Module 1: Screen-printing Beginning
Step 1 of Screen Printing was to determine a design, and then take the design apart into individually coloured layers. Once the layers were determined I had to trace them onto acetate in pure black blocks in order for the screen to be made.
I chose to do my bird, Ranu. The “experimentation” is essentially just the process of creating the final resolved works.
Step 2 of Screen Printing, once the screen was prepared, was to line everything up and print it, until all prints were complete. I had some errors in lining stuff up, but it’s mostly unoticeable. It was my first time doing this in any case.
The final result, the resolved work: “Revolving Ranu”. Our final prints had to have at least 3 layers, and there had to be at least 3 separate prints. I have 6 prints, each with 6 layers, so I am well and above the bare minimum. I enjoyed screen-printing and it was a nice introduction to Printmaking.
Module 2: Sketchy Hard-Ground Etching
Step 1 of Hard-Ground Etching, was to determine a design. I forgot to record most of my progress, so this section is a little short. I tried coming up with 4 designs, but only two really worked, the other two frustrated me so much I focused my attentions elsewhere. I was torn between a detailed, semi-realistic snail design and a kirigami inspired heron design. I ended up with the heron design, which everybody seemed to like the most, me included.
Once I had finished the designs, I transferred them onto my plate for etching. I don’t have any photos of the before, but I do have the after. The design turns out flipped on the end print.
The end result was very good, I had four, but gave one to my friend. I still meet the minimum requirements of 3. I really enjoyed the etching, it was similar to sketching, which has been my usual style, but then it gets printed and its a full image. It was difficult to get the lines clean, but as I continued I discovered a grain to the coating. It was strange, sometimes I had to etching against the grain, others along, for a straight line.
Module 3: Tints on Lino-Prints
Step 1 of Lino-Printing was to settle on a design. I had difficulty drawing up my design, as I couldn’t get what was in my head on paper. Initially I was trying for a sort of seabird stuck in an oil slick in the ocean, with dynamic waves and water, until I gave up and tried something else. The something else was a winged snake that was hatching out of a raindrop. Both designs had issues, so I sort of combined them into one good thing in the process transferring onto the lino-block.
Once I settled on the design, and it was transferred to my block of lino I started carving.
I printed it first in red, then blue and then black. This is what It looked like after Printing:
I made 9 prints, and then went in with water-colours to experiment with different colours and impressions. The overall favourite seems to be the bottom-right one, which is sort of rainbow-esque.
(Unofficial Module) Artist Books!
After I had finished the lino-printing, I was caught off guard by the task of making a “Conscierto Book”, or Artist book, or Accordion Book. Whatever you want to call it. I had no ideas, until I thought of like a rotoscope animation, or a storyboard. Once I settled on a little story things were a lot easier.
I started my book with two similarly sized strips of paper, after folding them to my desired page size (alternating fold direction) I attached them together with a little tab, which I put on the wrong side…
Then I could start drawing up plans for the book.
I created a short story about a little creature’s life. I left the themes implicit, and left out dialogue, and went for a more illustrative style. After tracing these sketches in yellow watercolour pencil, I started painting in watercolours, using pens and brushes. I discovered the ability to do line-art with a brush pen, and I really like how gritty, graphic, and dynamic it turned out. The following photo is where I finished until I could refine the lines, colours and add white highlights with acrylic paint.
Then I had to make the covers, which was slightly difficult. We started with some hard cardboard sheets and cut 4 pieces to size. 2 of which were glued to the other 2 to make the cover wider. Once the boards were glued we sanded the edges to refine the shape and then measured the amount of buckram (vegan leather alternative fabric thing), cut them out, leaving glueable tabs and wrapped them around the boards. Once the covers were glued on the front face, the were folded over to the back face, glued and then trimmed. I started with a yellowy-cream coloured buckram, but then decided to paint it white, and then add blue details and such.
The final result was really surprising to me, all I can really say is that I like it, but wouldn’t choose to do it again. It has however made me realise that I might be good at storyboards, illustrative work and story-telling.
