MONOPRINT

Suitable For:

All ability levels, over one day or several day workshops.

Groups and individuals, Schools and Colleges.

Age Group:

Key Stage 1 upwards

The Technique:

This is the most popular method which I have developed, I use it extensively in my own work (see for example 'African Dream'), and it can be as sophisticated or as simple as one wants. It is a combination of monoprinting and relief printing.

Various stencil shapes are inked up in different colours and put onto either a plain or coloured background then put through the press. I provide a wealth of handcut stencils, from animals and flowers to geometric shapes and patterns. Natural stencils such as leaves, feathers and grasses can also be used. Quite often more than one print can be taken from the plate to produce A3 prints, unique greetings cards and bookmarks. Several can be produced in a day.

Monoprinting with stencils can be combined with words and text in the popular workshop 'Poetry Prints'.

The images shown above are of students work.

COLLOGRAPH

Suitable For:

A one-day workshop for basic collograph using glue or sticky taped textured materials.

At least a 2 day workshop is required for the intaglio collograph: a day to make and dry the blocks, and a day to print them.

Groups and individuals. Schools and Colleges. Intermediate to advanced levels.

Age Group:

8 upwards for the glued textured blocks, 11 upwards especially GCSE, A level and Further Education, because knives and sharp tools will be used.

The Technique:

'Collograph' is derived from two words - 'colla' meaning to stick, and 'graphos' meaning to write. A collograph plate is made from cardboard and can either have things stuck to it to make a relief to print, or have layers cut away from it to form an intaglio (meaning to engrave or cut) print. The finished plate is then coated with varnish to form a tough, non-absorbent surface to ink up and print.It is probably the most flexible of techniques and can produce some of the most sophisticated and subtle effects, and can mimic those of etching.

I provide an abundance of materials to make relief collographs - fabrics and papers, powders and glues - and teach the various subtle ways of using these. It is best to have some already prepared material to work from e.g. drawings, photos etc.

The images shown above are (clockwise from top, left): a collograph plate; its printed image and 2 of my own collographs.