Assignment 3

 3 x Best prints from reduction prints:

All my development and printing information for these prints can be found here:

https://nikisprintmakinglog.blogspot.com/2020/04/part-3-project-8-reduction-method.html

4 x prints from experimental marks:

My process and printing can be found here:

https://nikisprintmakinglog.blogspot.com/2020/11/part-3-project-9-experimental-mark.html

Mark-making Tools Statement:

For this project I chose a chisel, nail punches, bradawl, Stanley knife, screw, nail, wire brush and scissors. These were the tools which I thought would be sharp enough to make definite marks and make interesting shapes, which can create different textures within my designs. I then divided an A4 sized lino sheet into squares with a pencil and went ahead using a rubber mallet to bash the tools or objects into the lino.

 Most of the objects created marks really well except for the chisel which wasn't sharp enough. I liked putting the nails and screws on their sides and tops to make different marks. The nail punch tools were really effective and left very definite circles of different sizes. I played around with positioning the circles on the lino to give different effects.

I then did a rubbing of the lino to make sure the marks would stand out. Even though the lino marks don't look very defined in places, when I started printing they appear very effective.

The inks I used were water-based blue and magenta and the papers I chose were; Zerkyll and Cartridge. I wanted to emphasize some of my favourite areas so after making a full sized print, I then used paper masks to mask smaller areas of interest. 

All the prints came out really well and the smaller prints, which are my favourites,  show the textures of the tools I used very effectively. The dark ink colours also helped to emphasize the marks.

 

Project 10 - Written Task:

During this unit I have researched many different printmakers to educate myself on the potential of the medium itself.  Artist’s websites, Pinterest and social media gave me a good insight of different printmakers and styles of printmaking. I found Instagram a great platform to find a large variety. Many shared their printing processes via video footage, which taught me more about the different techniques and how to do them for myself.

From basic inking, lino cutting, reduction methods and initial design sketches, I found a wealth of information which shaped my knowledge to complete the projects in part 3.

Initially, I was unsure how I would approach printmaking in terms of style. Coming from an illustration and abstract painting background I wondered how this could work with printmaking. I love to use bright colours and bold shapes but I also love detail. In part 1 I found myself exploring those bright colours using Monoprinting. Following that my more detailed side came through as I explored the succulents from Henstead Exotic Gardens. For these next projects I wanted to continue to use bright colours, bold shapes with some detail.

Throughout this course I have chosen to focus on nature.  Nature is one of my biggest inspirations, so it was important to me to research other printmakers who also shared that inspiration, seeing how they approached their designs in terms of style and detail. I found a large range of nature printmakers and have narrowed them down to my favourites; Susanne Kruisdijk, Kathleen Powell - Kelpie Kraft, Rachel Schlothan and Angela Harding.

All of these printmakers have such detail and beauty in their work and I especially love the bold colours of Angela Harding’s work. It was Alison Headley who captured my interest the most. Her use of bold bright colours with the starkness of the black ink married with the bold shapes and lines in her butterfly and insect prints really stood out to me.

Another print called ‘Potted Aloe Vera’, really captured my eye with the bold teal blue as the first colour instead of black and the texture of the plant against the patterned backdrop looked so tactile and pretty.  Once finished this print was a very bold, colourful image, with lots of pattern and contrast.

I chose butterflies for my subject for project 8 and I intend to continue this theme for part 5. Headley uses the Chine Colle’ technique to create her butterfly and insect prints. The bright papers create interesting patterns on the wings and the black ink acts like a frame. I am looking forward to trying this myself, using my own style.

Researching all these printmakers has really opened my eyes into what can be achieved using lino cutting and the reduction method. When I began this course I had some knowledge of lino cutting but hadn’t heard of the various inking techniques, so to learn these and take inspiration from these artists has been very inspiring and educational for me.

Reflection: 

This part of the course has been very challenging for me in terms of the actual printing side. I have learnt about and used techniques that I have never done before and so my lack of experience in these areas has shown in the overall quality of the prints. However these projects have given me a chance to prove my ability to be creative, experiment with different compositions, which has been a weakness in previous units and to show that I can take an idea and develop it more fully and not just go with my first initial idea. I have enjoyed going deeper into the development process, learning that as I worked through my ideas, I was able to make them stronger and try things I hadn't initially thought of. This was encouraging to me and I will take this forward into my future work.

Although I don't feel my prints have the quality I would like, I am pleased with the registration on most of them and that I have been able for the most part to produce prints that are central and clean, with no smudging on the outer edges.

During the reduction print project I feel my personal voice is emerging further. I began this course with my inspiration from nature and found a way to bring further meaning with my faith and delving deeper into symbolism and colour theory to strengthen my design. This is a good step forward for me and has given my work more depth and meaning in a more personal way, yet still working towards the briefs set before me.

The research I have been doing throughout part 3 has broadened my knowledge, understanding and awareness of not only printing techniques but printmakers themselves who have inspired my work as I have seen their approach to expressing their love of nature in their own work.

Overall this part of the course has been a real growth experience for me and has given me the opportunity to improve my skills and the way I document my processes and the confidence to try techniques I have never attempted before.