PROCESS IN PRACTICE

It has been important for me to spend August making new work and experimenting.

I spent last year trying to make a print a month, this came to an end in about February of this year, so July and August has seen me making up for it. I have made 5 new plates while at Art in Action and this week I have started

4 new plates inspired by drawings in my sketch book and

my lovely outing to Slimbridge a couple of weeks ago.

I have several things on the go at once, so that while things are drying I have other plates to work on in sequence.

I trace the drawing from my sketchbook and transfer it to grey board. If I shape the plate it is now that it happens. This is an image of Jackdaws on a washing line.

If I have any large white areas I apply the layers of glue at this stage. Each layer dries thoroughly before the next is applied. When this is dry I will then apply carborundum. 

Skim and repair plaster may come next, these sewing birds are too small for carborundum.

When the plaster is dry I will then glue on the highlights and cut and carve the dark areas and lines.

I really like making shaped plates and these will have a gum arabic background, a process I have been experimenting with

on one of the images I made at Art in Action.

There is a little way to go with these plates before printing...I will keep you posted. I you would like to learn collagraph techniques check out the yard:ARTspace workshops and courses for this year and 2016.