Mini print - a mix-media art project for elementary schools

I am commencing a project with a grade 5/6 classroom in a few days time. A few challenges have been presented for this project including the limited amount of time I will have to work with the students and small budget we have for materials.

I proposed an idea to the teacher to have his students create mix-media artwork using a simple intaglio printmaking technique (drypoint) and combining this with collage of thin coloured papers. 

As a multi-discipline visual artist the miniature size is something I have explored in the past and have had a few small prints included in miniature exhibitions both here in Canada and one in Denmark.

Superior

hand-coloured photogravure print

2005

plate size: 8 cm

varied open edition

I drew a simple landscape study of organic tree shapes. My idea was to incorporate colours and shapes through the collage application of thin asian colour tissue papers (known as chine-collé). My design is loosely based on a block print I created several years back titled Moon & Forest. 

Moon and Forest
block based relief print
image size: 10 cm x 10 cm


Due to the size of the plate this presented a challenge for incorporating very small pieces of the paper.
However it wasn't impossible and I am pleased with the results I have been getting using this.
Below is a short video I made from the intial simple sketch on paper through the scratching with the result linework in the surface of the plate. You will notice that placing the clear plate against a black background reveals the details rather nicely.

My plate is made from a flexible type of clear thin acrylic plastic that is used in the packaging industry. I was able to place my pencil sketch underneath and view it through the plastic. Using a sharp needle point tool I basically traced my sketch into the surface using scratching strokes.
Akua intaglio carbon black ink was wiped into the scratch marks and then using wiping fabric (a thin web-type material I sourced from a local fabric shop) I removed excess ink from the surface of the plate. A piece of thin paper (old yellow pages from a phone book) was pressed and rubbed using a circular motion to remove additional surface ink. This is the same process many printmakers use when inking a plate (etching) in preparation for printing.

First I made one test print on rag paper using just the black ink to show me how the scratch line would reproduce. Akua intaglio ink was used and I added a little bit of mag-mix (magnesium carbonate powder) to thicken the rather runny ink (which is vegetable oil based).

I used the plate edges as a guide to trim the small pieces of asian paper to the same dimensions as the plate. The tricky part was then to determine where each piece would be placed. I put the plate (ink side) facing upwards on the press bed. I carefully placed the tissue thin paper on top and moved it into place using the point of an x-acto blade. A fine mist of water was sprayed onto the plate surface to slightly dampen the tissue. A fine dusting of wheat paste powder (strained through cheesecloth stretched over the opening of the jar it was in) was applied. 
Finally I set a slightly moist piece of  250 gm rag printmaking paper over top.
A piece of newsprint was put over top and then the three layers of wool felts were carefully lowered over top of everything, I manually turned the press handles and passed the plate, papers and blankets underneath the top roller which I had set earlier to produce a fairly tight squeeze. 
The pressure forced both the tissue thin asian paper on top of the plate and the rag down into the areas holding the ink. This left the ink on the surface of the colour papers and the pressure fused these with the fine layer of adhesive onto the rag paper. It allowed me to incorporate colour and texture through the simple application of collage. So far I have produced 3 test prints. Two of these use the collage application. You will notice in one I carefully cut out a circular shape to allow me to have a moon behind the tree.

This artistic endeavour in the classroom should prove to be both exciting and challenging for the grade five and six students. I will follow up on this post soon with photos of what they have been producing.

Summer inspired sunsets - block prints

Sunset

2012

four colour block relief print

varied open edition

I recently found the four blocks from a linocut I created back in 2006. This was inspired by the wonderful oil studies painted in the early part of the 20th century by Canadian Tom Thomson (who was the inspiration behind the formation of the Group of 7).
Below is an example of one of Thompsons famous sunsets from an evening here in Ontario, most likely from his time spent canoing and camping in Algonquin Park in the central part of the province.

Sunset

oil

1915

Tom Thomson

ã National Gallery of Canada

 Ottawa ON

At that time I printed a small run of an open edition using Speedball water based ink onto Stonehenge machine made rag paper.
This time around I have been experimenting on Awagami fine art bamboo rag and using Graphic Chemical water base relief printing ink (pigment is binded from food grade glycol).
I really like the open air time factor with the inks and that fact that they dry literally to touch within a few hours once they are absorbed by the paper surface. These are the same inks I have been using exclusively the past year in schools since they are easily washed up with warm water and liquid soap.
The blocks have been printed using my three hole punch registration system on my small press. I set a piece of book binding board over top of the paper on the inked block and this provides an nice even pressure to make good contact with the two surfaces. I haven't used damp paper and ink transfer has been fairly even. I am however adding a little extender to the second & third block inks to create a little transparency effect in the cloud shapes. (more visible in the second photo example)

more drypoint

Entrance

drypoint on acrylic plate

7 x 10 cm (2.75 x 4 inches)
B. Holden ã 2012

A new study titled "Entrance".
Based on a doorway I photographed in an interior of medieval structure in Northern Europe.
The plate size measures 7 x 10 cm (2.75 x 4 inches). Faust Aqualine Burnt Umber intaglio veg. oil ink was wiped onto the plate and then lightly polished with tartalan and tissue.
The lines were scribed using an etching needle and diamond tip scribe in a vertical direction to denote the different tonal shading in the image.
I printed the inked plate into damp blotted Somerset velvet cream paper which had felts placed over top and was passed under the top roller of the printing press. As the plate is plexiglass (perspex) I don't think it will yield many copies. However I am thinking of doing a high resolution scan and exposing a positive transparency of the image onto a solar plate. I may be able to find second life for the image and yield quite a few prints, more so than just off the acrylic plate.

