Recycle and Create - Printmaking
Do you like printmaking? I turns out I really do.
First try collagraph print from a matt board plate.
I have been following artist, Elise Wagner on social media for years. She uses this amazing technique combining wax and printmaking where she create collagraphs from wax and prints on a large printing press. I have admired her work but never thought it was attainable for me. (And honestly do I need another process or medium? Not really.)
I gave the printmaking process a try by using matt board and gluing texture to it using acrylic gel and mediums to create a plate. It worked well but did not feel like something I would use because I prefer a stylized realism to abstraction.
Shortly after this experiment I stumbled across a printmaking technique using packaging that was so phenomenal. I was really attracted to this artist’s work. I really wanted to figure out how she was doing it….. and that is how I began to research this process of intaglio style printmaking using tetra packages. There are many ways to create a printing plate.
I started out with a simple line print and I got pretty hooked on this process.
First try Intaglio print from a tetra pack plate.
10 Reasons why this is a amazing technique:
Re-use items you were going to throw away in the first place.
If you love paper, it is the another great way to create using papers!
It is pretty easy to get great results on your first try.
You will not need a ton of set up space.
Great way to create simple drawings.
Make multiple small batch print runs of the same drawing.
Small works on paper do not take up very much storage space.
Use any colour of printmaking ink (You may already have some in your art supplies.)
You already have a small print press for card creation you are not using to full advantage and you did not think of using it this way.
The option to embrace the lines created by the packaging itself which is really neat.
With some experimentation I went from a simple line cut into the tetra packaging to now creating some depth and shadow areas. This gives it a drawn look which I like. (Traditional printmakers might be cringing right now. haha) I really enjoy this technique. It requires patience when cutting and the ability to remember to FLIP IMAGES PRIOR TO CUTTING. (Ask me how I learned this…the hard way… of course.) Here is a small list of the supplies needed to get started.
Supplies:
My Mother’s childhood home in Riverhurst Saskatchewan
Tetra packaging, cleaned and cut open
Pen/Pencil
Exacto knife
Cutting surface
Printmaking Ink
Printmaking paper
Gloves
Tissue Paper and Tarlatan
Newsprint
Matt board and printer paper
Craft Emboss / Printer like a Sissix
Patience :)
This image that I created as a gift to my family was a fairly complex drawing.
The image of the house includes the tetra package printing plate (See top right) and the first print from the plate (See bottom right).
I love the character and subtle framing effect of the lines from the packaging.
Now that I am getting the hang of the printing process, and I am able to create more complex prints, I think I might try colour prints next. I want to attempt a multi plate print. I am going to give it a go and see how far I can take this.
I will keep you posted how this printmaking journey continues.