Mixed Media Printmaking Blog

Making Monochromatic Mountains

Gelatin plate print / Linda Germain / November 3, 2019

I have been playing with torn stencils and making monochromatic abstract mountains.

It has been fun using simple torn stencils from copy paper to create an abstract mountain range.

I am relying on the concept of atmospheric perspective to create the illusion of space. The further away the range the lighter it would be in the image. The closer to the viewer, then the darker it would be.

I have been enjoying working with simple stencils and just one color and distinct values and the gelatin plate. Sometimes less is more.

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Take a walk-find inspiration

inspiration, mark making tools / Linda Germain / October 18, 2019

Do you ever need a little pick-me-up? A walk around the block may be the answer.

I need to take lots of breaks to clear my head and get focused on the next thing to do. Sometimes I am stopped by “treasures” on the street.

This rusted piece of metal could be used:

to make marks in a foam relief plate
reference for a drawing
rusting cloth or paper

Another find was some autumn leaves.

I can use:

the colors
the textures
the shapes

to create stencils, prints and drawings.

I suggest you try a walk next time you need a bit of focus.

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Artist book as a canvas for collecting

artist book, combined techniques, drawings / Linda Germain / October 17, 2019

I recently made an artist’s book with simple brown bag pages.

Brown bags are strong and a great substrate for journals and books.

I added some white pages and some printed pages and a gelatin printed cover.

Then I randomly white washed a few pages, printed on a few and just started adding marks.

I am having fun adding marks here and there and letting the book evolve in a non-linear fashion.

I have been carrying it around with me, so I can add to it where ever I am.

I think it might end up being a memory or record of these few months. I always enjoy looking at these kinds of journals years later.

Give it a try.

Make a book from brown bags or other non-precious papers and then:

white wash some pages
tape in random words
Scribble or doodle
screen print or stamp in some marks
add some gelatin prints.

Let it evolve over the next few weeks. If you get some ugly pages, then collage over them. Enjoy!

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Screen printing into an Art Journal

screen printing / Linda Germain / October 16, 2019

I made a couple emulsion based EZscreens yesterday, because it was a nice bright sunny day.

You just need a minute or two of bright sunlight to expose the emulsion coated screen. I made a couple of small text based screens that I hope to use to print on to clay.

When I print on paper I duct tape the edges to give me a well for the ink and also to have something to hold onto. But I have seen some clay artist do not tape the screens to leave them more flexible for printing on shaped surfaces.

I have a book that I have been playing with. It is already sewn together, so I used clothes pins to keep the pages separated while the wet ink dried.

I have been using the EZscreens instead of thermofax screens. The mesh for the old thermofax machines changed a few years back and my machine stopped working correctly.

There is a new machine that is available in the US now, the MiScreen. It goes for about $2500. You can watch a video about that system here from Xpresscreen in NC.

These kind of emulsion based screens are a great way to get delicate detailed impressions. What I love is that I don’t have to deal with chemicals. They work great for the small type of screens that I use.