Mixed Media Printmaking Blog

Relief printing class – starting soon

foam plate printmaking / Linda Germain / September 4, 2018

I am excited about the soft plate relief printing class that starts soon.

I have started gathering all my inks, plates, papers and tools to play with printmaking. I often have to remind myself to keep it simple. It is so easy to want to put all that inspires me into one set of prints. But that usually ends up with an ugly mess.

Even with the print above, I had to rein myself in and keep it simple by:

Limit the colors
Repeat the circle motif
And slightly modify the circle image to create just enough variety

I took a chance with the gold and I think it works. It adds a bit of variety and darker values.

If you would like to explore this low tech method of printing then check out the details on the printmaking workshop page and join us.

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Think backwards – printmaking skill

monotype print / Linda Germain / August 31, 2018

Often the image you are creating in a printing process is backwards than what you might expect.

As you can see above the foam printing plate on the left is a reverse image of the actual print on the right. This ability to reverse images takes time to learn and get use to.

If designs are abstract or symmetrical, sometimes it does not matter if the image get reversed. It is important to reverse words and images that are familiar to you like portraits.

self-portrait

My style of printmaking is exploratory and experimental. But I do think that I have printed so much that I now know that things get reversed and I compensate for that element of the printing process. Often the reversal is not a big deal for me either.

I like to work freely, without too much restriction or planning. I think that is how I discover new approaches and combinations of techniques. Collage and cropping are good ways to “finish” prints into framable pieces of art.

Another “backwards” way I work is to cut paper to the size of frames that I already have. Or to work on paper that fits into standard size frames. That way it is super easy to pop the print into an affordable frame and admire my work.

The next class is Soft Plate Relief Printing. Check out the details on the workshop page. This online class starts soon and includes 6 short actionable lessons spread over a 10 day period.

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Gather a few tools and just begin

foam plate printmaking / Linda Germain / August 30, 2018

One way to get making some art is to just gather a few tools and just begin.

Less is more in this case. But if you have more tools and supplies than you actually need that is ok – just begin with what you already know.

You can even pull out an older print or picture as stimulation.

Then be willing to just play. That means:

Be willing to try new things
Make mistakes
Make ugly art
Be open to surprises
Do something you know and
Then let go of expectations
Oh!!! and let it be fun
Can you embrace the little kid in you?

This is one way to move beyond whatever is stopping you and start making!

TRY it!!

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Photos make your prints more personal

stencils / Linda Germain / July 26, 2018

When I use self portraits or photos of my nephews in my art the work always has more meaning to me.

It can be a challenge to get a photo that is good for making a stencil. That is why I take lots of photos. And if I get one or two that will be good for printmaking the that is a success.

I miss plenty of fleeting photos because I don’t have my camera ready. But that is really not a problem because my eyes are always seeing shapes, shadows and subjects. And maybe next time I will have my camera ready to capture the image.

I did sketches of the photos. You could do tracings of the photo as well

The traditional “hole” stencil on the left, a layered print in the middle and the masking stencil on the right.

If you are interested in using your own photos to make more personal art then:

Carry you camera with you all the time
See shapes and shadows
Take lots of pictures
Be willing to have just 1 or 2 good photos out of many
Print out a silhouette/shape/image
Just jump in and cut a stencil
If it is not perfect or as you imagine, then adjust or try again.

I really liked this shadow. I had a challenge converting it to a stencil that I liked as much. I had to add some sort of feet and adjust the shoulders.

You might be able to see the adjustments I made in the blue and orange print on the left. So sometimes your photo will be a jumping off or starting place for the final product.

If you would like to explore printmaking methods, check out the current workshops.

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See Shadows and Shapes – Printmaking Skill

masking stencils / Linda Germain / July 19, 2018

I love the process of printing and discovering what happens when I layer and combine different kinds of marks.

That is just one part of the process of printing. Other elements of mixed media printmaking could be:

Collecting ideas and subject matter
Drawing or creating a matrix (stencil/image/plate)
Proofing and testing the matrix
Cropping, combining and framing the final image

I think different people are interested in different parts of the process. Some folks love drawing and planning and others love the finishing and framing.