Corso Italia Collagraph Print 14 x 22 cm
This handpulled collagraph print was developed from a sketch I made in the historic centre of our Tuscan village, Castiglion Fiorentino.
A reversed scan of my original sketch was transferred to a piece of cardboard and the outlines carved out with a sharp blade. Additional texture was made by gluing plastic net, tissue paper and pieces of scrap watercolour paper to the plate. The plate was then coated with Acrylic gloss medium and varnish and inked with black oil based etching ink. Areas of ink were wiped away before printing on C.M. Fabriano 100 percent cotton paper using an etching press.
I'm a big fan of the beautiful monotypes of Martin Stankewitz which he prints with oil paints. Since I have quite a stock of oils and have decided it's not one of my favourite mediums for painting, I got quite excited about the possibility of using up my paint for monotypes. Below is my first effort.
A reversed scan of my original sketch was transferred to a piece of cardboard and the outlines carved out with a sharp blade. Additional texture was made by gluing plastic net, tissue paper and pieces of scrap watercolour paper to the plate. The plate was then coated with Acrylic gloss medium and varnish and inked with black oil based etching ink. Areas of ink were wiped away before printing on C.M. Fabriano 100 percent cotton paper using an etching press.
I'm a big fan of the beautiful monotypes of Martin Stankewitz which he prints with oil paints. Since I have quite a stock of oils and have decided it's not one of my favourite mediums for painting, I got quite excited about the possibility of using up my paint for monotypes. Below is my first effort.
Venice Lagoon with San Giorgio Maggiore 8.5 x 10cm monotype
After this experiment, I'm even more excited about the potential of monotypes in oil paints. This photograph doesn't do justice to the beautiful silky finish of the paint on the paper and the result is much more painterly than I can achieve on canvas because painting onto a plexiglass plate, I don't get caught up in too much detail.
It's a lot of work for one unique print but I think I'm hooked.
It's a lot of work for one unique print but I think I'm hooked.
17 comments:
These are exciting, Robyn. I can enjoy your process while it occurs!
The street scene I favor very much!
How beautifully they both turned out - the top is gorgeous with its sketchy textural effects but I love the bottom one with its spontaneous,colourful approach! Glad you've found a use for your oils - we do manae to gatther so much equipment in our experiments!!!
I've always liked the look of collagraphs and this one looks great!
Love them both robyn...beautiful work. But that top scene is walking away with my heart!
Ronell
lovely work
- isn't the peeling-off-and-seeing-what-you've-got wonderful with printmaking ?
Hello Robyn,
congratulations to your collagraph, thank you for the explanations too. Collagraph has always been fairly unclear to me til now. Incredible that it is possible to get such a fine line work from a cardboard!
Of course I am delighted to see that you try monotype. You know I love your Guache and watercolor paintings, but you also have a very good hand for oil colors too.
You are really off and running in this medium, Robyn! I like the way you are using oils in a different way. From here, it looks almost like watercolor - I'm sure it's gorgeous in real life!
Casey - Lovely to have you along. I always know if I mention 'Italy' in post you'll come and visit :) So glad you like my street. You've painted it from the opposite end!
Caroline - Thanks. I also discovered monotypes will be a great way to use the oil pastels I've had sitting around too. Maybe I should do a survey or a 'confession' poll to find out just what everyone has stashed in their art cupboard.
Katherine - Delighted you like this one!
Ronell - Many thanks. I'm so happy to see your watercolours out again.
Vivien - Thank you. I agree - and now Martin's links tell me that I can pull the same piece of paper a number of time with a monotype. More thrills per print! If I can sort out the registration challenge on the etching press, I'm going to try it.
EH (Martin) - I'm going to have a lot more to say about the inspiration you are providing!
Casey - Thank you. Yes and no, it does look like watercolour but when you actually see the oil paint on the paper it is more interesting. Martin (above) has provided many more links so I think I can improve upon this first tentitive oil monotype.
These are both beautiful! I'm transported right back to Italy with both of them, which, trust me, is a very good thing.
Your collographs are beautiful. They are so different to mine. Yours look like sketches and mine are a bit more 'in yer face'. I printed on Sunday but not collographs this time. I made some solar plates at home (daring!)so I had to print them. Next time I'll do both.
Sue - I hope you make it back to Italy IRL soon. And thank you.
Wendy - That's because I don't know what I'm doing! ;) Now moving on to monotypes in the hope that I can be a bit more 'in yer face'. And you keep tempting me with the solar plates - and I don't have the time or the money to get into another printmaking medium. Looking forward to you posting yours though. :)
I has been such fun following the process and seeing your wonderful results. Thanks for keep me informed.
I can see you're in your element here Robyn! These are beautiful - I especially love the monotype with the strong graphic elements and the clear colours - I am longing to try this (with my almost abandoned oil paints). It's a whole new world, Martin has opened up isn't it?
Just discovered your blog and your paintings are beautiful. My daughters -- who want to become artists when they grow up -- are loving your artwork also. Thanks for bringing it to us. They make me feel like I'm in Italy... Oh yeah, I am in Italy!
Saluti from Naples,
Your prints are just amazing! I love the Venice scene best. Keep exciting us!
They are both fabulous I love these collagraphs you are doing!
Love the monoprint with oil paints - wish I could see them IRL. One of these days I want to try a collagraph, the process always sounds so interesting.
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