Print Experimentation

I have begun creating different types of plates, trying to get out of the habit of staying within the confines of the plate, and experimenting with adding text. To create, in a sense, a whole person. From the body, to the cells which make up our brains, to our conscious and subconscious mind.

I have now developed my plates further, combining my collagraphs, representations of the feelings we cant control, from depression to anxiety, with my anatomy drypoint, showing humans in their simplest forms without the multitude of feeling and emotions felt on a daily basis. I have also added text, taken from a book on mental illness to further portray my point.

Etching using Ink as a Resist

I wanted to experiment with different resists, so I decided to use ink. I rolled out some ink, laid over some tissue paper and mono-printed. I used this print, to transfer ink on to my prepared aluminium plate. My intention was to create a ink pattern  out of automatic response, and let go of my confined way of printmaking.

 

The finished plate, to create this level of bite, I left the plate in the acid bath for 45 minutes.

Final Print. I was pleased with my final outcome, the seemingly random patterns reminded me of imagery found in Michaux’s short films on the subsconcious.

Collagraph

Taking inspiration from the outsider artists I have been studying, I have began creating collagraphs without planning and thought, like my previous plate. Instead, using masking tape on card, I let my hands do the work and tried not to think too heavily on what I was doing.

 

Continuing my experimentation into collagraphs, I have created two triangular plates, using masking tape and string. I made one using controlled placements, and the other with less pre thought, to create a contrast of emotion. I will next experiment more with colour, to create an more obvious contrast between the plates. I’ve used reds on one plate and blue and yellow tones on the other to create a contrast of mood, inspired by my recent research into anxiety, the reds to express the anger and frustration of not being in control and the blues to represent the low emotions created by the chemicals in our brains.

This form of creating led me to wonder, is this art? Are these shapes and colours representative of what i’m feeling, or are they completely random?

Drypoint Anatomy

 

Victorian anatomy illustrations

I have been interested in the biology behind art, using the human anatomy along with and collagraphs, colour and shapes to represent the human subconscious. I want to tie together the conscious and unconscious mind through the use of colour and shape to represent the human condition, from emotions to illnesses. I also want to incorporate a literal in sight into the human anatomy, I find a certain beauty in Victorian Illustrations, these are particularly interesting to me, although not always anatomically correct, they posses a morbid reality of the horrors experienced at the hands of Victorian surgeons. I think combining my abstract work, with more detailed drawings is the perfect way to bring together the concious and unconscious mind.

 

First attempted, I was not happy with this outcome, I felt the lines didn’t have enough depth. So I decided to re-work the plate.

Second attempt, I was much happier with this outcome. From here I plan on incorporating my different types of prints into one.

Drypoint Experimentation

 

Moving on from sketches, I have began creating drypoint prints, inspired by microscopic cells found in the human body. I have found the idea of chemicals in the brain producing creativity very interesting, with heightened creativity in those with mental disorders, or suffering with brain damage, or even those with a degenerative brain illness. Some scientists believe where linguistic and other communications tools break down, other ways of expression takes over.

Using a drypoint needle on acetate, I created an A5 plate inspired by the patterns found in human anatomy.

Using intaglio ink, I inked up the plate and using skrim removed the excess ink. I placed the damp paper on the press first, followed by the plate face down.

The end result.