foam plate printmaking

Soft block relief printing is a great way to get started with printmaking.

In the print above, I used black and white ink and 3 foam plates. I played with design elements like value, repetition and balance.

This printmaking process is good for folks who want to explore printmaking but do not have access to a press. It can be done very easily in your home studio.

One thing I have done with all the printing plates in the picture above is kept them all the same size so I can layer and combine them to make interesting larger prints.

If you would like to explore drawing, pressing and printing with soft block relief plates, then check out the details on the printmaking workshops page.

As a mixed printmaker,  I like to combine techniques to make unique prints. I also like to use non-toxic methods that do not require a printing press.

One way I use a relief plate is to lift ink off of the gelatin plate. It gives you a monochromatic impression on the plate, that can then be printed on to paper. In the print above, I used the relief plate to make the impression in the ink on the gelatin plate and then I printed the impression on to paper and collaged it into a small book.

The second way I like to use relief plates is to directly stamp a focal image on to a mixed media print. The black figure is a carve relief plate and was printed several times in 2 different directions to create the focus of this print.

The third way is to repeated print the plate to create a patterned background, or a textural layer.  In the fabric print above, I used 9 different relief plates to create this textile print. There are 3 layers of printing, a yellow, an orange and the dark orange on top that unifies the whole print.

Check out current online printmaking classes.

I cut a piece of chicken wire to see what kind of marks or printmaking tools I could make.

1. First I tried to attach it to a board to get it to lay flat – not happy.
2. I tried laying fabric on top and doing a brayer rubbing – not so good
3. I press the wire into foam – hmm? like it.
4. Used the the foam relief tool to do a brayer rubbing. Success.

Wire is sharp and can be hard on the rest of my supplies. I was most pleased with the relief stamp.

Yeah! So now I can get rid of the roll of chicken wire that I have been holding on to and hoping to do something with.

Did you accept yesterday’s challenge? Did you make art with something that had been collecting dust in your studio?

You still have time. Grab one of those interesting “things” that speak to you and play!