Purple Hippo Collagraph Prints

Earlier this year we went on holiday to Orlando, Florida and visited Busch Gardens Zoo. I spent a very enjoyable time watching a very cute hippo and managed to fill my camera's memory card with all the videos and photos I took! Here's me posing in front of the hippo!
 

 

 

 
I decided I just had to produce some artwork based on the photos of the hippo and did a quick watercolour of him:
 

"Hippo Float" Watercolour and Ink Painting.

 And couldn't resist putting him into a top hat and goggles:

"Steampunk Hippo" Acrylic Painting.

I took lots of photos of the hippo swimming and he looked so content and happy in this one I just had to make this one into a collagraph print and decided on making some tiny prints only 10 x 10cm:

 
This is the collagraph printing plate just being covered in prussian blue ink. (The image is reversed on the printing plate).

 
The printing plate fully wiped and ready to go into the printing press.

The finished print just off the press!

I loved this one so much that I decided I must do a couple more prints of the hippo swimming. Here's three of the printing plates inked up and ready to be printed.

And the finished collagraph prints with a touch of purple watercolour paint added to bring out the hippos.

"Hippo Swim 1" Limited Edition Collagraph Print

 

"Hippo Swim 2" Limited Edition Collagraph Print

 

"Hippo Swim 3" Limited Edition Collagraph Print

 They look really good framed too!

I love these so much I might have to do a few more collagraph prints of hippos very soon!

Clare xx