Some prints from a long time ago

I found a few photos of some of my earlier printmaking adventures that not many have seen so thought I would share these with my blog followers.

two colour linocut from 2006
a study of a sailing regatta in Thunder Bay

A relief print I made in 2007 from a piece of scratchfoam.
I drew into the thin foam plate using a ballpoint pen to create the relief.
Instead of printing black ink onto white paper white ink was applied and then hand burnished onto a piece of black stonehenge paper.
Inspired by a visit to Killarney Provincial Park near Sudbury, Ontario.

In 2009 I took a scan of a black ink print on white paper from one of my larger carved pieces of linoleum.
 I resized and then reversed the image, printed it onto an inkjet transparency and exposed it as a negative on to a small piece of solar plate. The plate was developed and I applied ink with a brayer on the surface and printed it as a relief image using block oil based ink onto 140 lb cold press watercolour paper. I then applied hand colouring into the print using watercolour. You can get a sense of the size of the printed image as the frame dimensions measure 5 x 7 inches, so it in effect is a miniature print.

2005

another experiment of relief printing from four blocks
made from 1/16 inch thick craftfoam. Pieces were cut out and glued onto a cardboard base sheet.

A cosy place 2006
This is a small drypoint study printed from a drawing
 made with a drypoint needle into thin piece of aluminum plate

Heat/Sunspot lover 1987
I made this relief print using a product called Fujiblock that was made by the UK based Windsor and Newton Company known for their fine grade watercolour paints
The block was a stiff piece of cardboard that had a thin layer of felt material glued on top. You cut away the surface material using a double bladed utility knife, then peeled off the thin cut lines and then applied watercolour onto the remaining surface. The media was allowed to dry then reactivated by misting or you could also print onto damp paper to give a unique white line print.

this was a multiple plate square format collagraph
2006

Sunflower linoluem relief block print with hand colouring
2005

Songbird
2005
a simple relief print from a piece of 1/2 inch blue building grade styrofoam that I drew into with a ballpoint pen. I hand burnished the black ink coated block onto torn piece of amber colour japanese Chiri paper.
It has been mounted to float inside a birch shadow box frame.

another multiple plate collagraph
2005

collagraph/monotype
2005

Hosting a Monotype workshop

Giving a demonstration showing the application of watercolour onto Dura-lar wet media film 

Last Saturday I had the honour of conducting a workshop in Monotype printmaking for 14 enthusiastic members from Lakehead Visual Arts, a club I have been a member of since the mid 1980s.

I had been approached a while back by the club to see if I could give some type of printmaking activity that members could do in a one day session and that wouldn't be too expensive for supplies.

We explored two methods. The morning was spent working on subtractive monotypes using oil based etching ink that was rolled out on plexiglass plates from a brayer. The artists used a variety of tools including bamboo skewers, pieces of paper, tissue, blending sticks to remove ink from their plates. These were then printed onto soaked and blotted cotton rag paper using an etching press.

subtractive monotype by R.Vilim ã

working into the ink covered plexi to remove ink

the resulting print in reverse on paper after being pulled through
 the etching press onto damp cotton rag paper

subtractive monotype swine study by R. McKenzie





assisting one of the participants run a plate through the press

The second method we explored during the afternoon session was additive monotypes. Participants were given a piece of clear wet media Dura-lar film. They were able to put sketches and/or photos under it to use a painting guide. The wet media film allows washes and thicker applications of paints such as watercolour, gouache, createx monotype inks, and also acrylic paint and ink.
By placing dampened paper over top and using either hand burnishing with a tool or by running the film and paper through the press a transfer is made onto the paper. The painted medium can be dry or wet. If it is dry the damp paper will reactivate it. If you print onto dry paper you can apply a light misting of water to the plate or paper to facilitate activation of the media and allow transfer.

watercolour transfer by G. Postans made from Dura-lar

onto rag paper using the table top etching press

Since nearly everyone in this club are painters I thought that monotype would hold appeal, especially for the additive type where one can apply paint on a flat surface and transfer it in reverse onto paper.

watercolour monotype by R. Vilim ã

watercolour monotype by S. Bishop ã

participants working on their plates

Overcoming problems in relief printmaking when using water based inks

Recently in the printmaking forum at WetCanvas some artists new to relief printing posted inquiries about problems they had been experiencing. I thought it might be good to share in my blog some of the advice that was given so anyone who might read this journal entry could also use this information to help them.

