Mixed Media Printmaking Blog

Video – basic gelatin printing – printmaking without a press

gelatin print tips / Linda Germain / May 5, 2016

Gelatin printmaking is fast and fun.

Watch this quick video and you will see the basic moves.

You can find lots of information about gelatin printing on my site and the free recipe to make the homemade glycerin and gelatin plate.

But if you are like me and:

Learn faster with a teacher
Like to watch short actionable videos
Like the support of group sharing and feedback
Want to give your art making a little more time.

Check out the current online classes being offered.

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How do you print without a press?

techniques / Linda Germain / May 4, 2016

Printmaking is a little bit of a mystery to most people. It is hard to visualize the steps involved. Take away the press and then, it is even more confusing. Let me help!

I am here to make printmaking familiar and doable for you.

Printmaking is making an indirect mark made with pressure.

Some familiar ways of printing are:

Stamps – they are raised areas of the surface, that catch ink or paint. These can also be called relief blocks.
Stencils – are known to most. Think of wall stencils from colonial times. Think of t-shirt stencils. A stencil is a hole in a piece of paper that ink is pushed through.

Both of these types of printmaking without a press are accessible to most folks. A visit to the local craft store will hook you up with plenty of starter tools.

Monotype printing is a little more artsy. The language can confuse people. Monotype is merely a one of a kind, not repeatable print. Think of a Rorschach ink blot, that is a monotype print.

Another way to make a monotype is to paint on glass and then while it is still wet, lay a paper on top and press. The ink is transferred to the paper.

Gelatin Plate Monotype printing has become very popular because it does not need a printing press to transfer the ink to the paper.

This process is my passion because with the right materials you can make beautiful detailed impressions that rival more sophisticated and labor intensive techniques such as etching and solar printing.

If you would like to explore monoprinting on fabric with the support of a group of artists, then check out the details on the printmaking workshops page and join us today.

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See the Beauty that is before you

inspiration / Linda Germain / May 3, 2016

One of the things, that I hope to do is inspire you to see the beauty that is before you.

I was looking out the window on the dirty parking lot below and at the abandoned building but that is not what I saw.

I saw the shadow cast by the scrub tree that manages to grow in the inner city.
The shadow is what feeds my art making.
Now the shadow can become a photo, a sketch, a stencil, a tool to make a print.
Then I wonder if everyone would see the shadow or would they just see the dirty parking lot

The other thing is that shadow is temporary. Tomorrow it will be different or not even there.

Awareness of what is before you
Willingness to SEE it
Ability to choose what to do with that new awareness

Sometimes, I do nothing more than SEE the thing of beauty. Seeing it builds my awareness for the next thing. Sometimes, I run for my camera and sometimes, I will sketch it.

This awareness, willingness and ability to choose it one skill that I hope to foster in the folks who take my printmaking courses. If this sounds like something that you would like to add to your art making skills then join us in Monoprinting on Fabric. Read the details on the printmaking workshops page. Class starts soon, so join us today.

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Prep fabric for Printing

fabric prints / Linda Germain / May 2, 2016

When I start printing I like to stay in the flow. Flow is when the magic happens. So if I spend a day or 2 getting the materials ready then I can stay in the creative flow when I am pulling prints.

Soak or wash fabric in hot water with detergent to remove sizing and get the fabric ready for printing.

I like to dry my fabric the same way I would dry it under usual circumstance. This will pre-shrink it.

Hand printed fabric ready to be cut, pieced and sewed into a pillow cover.

Gelatin printmaking is amazing because the maker can pull delicate impressions very rapidly when using delicate tools and an ink that can hold the edge of the impression.

Some times it takes some experimentation to find the best combination of ink, tools and fabric. Once factor that is an additional challenge when printing on fabric is the competing texture of the fabric. It is easier to find smooth absorbent paper than it is to find similar fabric.

Another consideration when monoprinting with the gelatin plate on fabric is the intended use. If the hand printed fabric is going to be use for wall hangings and mixed media art pieces then you do not have to be concerned with durability or washability.

Some folks like to use the hand printed fabric in wearable art or quilts. Then you need to find the best ink or paint intended for that purpose. The printed fabric should be fixed or set according to manufacturers instructions. Even then I think the fabric should be gently cared for.

If you would like some help making the gelatin plate and learning to print on fabric, then you are in luck. The Monoprinting Fabric workshop is open for registration. Check out the details on the printmaking workshop page.

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Sewing hand printed fabric into Pillow covers

monotype print / Linda Germain / April 27, 2016

Today I made a couple of pillow covers with some gelatin printed fabric.

I simply cut the fabric 1″ bigger than the pillow form. Sewed 3 sides with the machine.

Sew 2″ in on each edge of the 4th side. Insert form and whip stitch the rest by hand.

Happy with the results!

If you would like to learn to make hand printed fabric for your fiber projects then check out the details and join us in the next session of Monoprinting Fabric – with the gelatin plate. It is an easy experimental process that can give a wide range of printed marks.

This online printmaking course is for anyone who wants to learn to gelatin print on fabric. We will start with the basics and go from there. If you already are familiar with gelatin printmaking, then you will develop nuanced marks and details that are possible with this process.

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