Research Point : Collograph/Collatype

Research point

Before you embark on this interesting project, take a look at what others have achieved using a relief collage as a starting point. Trawl through some examples of collographs/collatypes (same thing) online, pick out some favourites and write about them in your learning log.

Hester Cox

Click here to visit Hester's website (1)

Hester is a British printmaker based in the North of England. I met her through a mutual friend and have attended a workshop run by her at ArtisOn in Masham. The workshop was about drypoint. However, Hester works primarily tin collagraph and so I have been lucky enough to see some of her work in person. It is impressive both in scale and composition and in her control of the medium in creating figurative work. 

Click here to view a profile of the artist on Vimeo (2)

Hester's work is inspired by the natural world. She lives in a rural location and, as a fell runner, she spends a lot of time out in the wilderness and so has the opportunity to encounter the flora and fauna which feature prominently in her work. 

The artist herself says: " My printmaking is informed by my surroundings and wherever I am, I seek out evidence of the natural world that is particular to that location" (1)

Hester's work uses multiple plates, intricate cutting of paper as well as painted textures and found natural objects. 

While researching Hester's work I found this video (3) about a collaborative exhibition she was involved in called "Collections". I found this particularly interesting because it chimes with my recent research related to the concept of specimens and the cabinet of curiosities. In particular with the work of Mark Dion which has interested me. 

I have made notes on individual works by Hester and the techniques she has used in my sketchbook. 

Brenda Hartill

I found this artist's work both on the Printmakers Council Website (4) and in the book 'Printmakers' Secrets' by Anthony Dyson (5) in which she gives quite a detailed description of her working method. I then visited the artist's website (6) in order to explore her work further and I have made notes on some of her individual works in my sketchbook. 

Hartill's work is richly textural and mostly abstract. she uses exciting combinations of colours and textural interest and her compositions have a great balance of tonal values. 

This artist recommends using 600gsm paper for editioning but 300 for proofing backed with blotting paper (5). She describes in detail how she adheres the material to the board and makes sure it is firmly adhered to the paper by passing it through the press on moderate pressure without inking. 

Looking at her work she seems to have used natural found objects such as grasses. She also uses plaster filler, glues, metal paints, carborundum and sand. (5) The carborundum provides rich dark darks in her prints. You can see areas where she has applied pollyfilla (or equivalent) and carved or scratched into it. She also uses chine collé and metal leaf to provide accents. In some of her prints it looks as though she has intaglio inked in one colour (for example orange) and then relief inked over this by rolling over a contrasting colour (blue) - this gives an exciting colour combination. 

I am drawn to this work by the exciting combination of textures, bold tonal contrasts and rich colours. 

In her recent work, Hartill has been using blind embossing combined with drawing in ink and graphite as well as blind embossing with watercolour. I really like this direction as it combines my love of printmaking with embellishment of individual works by drawing. I thought I would have a try at this by drawing into a blind embossing of a lino cut that I had done at a recent course. This was in fact much more difficult than it appeared! The blind embossing looked much better before I interfered with it. This would require a lot more practice or maybe different paper. 

Sarah Amos

Click here to view the artist's website which also includes some interesting videos of the artist describing her way of working.

I first saw this artist's work in 'Printmaking. A complete guide to materials and processes' by Bill Fick and Beth Grabowski (8) and found more examples of and information about her work by looking at her website. 

Amos is an Australian artist living and working in an isolated location in the USA (7). 
When I first look at some of her work I thought that some of the forms she used looked organic like amoebae and sunflower seeds. In other places she uses geometric shapes and lines which are more reminiscent of man made forms and architecture. In fact, Amos cites the Australian landscape as one of her major influences as well as being interested in indigenous peoples, their traditions and their visual language. (7) I guess my interpretation of amoebae and seeds reflects my personal interests rather than this artist's intention. 

Amos learnt to be a master printmaker producing lithographs for other artists. She says this helped her with her own work because it made her think more clearly about combining elements in layers. (7). 

Previously, this artist made her large scale abstract works using plexiglass plates as a base but combining various materials and plates together and printing onto paper. (7) Her recent work is printed onto felt. In one of the videos on her website, she describes the childhood game of 'fuzzy felt' (which I used to adore when I was young). Her current working process has some common ground with this game in that she prints out individual elements on to felt and then pins them and moves them around until she is happy with the composition (4). Some of the appliqué pieces are also padded adding a three- dimensions or sculptural element to her work. She also has drawn elements in the works. In the felt pieces, the drawn elements are created using stitch (7). 

