Tiger Sleeping Collagraph Print

 

Printing a "Tiger Sleeping" Collagraph Print!

I thought it was about time I started editioning this print first started back in 2021! About a month after I proofed this print I ended up in hospital for three days which led to major mobility problems and I couldn't do any printmaking for over two years, so I think I have a good excuse for not editioning him yet!

First of all I cover the collagraph printing plate in Caligo Safewash blue/black etching ink. Then this is wiped off with newspaper and tissue paper. This leaves the ink in all the fine textures of the printing plate but any shiny surfaces are wiped clean of ink.

This is a two colour collagraph print but it is printed all in one go through the printing press. The orange colour is added using a technique called a la poupée, meaning "with a doll", which refers to the wad of fabric, shaped like a ball that is used to apply the ink in selected places. I use a small stencil to mask off anywhere I don't want the orange ink to go and the ink is applied by a small dabber. 

Tiger 'Sleeping print hot off my etching press!

Many more tiger prints to come!

Clare x 

Experimental Printmaking!

 

I've been doing a little bit of experimental printmaking! I've been using four collagraph printing plates and printing them on top of each other to create lots of texture and aging, its been a very interesting process and the most printing plates I've ever used in one go!

I wanted to add a little extra to my two plate collagraph image below of a ruined priory so I made a couple more crackle printing plates to print on top of it.

Here are all of the four printing plates inked up and ready for the experimentation to begin!

I printed them through the etching press one by one, starting with the black image of the ruined priory, trapping the paper each time under the roller so that I could keep the printing plates in the correct position every printing.

There was some very interesting results produced, one completely obscured the main priory print so I didn't think worked as well. It was also suggested to me that I try to print the crackle plates first and then the priory on top of those. It did produce a very interesting effect, see below, before the priory printing plate has been printed on top.

 A very abstract image was produced in the end, maybe slightly too many layers of crackle!

Some interesting textures were obtained depending on the order of the printing plates and I really like these two images produced.

And a lot of mess was made! 

I'm very inspired to do lots more experimental printmaking now too.

Clare x

Exhibitions!

 A look back at a few of my exhibitions over the last year or so!

RBSA Friends Exhibition Jan - Feb 2023

I started off 2023 with the Friends of the RBSA exhibition where I had an oil painting self portrait accepted!

RBSA Friends Jan - Feb 2024

I also managed to get two pieces accepted into the Friends of the RBSA exhibition at the begining of 2024 too! I was really excited to have two tiger collagraph prints accepted as I hadn't been able to do a lot of printmaking over the last few years. As due to a bad accident causing mobility problems these had been the first prints I had produced in a very long time so its was a good start to the year to finally show some new prints again! I also brought my printing plates in and did a little talk to Birmingham Art Circle all about my collagraph prints!

Birmingham Art Circle Selection Day Exhibition

In March 2023 I had a mini exhibition of my portrait paintings at the RBSA for judging by Birmingham Art Circle to be able to become a member of the society. I was very happy to get accepted to the Art Circle and try and get to their meetings as often as I can.

Birmingham Art Circle exhibition at the RBSA November 2023

Later in the year I had two oil portrait paintings in the Birmingham Art Circle exhibition at the RBSA gallery and the one of my mum even got a special mention in the speeches of the opening!

Art Yard Open Exhibition Sept 2023

Art Yard Open Exhibition Nov 2023

Art Yard Open Exhibition Dec 2023

Art Yard Open Exhibition Feb 2024

I've also exhibited quite a few times at the Art Yard, Cradley Heath. This is a lovely friendly gallery not far from me and they are always happy for chat, often with coffee and cake!

I've had steampunk cats, elephant oil paintings and hippo collagraph prints on exhibition at the Art Yard and I'm looking forward to exhibiting many more times with them this year!

Ikon Gallery Print Fair

I've got quite a few exciting upcoming exhibitions too. I've got a stall full of my prints at the Ikon Gallery Print Fair on 14 April 2024.

Two exhibitions with Birmingham Art Circle later in the year.

Print Fest Wolverhampton

I'm also helping to organise Print Fest Wolverhampton on 8 - 10 November 2024 at the Newhampton Arts Centre, and will have a stall there with all my prints. I will also be doing a bit of demoing of my printmaking practice too!

Clare x

Making a Crackle Printing Plate!

I have been doing a lot of experimenting recently with overlaying a crackle textured printing plate on top of some of my older collagraph printing plates to create some different patterns and age. 

