Developing printmaking

I've been developing my prints through adding text and playing with colour. The first thing I tried was adding lettering with the printing blocks. However it didn't really work that well because I was trying to print onto a photocopy and the ink didn't stick properly. I also tend to prefer a bolder appearance so I tried a different method of adding text later on (see below).

I then used the oil method to add colour to a black and white photocopy of my print. I don't really think this method is appropriate in this case as it gives very muted colours and I think this print would be complemented by more vibrant ones. So I tried other methods of adding colours.

I then played with collaging a background onto the original print. Although it gives an interesting effect I think it looks too fussy and doesn't look good with the very simple block shapes. As a result I decided to try adding a simple block colour background instead.

Here it is with the simple block colour. I think the selective colour palette works well. The design looks bold, simple and quite retro. I think it has a lot more impact.

I then tried adding simple line in pencil because I'd liked the combination of line and block shape on the stencil (see previous post). I also added text using paper cut outs. I really think the addition of text has added interest and vibrancy to the image as well as balancing the colour palette. I'm still undecided as to whether adding the lines has improved it. I want to do more different prints adding text to them to create a bit of a series.

This Morning's Developments

I worked on developing a black and white photocopy from my sketchbook by adding colour with a special technique used by the illustrator Alexis Deacon. It involves using oil and then painting on the back of an image so muted colour shows through.

At first I was using acrylic paint but then I started using soft pastel because I wanted to be able to smudge it. I really liked the effect that I got. I'm going to bear this in mind when wanting to add colour to images in the future.

I also experimented with doing blind drawings of blind drawings, to get a similar but more abstract effect to the original image.

I did this in my book and then drew the last one onto a napkin, because I've been experimenting with drawing on toilet paper and I like the effect. 

It was good because the napkin is a hard surface to draw on which distorts the line, making it more abstract. I like how it gives the impression of a flowering branch without being explicit. It gives an illusion of energy.

I then photocopied this in black and added text to follow on from the workshop on text we did on Friday. I also added text to a photocopy of one of my oil coloured drawings.

 I think it works well how the delicate floweryness contrasts with the bold text. However I don't think they work very well as images as they don't really make very much sense. I think this shows I need to use text in more obvious contexts, which is what I'm going to do next.

Printing Development

Following on from the printing work I did on Tuesday and the text workshop on Friday morning, on Friday afternoon I worked on developing my print work by adding text.

I collaged work from two different prints together because I felt they weren't working on their own. I then added some text with masking tape like I had experimented with in the morning. I think the different mix of textures is interesting. I still don't think there is enough contrast in the colours though, despite adding the blue to try and solve this. It needs some black or dark colour to focus the image. As it is it's very boring. So I decided to add black to one of my other prints.

You can see the original here. I think the addition of black really improves the image because it adds contrast and detail. It's bolder and looks better. This was inspired by a print of James Green's that I saw in the Printing Sheffield exhibition at the Millenium Galleries, ie. the two colours and simple shapes. I then took a photocopy of this to add text to.

I used black ink and used fonts and words I'd used earlier in the day. I really think the text adds something to the image. 

I then added text to one of my other prints. I don't think this one works quite as well because it's a bit too busy. It seems better to keep it simple and clean looking.

Image developments

This afternoon I've been taking some of my print work and developing it further through mainly collage. The main aim was to simplify them down a little to add more negative space and make them look better visually. Here are the results.

I think the amount of negative space here works well as it looks simple and clean and gives the details more impact in comparison. It's very much refined compared to the original. Adding the splash of bright pink has softened the entire feel.

This is collaging two elements together with a little bit of ink work. I don't think it works so well as I don't think the colours go together brilliantly. The composition is a bit random but I do like that there is a lot of negative space left.

This is my favourite out of what I did this afternoon because I feel the mixture of materials complement each other well. I also think adding the blue accent colour has really lifted it. The layering adds depth to the image.

Update on bypass printing

I tried it one more time. Again it went completely wrong and nothing like I wanted it or tried to achieve. I hate the extent of the lack of control it brings. I think I can conclude this is not the method for me. Plus it costs $$$ in print credit so it's probably for the best.

At least I tried.