Some Printing experiments

At last I have managed to get some time in my studio today. I thought I had better do some work on Lesson 3 of the printmaking course. I found this blue block in the art shop. It carved quite well.I have to say I was delighted with the prints. It took the paint well and I got a couple or three prints from each block before I needed to apply more paint. It's sponge like to I guess it retains the paint a little better. I used Stewart Gill Alchemy paints on a black paper background.
I used Maribu Textil paint on a heavy weight cartridge paper for the above sample. I like to try the block and paint on paper before trying it on fabric. I may try fabric tomorrow if I have time.
I drew a design on cardboard, applied some double sided tape all over the design and then followed the design with string. This is a nice easy method. You have to be careful as the paper is inclined to stick to the double sided tape. I put the paper on top of the string at first but it was better if I took the string block to the paper. If you get my drift!

And here is the print! I used cartridge paper here and the Maribu Textil paint. I think this would look good on fabric but instead of using paint perhaps I will try Xpandaprint (puff paint except the Xpandaprint has no colour, it comes as a creamy colour).

I bought some polystyrene sheets in A4 and A3 size from the art shop. You can, of course, use the trays you get from the supermarket but I didn't have any. The sheets are good as you can get a nice size block.

You can see I have cut out my design and have a positive and negative design. This was so easy to cut with a craft knife. I bought a scalpel which cuts so well (well it would have to wouldn't it!). You just have to take great care when using it.

I used two colours for this print. I used Stewart Gill Alchemy paints. These are my favourite paints as they come in such wonderful colours and they have really nice sparkly and interference colours. I looooooove their embossing powders as well. I used a heavy weight cartridge paper for this print.

The picture hasn't come out too well. I used interference colours for this on a yellow background. It looks so much nicer in real life.

I have "borrowed" Norman's (DH) Dremel and am about to try some lino cutting before I have to go make the evening meal. Time is flying by today - I must be having too much fun! I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks for dropping by.