Print with Collage and Stitch Blad

8/3/2019 Print with Collage and Stitch Blad

1/8

echniques forMixed-MediaPrintmaking

PRIN WIH

Collage&Stitch

V A L H O L M E


2/8

Most print techniques require the printmaker

to take things away from the surface of the chosen

material, so the printing surface is incised rather than

raised, in order to create the printing plate. The plate

may then be printed intaglio: this means that the

holes or lines created in the plate will be filled with

ink. This is done by applying ink and then wiping it

off the main surface of the plate. During the printing

process the paper finds the ink and reproduces the

image carved into the plate. The plate can also be

made to be printed in relief: in this case the plate

will usually have the ink applied with a roller to the

parts of the plate left in relief, instead of into the parts

taken away. The paper is then applied to the inked

plate.

Intaglio printing is usually associated with

etched metal, a process which is achieved either by

taking away the surface with special tools or by a

process known as aqua forte, with which the metal is

first varnished, the varnish is drawn into, and this is

then placed in a bath of acid or a similar substance

(there are a few methods to choose from) so that the

design is etched into the plate where the varnish has

been taken away.

The second method of relief printing is most

often associated with woodblock or lino printing, in

which areas of the material are gouged out, leaving a

structure in relief for printing. In the first case a press

is essential, in the second case it is not.

What is Collography?

INRODUCION

2 PRIN WIH COLLAGE & SICH


3/8

Collography is different from the above

methods because it involves adding things to the plate

instead of taking them away. Different materials can

be used to form the base structure of the plate, from

cardboard to wood, plastic to old lino. As for what

can be added, the range is almost as large and varied

as the number of artists working in this medium.

Classically, cut card and carborundum (an abrasive

substance also known as silicon carbide) are most

commonly used, but also acrylic texture mediums,

sandpaper, string, threads, fabric, rice, and organic

materials, all of which will be discussed in this book.

The resulting plate can be printed using either an

intaglio method or in relief, or both at the same time,

and it may be printed with or without a press.

Collagraph on watercolor paper using

oil-based inks. he plate was made from

cardboard with machine stitching, stitched

on synthetic satin and sandpaper. Some of

the inks were diluted, and there are several

layers of color before t he final black.

INRODUCION 3


4/8

As we have seen, a collographic plate, unless very

well protected with hard varnish, will give about

ten to twenty prints. The prints, even if made with

only one color, may vary from print to print, as the

materials glued or stitched to the plate gradually get

flattened by the pressure of the press or the rubbing

that it is subjected to. For this reason it is difficult to

do a classic edition that will be numbered, so why not

experiment instead.If you are working with one simple color, it

may be interesting to print on different papers and

textile surfaces rather than on one kind of paper

(see Chapter Five), in which case certain pieces

could be used for embroidery experimentation. If

you have experimented with adding different colors

to the work using the methods described in Chapter

Four, you may find that the developed color prints

are excellent, but that some of the pieces are not

developed enough.

When I look at a collection of prints that I

have made from a collographic plate, I find some

that are good paper works in their own right and

really need nothing else added to them, whereas

others that disappoint me in some way will requiremore treatment. This provides a new challenge and

a chance to be inspired by the print and to continue

the experiments with the image. Working in this way,

I can go in many directions.

The great thing about printing is that it gives

you a number of similar starting points quite quickly

Embroidering the Print

CHAPER < 7 >



5/8


6/8

that you can then experiment with, in order to more

fully understand the original marks and texturespresent. The learning advantage is evident, as you

can easily experiment with an image and the textile

marks that can be made in relation to it, in a series of

developed works.

If the original image was realistic, this realism

can be enhanced with the choice of embroidery

to underline aspects that will lead to a greater

understanding of the image. Or on the contrary, theoriginal intention of the image can be ignored, and

the printed marks related to as abstract elements to

inspire something completely new. An abstract print

may inspire a realistic version that could be suggested

or added to with embroidery.

Collagraph on watercolor

paper. he plate was

made from sandpaperand machine stitching on

cardboard. Color added

with a roller. he row of

vines are embroidered

once again to underline

the image.



7/8

Mixed-media piece starting with a

collagraph on muslin stitched onto

watercolor paper in oil-based ink. he

piece was then colored in places with

water-based inks. Painted adhesive

webbing was added and then machine

stitching. Little of the original print, which

was in fact a landscape, remains.

EMBROIDERING HE PRIN 7


8/8

Print with

Collage &Stitch

Pape8.5 x 10.8, 128 p

ISBN 978-1-59668-5$

Available May

Learn the secrets of todayshottest textile art techniqueTe enthralling popularity of collography is taking textile artiststo new and explosive heights. In her new book, Print with Collage& Stitch, Val Holmes shares everything you need to know aboutthe exciting effects of combining almost endless permutations ofcollage, stitch, and print and how to incorporate these effects intoyour own stitched textile work.

Included is invaluable information on embroidered collographyplate making, choosing the right printing surface, combining paperand fabric, embroidering onto prints, and how to work in a series.

Whether you are new to mixed media or you cant wait to expandyour work, Print with Collage & Stitchis your go-to resource forcollography.

CONENS

Making the plateIntroducing brodagraphy

Printing from the platewithout a press

Printing with a press

Surfaces for print

Collography for paperrelief

Embroidering the print

he monotype

Conclusion

Appendix: he press

Suppliers

VAL HOLMESis a well-known teacher and embroi-derer. She contributed a seriesof articles to Stitchmagazineand is the author of numer-ous books, including Gardensin Embroidery, Te Machine

Embroiderers Workbook, Te

Encyclopedia of Machine

Embroidery, CreativeRecycling in Embroidery,andBroderie Machine.

Documents

Print with Collage and Stitch Blad