Wanderlust 2024 - weeks twenty-five to thirty-two - Printmaking

I was looking forward to this theme of the Wanderlust 2024 course and I have enjoyed it. The first week included some rust dyeing which I had not done before, so that was an interesting start.  We incorporated the images into the page.  There was also making a printing block using crumpled packing tape and doing some gel printing.  The focal image was a print from a polystyrene tile which we incised.  I was pleased with how the page came together. 

Week twenty-six was all about carving our own stamps set and we had to create three squares which would be printed over each other.  The next thing was to print a repeat pattern which I found a bit of a challenge and I didn't get it quite right on the finished page, but I still like the end result and enjoyed carving the three stamps.  

I went full on grunge with my next page, using household objects to print on a gel plate.  I used a few lids and a plastic cover from a plug, as well as some bubble wrap.

Creating fern prints was the focus of the next week, using the fern leaves on a gel plate as well as using the leaf as a stamp too. We then had to cut the prints into strips and weave them. 

Making our own foam stamps was the next focus and I liked adding the bright neons to this page which is one of the most vibrant I have made this year.

Making transfer prints from photos and magazines was the technique here.  The photo which I transferred onto a book page (on the left) shows three of my great uncles, around the time of the First World War.

We had to find a photo of a person which appealed to us for the next week. I chose this girl as I like her attitude.  Once she was cut out of the background, we had to fill it in with descriptions of ourselves - Chris provided the words for mine.  We could then add colour to the image and other details as we wanted to. I really enjoyed this page and using old photographs.

For the 'artful musings' week, I chose to create a grid showing some of the techniques I have been using during the course this year.

Our next theme is 'Drawing' so it will be interesting to see what is featured and how I get on.

More gel plate printing

 I have had a project in mind for a while and having been inspired, I finally started working on it, using my gel plate, which has been somewhat forgotten recently.  It was time to get it out again!  The first thing was to create some layered backgrounds on tags.  I used a mixture of opaque acrylics and iridescent ones to add some interest.  I was trying to make a rust-type background for three of these and the fourth was darker blues and purples.

These were some of the ghost prints I created during the layering process.  (Ghost prints can be used to clear the ink off the gel plate in between colours.)

 Sometimes, you get some really interesting looking prints...

 or interesting patterns...

 This print has gel prints and areas where I was cleaning the brayer (roller) in between colours.

 I do like the texture that the gel plate can provide too.

 I was also cleaning my stamps on this page too.

 I also watched a Youtube video on tape transfers using the gel plate and knew I needed to try that.  Colours are layered onto the plate and each layer is left to dry, then stamps, stencils, acrylic paint pens etc. are used to add patterns.

 When the paint is completely dry, you place sticky tape over the plate, make sure it is well pressed down and lift it off.  It brings all the lovely patterns you created off in a strip which can be stuck down to paper.

I stuck mine onto music pages and book pages and was so pleased with how they turned out.  I did find that iridescent paint was not the best for the layers as it took a while to dry and then came off the plate before I wanted it to.  Also, I stamped one set in dye ink, which didn't work as well as stamping with acrylic paint.

I really like these and will use them in my journal.  I am going to make some more and also I will finish the tags in the first photo too.

New Art work

We went to an Art sale at the weekend, featuring local glass artists, photographers and print makers.  Needless to say, we came home with some new additions to our collection of pictures.

 We both loved the seed head and branches by photographer Jane Wright - they are so atmospheric and just jumped out at us.

We also saw some of Alison Read's work (it was her house and we were able to see her studio which was fantastic!).  Chris loved this dog woodcut print...

 ...whereas I was after cat prints...like 'Furball' here...

 ...and I thought that this one looks a bit like Scruffy (so, of course, it had to come home with us!)

Right, all we need to do is to get them framed and then decide where they are going.  We are thinking of having a mini-gallery in the hall...