I would love to see Sarah Amos's work in real life rather than through a computer screen. I find the scale and ambition of the work inspiring. Some of the pieces are very large indeed, for example 'Five Sepals' seen here in a an exhibition catalogue on the Cynthia -Reeves gallery website (9) measures 167.64 x 195.58 cm. Looking at a photograph of the gallery view of the exhibition gives some idea of scale but is no substitute for seeing the real thing. 

Wael A Sabour

Is an Egyptian artist. He describes his working process in 'Printmaking. A complete guide to materials and processes' by Bill Fick and Beth Grabowski (10). I have not been able to find a website for this artist but some of his work is displayed on the Artslant website. (11) I want to look in particular at "Shadows of Democracy" (Collagraph 210 x 280cm, 2005) and "The Wall (Collagraph 240 x 280 cm, 2004). Both of these works are overtly political and, despite their abstraction, are very successful in communicating their messages. 

'Shadows of Democracy' is formed of six square collagraph panels. Each panel is filled with rich texture and colour but the shapes and colours are highly symbolic. The black shapes are immediately recognisable as the shapes of aeroplanes and fainter shapes each these, representing their shadows. They look like WWII bombers but the reference is more recent. The ground beneath the the planes is in rich shoes of russet/orange/brown and the texture brings to mind cracked earth or crowded flat rooted dwellings. This brings to mind dry lands in the Middle East and also the phrase 'Scorched Earth' and US foreign policy. The artist says that he wants to highlight, " the hypocrisy of nations that promote democracy while attacking other nations" . I would, therefore say that this work is successful in that it does communicate that to me. It is easy to read the artist's intention here without the work being overt and illustrative. 

I tried thinking about how the image might have been achieved. The shapes of the houses/settlements might have been created by small, geometrically shaped pieces of paper or foil to the plate or alternatively by applying holding paste of gesso and then scratching the shapes into this. The black shapes of the planes could be stencilled monoprints over the top. Alternatively, the artist might have applied something textural such as carborundum through a stencil (although I doubt whether this would have created such precise shapes). 

In "Printmaking: A complete guide" (8) describes his working process: He says that he always starts with a simple idea. Either something that interests him visually from the natural world or provocative social and political topics. His research includes other artists' work, documentaries - he utilises a wide range of source materials to inspire his work. 
He makes several simple sketches  and then considers the technique, colours and format of the work. He says he likes the 3-dimensional effect of collagraph and he deliberately creates work on a large format because he wants the viewer to feel directly involved in the action or event depicted, rather than an external spectator. 

One point he made which interested me greatly was his assertion that defining the relationship between the technical process and the content is very important. Success depends on the integration of the two. The technical process is just a vehicle that conveys the content , therefore, the content should rule. He says that "happy accidents" such as with textures and forms, should be exploited but without distracting from the central message of the work. 

This point, I feel is especially relevant to me right now. I am just starting in printmaking and so struggling to get to grips with new techniques all the time. On discovering a new technique or a way to create a texture, it is tempting to try to mould the subject matter of my work around that new technique or to include too many techniques in one print just to demonstrate what I've learnt. I think that actually, it will show that I have matured somewhat as an artist if I can learn to be selective in trying to convey the subject matter in the simplest way possible. It will be important to keep this in mind when I move forward to part 5 in which I must create hybrid prints using multiple techniques. 

Juan Sanchez

Juan Sanchez is Nuyorican. That is he is from a Puerto Rican family but was born in New York. His work is overtly political and concerned with cultural identity. In his artists statement (12) he says he wants: " To search for racial, cultural, social and political definitions rooted in and arising from a hostile environment is a necessity in my creative process. To dig deep into the history of the colonised and the colonisers and to take back what is rightfully ours is part of the process." 

Much of his work stems directly from his cultural heritage and it often includes religious imagery such as crosses and angel wings, reminiscent of street corner shrines. 

"Rosa" (seen here on the Artsy website) is taken from series of collagraphs about influential people who died young. Rosa Luxembourg was a polish Jew who established a left wing, Marxist, revolutionary movement in Germany during WW1 alongside Karl Liebnecht. (14). After the war, she was assassinated along with Liebnecht because she was considered a threat to the new government. 