There seem to be a lot of problems printers experience while working with water soluble inks that are pigment based bound together with gum arabic. I am talking primarily with some brands under names such as Speedball, Daler-Rowley, Ocaldo, Demco (Canadian made). These types of ink can dry very quickly on the inking slab, brayer, block surface if the enviromental conditions are too extreme caused by heat or direct sunlight. Another problem is working with them when the temperature is too cold as they will not behave the way they should for application. The ink will sometimes not grip the brayer surface or apply well to the block surface either.
If it is warm and dry where you are doing your printing you could add a small amount of retarder to your ink. Speedball manufacture such a product and also they make a clear medium extender.
As for working in the cold, your best bet is to print in a space at room temperature.
You may want to make sure that your brayer (roller) is totally free of any residue from past use (especially if it may have seen oil based inks used on it). Water soluble ink picks up best on a clean smooth surface. I personally tend to favor using a soft rubber brayer but to each his own.

Another factor may be the surface of the block itself. Is there any residues on the surface that could act as a resist against water soluble inks?
Might try wiping with soft cotton cloth and denatured alcohol or you could also lightly sand the surface of the block using an extra fine grit paper or sanding sponge.

The ink should be rolled out on your glass into a thin even mass and picked up by the brayer again to allow a thin even coating on your block surface. Ink application is best achieved by rolling it in different directions across the surface. You can tell if there is a even shine across the entire surface but also you shouldn't see marks where heavier and lighter ink layers overlap.

Paper is another important factor to consider. If you are applying hand burnishing to transfer the ink to the paper you want an absorbant paper surface but also the paper should not be too thick.

Here is a list of lighter weight papers that are suitable for printmaking and I have provided links to some of the major retailers online who sell these. GSM refers to the weight of the paper in grams squared). Generally anything higher than 200 gsm might require the use of a press to give you the best results due to the thickness of the paper. The ones listed shouldn't require a great deal of hand pressure. These are also suitable for oil based relief printing off a block surface including those using linoluem, wood, resingrave, styrofoam, softoluem, easykut, speedykut, plaster relief, etc...

Magnani Revere book weight (175 & 120 gsm)
http://www.danielsmith.com/Item--i-G-540-610

Canson Johannot book weight (120 gsm)
http://www.dickblick.com/products/ca...not-art-paper/

Zerkall Frankfurt (120 gsm)
http://www.dickblick.com/products/frankfurt-paper/

St. Armand old master (80 gsm)
this mill based in Montreal makes paper in the old world tradition and although I have never tried their Old master drawing paper it is recommended for letterpress and judging by the weight would lend itself to relief printing I suspect?
http://www.st-armand.com/English/E02d-Drawing.php

Arches Text weight (120 gsm)
https://www.graphicchemical.com/shop...t=Arches+Text+

Somerset text weight (120 gsm)
https://www.graphicchemical.com/shop...et+Text+L aid

Zerkall book vellum (145 gsm)
https://www.graphicchemical.com/shop...catalogid=3697

Zerkall Nideggen (120 gsm)
https://www.graphicchemical.com/shop...9&cat=Nideggen

Somerset book (175 gsm)
https://www.graphicchemical.com/shop...=Somerset+Book

Gutenberg (various weights)
https://www.graphicchemical.com/shop...&cat=Gutenberg

Arturo (!20 gsm)
https://www.graphicchemical.com/shop...309&cat=Arturo

Rives Lightweight Paper 115 gsm
http://www.danielsmith.com/Item--i-G-285-620LW

Mohawk Superfine 120 gsm
http://www.danielsmith.com/Item--i-G-215-010

Velin Arches (Arches text weight) 120 gsm
http://www.danielsmith.com/Item--i-159-390-001

Hosho
http://www.dickblick.com/products/hosho-paper/

Mulberry
http://www.dickblick.com/products/bl...rinting-packs/

Masa (77 gsm)
https://www.graphicchemical.com/shop...d=351&cat=Masa

Kitikata (30 gsm)
https://www.graphicchemical.com/shop...4&cat=Kitakata

I will also mention a retailer based in Toronto Canada who have a fairly extensive array of Oriental made papers worth checking out. The Paper Place on Queen St. W are one of the best sources here in Canada I have found. I believe they also ship worldwide.

Another thing to try is a slight misting of the paper before burnishing. Not too much though since you don't want bleeding of the ink to occur. The slight dampness of the paper surface can also aid a better pick up of the ink onto the paper.
When burnishing the back of your print paper you might want to place a sheet of wax paper, acetate or glassine in between the burnishing tool and the paper. This helps to prevent possible damage to the print paper and also helps the movement of the burnishing tool across the block surface located underneath the print paper.