Collagraph Workshop Weekend

This last weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed a Collagraph Workshop run by Birgitta Wilson. There were ten of us taking part, and we were amazed at how much we managed to achieve in just two days. Below is my very first attempt, and you can see the print above the plate.

We made our printing plates on a mount board base, and then used a variety of elements on the surface to create the different textures. These included sellotape, aluminium sticky backed tape, parcel tape, cling film, textured papers, thin dried plant materials and leaves, lace, scrim and a glue gun which we drew over the surface with. In fact, there are limitless materials that can be used, which helps to make this such an exciting way of producing a unique print. We also used a craft knife to score lines, and peel back areas of the mount board surface, which is then able to hold the ink, giving a darker area which contrasts with the lighter areas.

Above and below are example of the prints created by other members of the group. I can't remember who did what. so can't really give names.

Two plates on the left, (above), with the printed results on the right. I made another print of each which you can see below, and because the ink was applied slightly differently, the results are also different. I tried to introduce another colour on half of one of them.

The same with these two, both printed in blue/black, but I rolled some yellow ochre over one of them to see what would happen.

Sometimes, if there is enough ink left on a plate, it is possible to get two prints, although the second one is obviously much lighter, a ghost print.

Such an enjoyable workshop, and something that I would like to do more of. Birgitta is a brilliant and very generous tutor, and if you get the chance to take part in one of her workshops, I just know you will have a wonderful experience.

Finally, I'm finishing off with an image of a piece of work from my Wednesday art class last week. One of the backgrounds that I had created a few weeks ago, reminded me of a stormy sky, so I decided to work from my photo of those Gulls, and painted them in using gouache paint, which is opaque enough to cover the colours underneath.

It's been a very busy week, so I'm going to take it easy for a couple of days. I think I need to allow what I've been learning to get thoroughly embedded in my brain.

Thanks for reading yet again.