In Sanchez's print, the star of David as a representation of Judaism seems to either imprison or to protect her it isn't clear which - or maybe it should be read literally that she was a 'star' but that seems rather banal. She seems to me to be surrounded by bubble wrap so I'm inclined towards the view of protection  or perhaps the artist is saying that her memory should be preserved. The two draped, lifeless arms below her portrait reflect the double assassination and their layout provides symmetry and calm in contrast to the tension and violence of Rosa's story. 

I have looked at, and been inspired by a number of other cola graph artists, in addition to those mentioned here. Below are the links to their websites. However, I cannot devote sufficient time for a long write up on everyone as it is very important that I meet my deadline for this assignment.

Sarah Ross-Thompson - beautiful layers and textured, colourful landscapes

Clare Maria Wood - abstract and constructed collagraphs - wonderful use of texture and multiple colours

Lynn Bailey - combines collagraph, photo-collagraph and drypoint. Has an environmental message
Suzie MacKenzie - inspired by the flora, fauna and landscape (as well as remnants of industry) from the Scottish countryside where she lives.
Sinclair Ashman. I especially like his exploration of fabrics to create simple abstract pieces which suggest movement or figures.
Ruth Barret-Danes. This artist's work inspired me to take a look at the technique of silk aquatint collagraph as I adore the black blacks she is able to achieve with this technique. 

References:

(1) http://www.hestercox.com

(2) https://vimeo.com/113608758

(3) https://vimeo.com/185126766

(4) https://printmakerscouncil.com/artists/

(5) Dyson, A. (2011). Printmakers' secrets. London: Bloomsbury, pp.72-73.

(6) https://www.brendahartill.com
(7) http://www.sarahamosstudio.com
(8) Fick, B. and Grabowski, B. (2015). Printmaking. A complete guide to materials & process. Rev. ed. 2nd ed. London: Laurence King, p.143.
(9) http://www.cynthia-reeves.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Amos_Walpole_v1.pdf
(10) Fick, B. and Grabowski, B. (2015). Printmaking. A complete guide to materials & process. Rev. ed. 2nd ed. London: Laurence King, p. 152.
(11) https://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/198475-wael-a-sabour?page=1&tab=ARTWORKS
(12) http://www.mapr.org/en/museum/proa/artist/sanchez-juan
(13) https://www.artsy.net/artwork/juan-sanchez-rosa
(14) 10) Fick, B. and Grabowski, B. (2015). Printmaking. A complete guide to materials & process. Rev. ed. 2nd ed. London: Laurence King, p. 145
(15) https://www.rossthompsonprints.com/home
(16) https://www.claremariawood.co.uk/printmaking
(17) http://lynnbailey.co.uk/artwork/galleries-2/meadows-landfill
(18) http://www.mackenziefineart.co.uk
(19) https://sinclairashman.com/the-prints-fabric/
(20) http://www.kevishouse.com/ruth-barrett-danes.html

Research Point: Contemporary printmakers who use experimental methods in their printmaking

Research point

Take a look at some contemporary printmakers who use experimental methods to make their prints. You could start by exploring the printmakerscouncil.com website, where you will find links to some interesting practitioners. What have you found of interest? What new techniques and ideas have arisen in this investigation? Make notes in your learning log.

First a disclaimer because found this research point quite difficult. The reason for this is that I am relatively new to printmaking so all printmaking techniques are new to me. This means that I found it quite difficult to identify which printmakers were using experimental techniques. However, I have become very interested in lino etching after the course which I attended, so I decided to look mainly at artists who employed this technique. To me this seems like and experimental technique but it may now be accepted as mainstream.  

Fabian Matthias Osborne

Click here to view examples of the artist's work on his website

Fabian was one of the tutors on the lino etching weekend course which I attended at West Yorkshire Print Workshop. 

Originally a ceramicist, his printmaking has developed from the same thread of subject matter which came through in his ceramics. He explores the surface textures and patterns that he finds in the landscape, both in the urban environment and in nature. 

His current work uses lino etching entirely and he generally works on large circular plates which he cuts by hand with a craft knife (quite a feat in itself in my opinion!). This must also make registration when printing in multiple layers a real challenge. On the course, he seemed to be able to do it using a simple registration sheet by eye - but as I said not having a corner to register to may make this more difficult than he made it appear. 

He creates patterns and textures using a variety of techniques with the etching. For example his 'Emerald Moon' employs marbling with stop out varnish and repeated etching. 'Spacers' employs letterpress spacers dipped in stout varnish and applied to the plate in a pattern and 'Pool' and 'pools' employ the technique which I tried out on the course which involves repeated etching in ever decreasing areas concentrically. 

