Houses have a way of appearing in a lot of your art.

studio lolo said...

This will be the year I keep promises to myself to try new art techniques! I always get inspired when I stop by ;)

dorit elisha said...

Hi Suki,
I happened to find your blog while surfing the net..
I like your prints as well. I even like the ones with the corrugated cardboard because they give you an interesting texture!
I hope you make more collagraphs as well as other prints.
dorit elisha

sukipoet said...

Hi Dorit. Hey, thanks for stopping by. am so enjoying your book! I agree about the corrugated texture, it's just that it was an unintended addition to the print. But now I know!

Caroline said...

Your collographs are great Suki! I haven't done one of these in years - you've inspired me!! Thank you!!Caroline x