Wednesday 10 June 2009

Print Group



Flyover (etching)

My second discipline of choice at Uni, after painting, was printmaking. I loved etching and relief printing and always vowed I'd take them up again one day. That came a step nearer today when the inaugural meeting of the Print Group was held at the Art Club.

Some time ago the Club bought - at a very reasonable price - a rather good press suitable for intaglio and relief printmaking and after some setting up and buying of materials, we had an introductory meeting today. About half a dozen people turned up and the methods of making plates were discussed, the operation of the press demonstrated and safety measures emphasised.

To be honest, I didn't really go to do any printmaking today; I simply wanted to reacquaint myself with the processes. However, I did take along the plate from the print above (made at Uni) and ran off one or two just to get my hand in. Apart from using water-based inks this time, it was all as I remembered.

We've decided to make the first Wednesday of the month a regular meeting day for the Group, to avoid painters on other days of the week, but with the option of going in to print on other Wednesdays.

I came home with one or two pieces of lino. Now all I need is to make some studio time at home to work up something printable.

4 comments:

marja-leena said...

How grand that you now have a printshop at the club. I didn't know you've done printmaking and enjoyed it. I look forward to reading about your reintroduction and seeing your linocuts. Have fun!

ian said...

Excellent - I'm trying to find the money for a table top press - I tend to favour the small pieces anyway.

My favourite is collagraph. I've tried drypoint and linocut, but my drawing skills are not really up to it.

vivien said...

oh I am ssooooo jealous!

I'd love an etching press.

harry bell said...

Marja-Leena: I'll post anything I do that merits a look. Interestingly, I discovered another Finnish printmaker at Tynemouth (see next post) - Raija Sinikka Patchett. Is this a Finnish thing?

Ian, Vivien -- I think I'll be limited to relief printing for a while. No place for acid or fume cupboards at the Club. Still, there's always drypoint.