I discovered, by accident, a few years ago a reaction to using two different shiny paints which causes the top coat to crack and then produce fine lines which are an interesting texture to print. These are all completely random so are very fun to produce!

Here's how about making a crackle printing plate:

I use a piece of scrap mountboard cut to size. Then I apply a layer of gloss acrylic medium all over the mountboard. It doesn't have to be too even, infact as uneven as possible seems to produce more interesting cracks!

Once the acrylic medium is completely dry I add a layer of radiator paint (it only works with the cheapest possible radiator paint, this one was about £5 from B & M Bargains) Again this layer doesn't need to be even. The radiator paint then needs to dry out overnight and the reaction is best done in a cold room (I have put the prinitng plates in the fridgeto crackle too!)

A tiny bit of cracking is starting in the corners after a few hours but don't be tempted to touch these plates until at least 24 hours has passed and they are completely dry.

Its hard to photograph the cracks as they are white on white! Heres the finished crackle printing plate all inked up with yellow ochre ink and my Dudley Castle collagraph printing plate ready to be printed.

The castle printing plate goes through the printing press first with the edge of the paper caught slightly under the roller so that I can then align and replace the castle printing plate with the crackle printing plate to print on top of the image.

The crackle plate is then printed on top of the castle image. (As the ink is still wet you can see some residual ink left from the castle on the crackle plate)

I'm only printing these in very small editions, four for this one.

A close up of the finished collagraph print so that you can see the interesting textures created by the crackle plate!

Clare x

Printing a Staircase!

 

After visiting Picton Castle last year I was fascinated by the crumbling staircase there and I really wanted to depict it as a collagraph print. I finally got round to making the printing plate the end of last year but I really felt it needed something more so I made another printing plate to go over the top with crackles on it. I felt this really depicted the age and added a bit more interest and depth.

I inked up and printed both of the printing plates at the same time.

Inking up and wiping both printing plates below.

The first printing plate was printed on my etching press of the staircase inked up in blue/black ink.

I kept the paper caught under the roller of the printing press so it wouldn't move and then placed the crackle plate inked with yellow ochre printing ink ready to print.

This was then printed on top of the staircase print. (A little of the staircase ink transfers to the printing plate too!)

The finished collagraph print hot off the printing press!

I'm really enjoying playing with crackle plates at the moment so will be doing lots more experimenting!

Clare x

Painting a Mad Hatter Tiger

I decided to have a go at filming myself while painting, it was my first time so I was a bit nervous! I treated myself to a tripod for my camera and thought I'd have a go with one of my favourite subjects, a tiger.

I managed to attach my camera to a chair to keep it steady. I did discover the camera was in the way quite a lot and also my hand kept blocking the view as I was painting, so next time I might set it up a bit differently,  but in the end it wasn't too bad. I also knocked the camera a couple of times but luckily it isn't too noticable in the finished version of the video! 

I've speeded up the video and made over an hour of painting into just over a minute, wish I could always paint that fast!

Here's the finished painting:

Mad Hatter Tiger - Acrylic Painting

I've also made it into a greeting card:

Mad Hatter Tiger - Greeting Card

And a badge set:

Steampunk Tigers - Badge Set

So I have tigers everywhere!

I'm looking forward to another foray into filming soon!

Clare xx

Art Exhibitions

In these weird times the way we exhibit artwork has changed an awful lot. I have just entered three online exhibitions (keep your fingers crossed!) and thought I'd have a look back at some of my recent exhibitions.

I started off the year really well by managing to get one of my collagraph prints "Tiger Relax" accepted into a very difficult exhibition to get into, the RBSA (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists) Open exhibition. 

This exhibition opened in March and luckily I managed to see it before lockdown happened and the gallery closed. Sadly I didn't get to wear my posh frock as the closing party was cancelled! The exhibition is actually still on at the gallery, as it couldn't be taken down, and I'm hoping the building ghosts are enjoying their exclusive exhibition at the moment!

My favourite exhibition of last year had to be the Wolverhampton Society of Artists Centenary exhibition at Wolverhampton Art Gallery in December. I was very shocked to win first prize in the Selection Panel Choice and got to meet the Mayor of Wolverhampton who presented me with my certificate!

I also exhibited another couple of times at the RBSA last year. Back in March 2019 for the Open All Media exhibtion, where I exhibited an oil painting for the very first time!

And in July 2019 I exhibited my collagraph print "Tiger Feet" in the annual Friends exhibition and even got to do a 5 minute talk about how I make my collagraph printing plates!

I really have had a busy few years of exhibitions and hopefully soon we will be able to exhibit properly in real life again!

Clare xx