Wednesday 3 December 2014

Print Class 1- Dry Point Printing

I thought last weekend that I would log some of the work that I have been doing at my print class since September.  Signing up was a result of doing some printing on my A level course over the past two years.
So our first meeting gave us an introduction and an idea of what we would be covering over the coming weeks.
Our first session looked at the technique of  Dry point printing.
Each week we have tried a new technique we have also been given a lovely full colour quality handout  which has made the course more interesting and gives you something to read when you get home.
Dry point is when you use a scribe to add a design to create grooves on the surface.  We used aluminium sheet with bevelled edges for printing with.  This is also called Intaglio which comes from the Italian word intaglio.
So I sat there and carefully came up with a design on the aluminium sheet.
I hope you can see it, it was really hard trying to get a picture without some kind of reflection.  I decided to go for a hedgerow theme with grasses and cowslips etc with different textures being added at the base with different types of scribes and metal implements.
We all used black ink which is added to the surface and then rubbed onto the plate with a large piece of scrim.  iI looks like you are taking most of it off again but you are in fact rubbing it into the grooves that you have created.  You then go over the top again with some tissue paper to remove more and then you are ready to print.
We used special Italian paper called Fabriano which needs soaking and lightly drying first.
The plate is then put on the roller press with the paper on top then roll through..... and keep your fingers crossed!
The paper is not cut with scissors, but ripped to give a lovely edge to it.
Once it has been put through the press it leaves a lovely dent in the paper which sort of gives it a frame.  I was really pleased with the effect it gave.
The next sample was to add some tissue paper which is lightly pritt sticked to the plate and them put through the press again.
I really was rather concerned as to whether my tissue paper would end up in the right place, but I need not have worried and I was pleased at how it turned out.
Whilst I was waiting to make more prints I decided to move on to another surface with my scribe.
There were numerous unused CD's and I sat down to create a circular version of my aluminium plate.
Due to time I did not get a chance to print it.
However this coming Monday is my last session and as part of our end of term "Printing Party" I am going to have a go then instead.  I have numerous CD's upstairs as memory sticks took over which can now be put to use and this is a technique that I could use at school.
I really like the re0usabloe quality of the metal plate and I would like to get some more of this.
Hope you like lesson 1 and I shall try to speed up with more techniques and picture examples of what I ended up with.
I have enjoyed this so much that my friend and I have signed up for next term as well!
Bye for now.
xx

3 comments:

Gill said...

This is fabulous - I wish I could find a course like this!!

Anonymous said...

Ooh, how lovely. I used to do that at Art College, 50 years ago now...

Ali said...

What a wonderful craft. It sounds so interesting, I have never heard of this before. Can't wait to read more.
Ali xx

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