Day 7

A little bit of etching today.  I prepared the plates and then wondered if you could print using soft ground and indeed you can, although I think I have pulled too much ground from the plates for them to etch without foul biting now so I may have to start all over again tomorrow.  Here are the soft ground prints.

Day 6 - 2 prints and more varnish

I made 2 large prints today, a thread print and associated ghost print and then I varnished 3 more prints.  The thread print was an experiment printing red on black.  It looks dark and menacing which is what I wanted and the emboss was so good it took a small piece of the paper with it to leave a bullet hole shape.

I am loving the way the varnish takes away the matt, 'dusty' look of the print and will have to get fresh supplies this week to do a few more. 

Day 5/Dawn 1 - Epson Inkjet 0

Only did inkjet printing today which doesn't count as 'real' printing in my book.  Using this printer frightens me, not in the least because it has a tendency to stop printing part-way through my prints and ruining them.  When I'm printing over my monoprints there might be 2 hours work on the paper before I start and it's very frustrating if something goes wrong.  Kittens are generally had.  Today was no exception except this time I put the paper back in (the opposite way around as the printer wouldn't accept it the original way around) and printed the same print again.  The disruption of the image and the break in the print actually fits in with my themes quite well so today, for once, it was Dawn 1 - Printer 0

 

Then I varnished some of my prints and what a difference it makes.  I used the satin and matt varnishes for oil paintings on parts of the print that I wanted to stand out and it really lifted the colours and textures.  I may be buying a larger brush and using it on all my prints ...

Day 4

These were the tools of my trade today

I walked about 5 miles in 6 hours to create a huge skein of thread as a wall piece.

I also temporarily blocked a fire exit as passers-by were fond of telling me. 

Easter holidays now, back on Tuesday for more printing.

Day 3

Today was a Good Print Day.  Take a look ...

inkjet print over monoprint

detail from above

monoprint over inkjet print

detail from above

monoprint over inkjet print

detail from above, showing thread embossing

ghost print

ready to go!

Day 2

The second day in the print studio was only ok.  There were many distractions and my digital printing did not go as smoothly as planned.  The prints I made in the afternoon weren't great either.  I took photos but then left my camera in my lab. coat pocket.  Here instead is a photo of spring in Co. Limerick with the wonderful, understated hues of blackthorn blossom and lichen.  It is actually more visually pleasing than anything I made today.

Also a partial frog skeleton that I found a few days ago and am waiting for Nature to clean completely before I add it to my collections.

After three years ...

we can now use the print studio in college over the Easter break.  This privilege is only given to 4th years so today, day 1, it was only Mags Codd and I.  It was lovely.  The sun was shining.  The builders were building and giving Mags hot flushes as they walked past, in their hard hats and hi-vis vests, carrying scaffolding poles.  Maybe tomorrow she'll pick a spot away from the window right next to where they work - or may be not.
I made 6 prints, 3 knotted thread prints, together with the associated ghost prints.  Photos to come tomorrow but in the meantime here is Mags all ready to go.  Note the lovely scuttery shade below her colour swatches.  It looked equally fantastic on her prints. 

We have 8 blessed print studio days and to try and remember them, and get in the habit of blogging a bit more, I've decided to try and post every studio day for the next two weeks.  Don't hold your breath though.

Dungarvan

I went to Dungarvan last week.  Lovely little place not in the least because wherever you are the sea is next to you.  Found a beach, had a bit of a comb.

Still here ...