foam plate printmaking Archives

Stamp some marks

Why I like to work with tiny foam stamps:

They are fast and easy to make. You just need sticky back foam sheets and something to stick it to. I like to use recycled styrofoam produce trays. But you can use sturdy thin cardboard too.

The stamped image can be simple but still impactful. Sometimes geometric shapes and patterns are enough. I like to keep the stamps small so they are easy to ink and print.

It can be addictive to make piles and piles of stamps. And yet they take up very little space and are quite easy to store.

I like to keep a sample book with a record of stamps that I have already made especially the word stamps.

They are easy to ink and print. I like to use broad nibbed markers. This avoids the need to buy a bunch of stamp pads that just dry out too fast. I can even use more than one color at a time.

It is easy to make impressions of different values rather quickly. This can add depth to the print.

And they dry quickly and support the flow of working in my sketchbook.

I invite you to explore tiny stamp making with me. Read all the details of the new Stamp Making and Mixed Media Workshop.

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Soft plate relief Printmaking class on sale

foam plate printmaking, relief prints / Linda Germain / September 5, 2024

This month you can save 25% on the Soft Plate Relief Printmaking class. This is a 6 lesson self study with 24 short videos.

We use foam plates to create a series of printing plates that can be layered to make interesting prints.

These prints are made with water based block printing inks and hand pressure.

We even explore tips for printing on fabric.

Read all the details on the workshop page and be sure to enter the coupon code to save 25%.

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Simple tools – bold marks

artist book, book arts, combined techniques, foam plate printmaking / Linda Germain / May 31, 2024

I love to keep the printmaking process simple and non-toxic. That is one reason that I enjoy gelatin printmaking so much.

I also enjoy the easy printmaking process of relief printing. Sticky back foam and scissors make this even easier.

The simpler the design the more I like it. Stamp pads can be expensive and the ones I buy dry up too fast. I found a way to ink the foam plates with broad nib markers.

I can quickly print these stamps in books and on papers. I love that I can use limited supplies and have very little clean up. And because I am using water based markers to “ink” the foam stamps everything is dry very quickly.

I have made quite a stack of little foam stamps over the last few weeks. Some inspired by nature walks.

I think small is good for this process, because they are easy to ink and print. I have made a few that are about 6″ long and I think that is big enough.

Check out the self study printmaking classes that are available now.

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GIFTS from nature

drawings, foam plate printmaking, mark making / Linda Germain / May 13, 2024

Nature has many gifts. We can simply look, listen, touch, smell and maybe even taste to receive the gifts.

Today, my woods walk was filled with gifts:

Baltimore Oriole
Two Loons
Bright Blue Jays
Rain drops on the lake
Yellow dandelions

I have tried to draw in the woods and I just resist it. So today I took a few pictures and brought them back to the studio.

I abstracted the dandelion with a few sketches and then made a foam stamp. How could you bring the gifts of nature back to your studio?

I always have a collection of delicate weeds and grasses for gelatin printmaking. If you like this style below, then check out the online class, Simplify. You can sign up and be printing today! Read all the details on the workshop page.

I love the monochromatic color palate of black and cyan. It is such a traditional printmaking color scheme.

I have so many of these prints that I like to bind them into little journals. I alternate one print and one blank page, so there is space for writing. If you have a lot of single sheet prints and would like to make them into books, then you might want to check out the Bound Prints Workshop. Read all the details on the printmaking workshop page.