Showing posts with label monoprint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label monoprint. Show all posts

Sunday, 15 January 2012

The Printing Press




The printing press was invented in 1440 in the Holy Roman Empire by the German - Johannes Guttenburg, according to Wikepia. That is a very long time ago.  I wonder if Johannes had the same problems with printing that I am having? Interestingly print and stress are the same word in Dutch -- Druk-- . Very perceptive of the Dutch.  

 This is the problem. I need to using mono prints , in Black , white and brown, to make A4 prints onto A2 Paper inspired by the Deluge from Leonardo de Vinci. Well, there is a very fine line , between no paint at all transferring from my A4 sheet and a big blob transferring . Timing, amount of paint, pressure are some many factors that determine if it is a sucessul print , that Johannes was a clever man I think.

 Timing and the amount of paint seem probably the two most important factors of determining  between a dot and a blob, and I can't control either. I put my paint on using an old ice-cream plastic spoon. Scrap it up and down , and print.  Quick Quick or its dry before I try. I quickly learned, one colour at a time , or it just looks like sludge.    With this technique and your eyes half closed the print  does kind of look like rain. 

 Swirling is even more difficult , as it closely resembles a blob in the first place. So I am using a cork to spread , as it is a least round to begin with ,and thinking to creep up on beautiful swirls , by a gradual build up . This of course requires , lots of drying time , and it hard to know when to stop, another print here or there , might just make it a master piece or a total runination. 


Why am I doing this. I am not sure exactly but I am at module 13  of by ArtyBird course, I am sure all will be revealed by the time I reach the end module17.   I think it all to do with control of design processes, or in my case lack of control and I have to say I am enjoying it loads.

Here it is.














The question is , is it finished or does it needs a another blob or line?