It’s not unusual for me to take the scissors to a fabric work in progress but I rarely hack away half in one go. But sometimes it just has to be done. Anyone who has ever made anything knows the feeling – it’s just not working – but a frequent sin is to fall in love with ones own work, or perhaps just not be able to see where it’s going wrong. I suppose that’s what editors are for.
Another addition to the fleet, soon to be on sale with the rest at Basically Wooden – MixPly.
I finally got round to painting one or two models, using a tiny amount of acrylic, two coats. I don’t supply paint in the kits but they are very cheap, at pound shops and such. Models are on sale at Basically Wooden.
My range of self-assembly toys and models – they are both – is now on sale at Basically Wooden. I’m hoping to add two more soon, including this one.
I have been working on this collagraph print for the past week or two, learning the process as much as anything. CATO Press in east Bristol can handle quite large print plates, this one is about 55cm in diameter and is available to buy.
I think the real thing looks a bit better than this photo. Now working on another two or three collagraphs but not so big – the cost of paper can be prohibitive. This one is printed on ‘bread and butter’ paper (250 gsm) which is probably not really heavy enough for collagraph. I had some waste having printed with the paper too damp and had peeling as a result.
We had a community print evening recently, lots of people lino-cutting, very jolly. These are regular events at CATO Press, check us out and drop by if you are in the area, all welcome.
Just foolin’ around.
Ready to print my first large collagraph at Cato Press, if my paper ever arrives from Lawrence Art Supplies (Brighton). Not their fault, just the delivery firm. The only place to buy a good range of print paper in Bristol is Bower Ashton art college (University of the West of England) but they are shut for the summer. I need a wider than average sheet for this relief print.
Since making this proof I have altered the image quite a bit but hopefully this will be the final effort. Time to start work on the next one. I feel at home with collagraph and I can work on the image without special equipment – just glue, knives, card and other thin material – in my studio at home.
Having spent a lot of time recently on my plywood toys and models – now on sale at Basically Wooden – I hope to give more attention to print making.
Having joined Cato Press, Bristol in April I have begun experimenting collagraph printmaking, both intaglio and relief. I began with an ambitious piece, a 50cm circle with a variety of shaped and textures, and a number of smaller studies for this piece.
I wanted use text but cutting this by hand is tedious so I used my Cameo vinyl cutter, cutting card and vinyl.
Using a vinyl cutter for vinyl is quite simple (as the name suggests) but for paper and card requires more trial and error.
Card can vary in density quite a lot, some paper is hard on the cutter blade due to the high chalk content. The prints here (not great pics) are quite pale but that suits the subject.
There is no text on this study, just hand-cut shapes. Something to aspire to, here is a rather more advance image by Suzie MacKenzie.
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