He prints in multiple layers and will rotate the plate slightly on each subsequent layer to enhance the irregularity of the patterns created (although again, it must be a challenge to know whether he has rotated it because of the lack of points of reference on the circumference of a circle. 

I found his work inspiring and it made me want to experiment further with lino etching. 

Jenny Thomas

Jenny also tutored on the lino etching weekend but she allowed Fabian to take the lead in the demonstrations. During the weekend she carried out many experiments with different ways of creating a resist. Her willingness to experiment and 'play' was contagious and I found her approach liberating. 

Click here to view and example of her lino etching on the Water Street Gallery Website

The image in the link above "Flower 7 - stripey" is created using lino etching. It is on a square format and I suspect it has been etched more than once. It is printed in two colours read and black. The gestural nature of the abstract flower petals give it a dynamic feeling. The texture is very interesting. Brush marks are exploited from where the etch has been applied and the parallel stripes have been made by dragging a metal decorators' comb across the lino during the etch to manipulate the placement of the paste and to scratch the softened surface of the lino. 

Steve Edwards 

Click here to see examples of the artist's work on his website

This artist is probably best known for his large scale cityscapes and landscapes. In particular he manages to evoke the atmosphere of the urban landscape of London and light reflections from the surface of the Thames. exploits the lino to its full potential using a combination of etching and cutting. He sometimes also combines this with monotype. As well as the landscapes he does look at other subjects including figurative (human) subjects. 

Looking at some of his London cityscapes from a distance, they look almost photographic in their realism. He captures the quality of light and the shapes of the London skyline beautifully. Looking in more detail however, you can see the complexity of the textures that he has managed to create on the surface of the Lino. 

He uses the textural elements from the etched Lino to represent the more natural parts of the urban environment such as the water and clouds. The cut elements are more controlled and therefore more suitable for the silhouettes of buildings. I think he uses a variety of techniques to ink his plates too such as rainbow rolling and selective inking of certain areas such that he may in some cases be creating variable editions. 

I would love to see this work in person as many of his prints are large (for example 70x90cm) and so it is no possible to perceive the full impact of the pieces from small photographs - I'd like to get right up close and try to work out exactly how he has achieved such textures and light effects. Maybe he is using a combination of relief and intaglio printing techniques which would add an additional layer of technical difficulty with having to dampen the paper and deal with expansion and shrinkage in multiple layered printing. I don't know. 

Alison Pilkington

Click here to view examples of the artist's work on the SO Fine Art Editions website

Pilkington is an Irish artist and is both a painter and a printmaker. she has really made Lino etching her own. Her works are abstract and are all about texture and colour. I again would like to see her work in person to try to work out how she has gone about creating these because the although they appear simple I suspect they are actually quite difficult to create. She manages to leave areas of crisp bright colours as well as the more granular textured areas of the etching - is she using cutting as well as etching? Does she use multiple plates or multiple layers of etching on one plate like a reduction? 

However she manages to achieve these exuberant prints, her work is very different in character from the other artists I have mentioned in this context - this shows that Lino etching is a versatile technique that can be used to achieve a variety of effects on the final print. 

Anthony Broad

Does not use Lino etching but I have never seen the technique he uses before so I have included him here under experimental techniques. 

Click here to view examples of graphite prints on the artist's website

Although the theme of this artist's work doesn't particularly chime with my own concerns, being about masculinity and concepts of manliness in society I was intrigued by the metallic surface he manages to create on his prints. 

On his website, Broad states that this is his own technique which he has recently developed. He applies graphite powder to the paper which he burnishes to a smooth finish. He then uses blind embossing with a woodcut block. This makes his final works almost sculptural although they are created on a flat sheet of paper. The paper appears transformed into something more substantial and perhaps more valuable - sheet metal, armour or coins. 

Research Point: Clare Curtis and Mark Hearld

Research point

Now look at the work of Clare Curtis or Mark Hearld, both contemporary printmakers, and look closely at how their prints are created. What makes them work? Are there any techniques you could re-use? Make notes in your learning log.

I have decided to look at the work of both artists but will concentrate more on Mark Hearld. This is partly because I was able to find more information about this artist and partly because his subject matter includes animals which chimes with my own interests. 

Mark Hearld

I found a video in which the artist talks about his practice. Click here to view "Mark Hearld" an introduction on You Tube

Hearld's subject matter is primarily concerned with the flora and fauna of the British countryside. His work show clear evidence of the influence of mid 20th century artists such as Edward Bawden, Eric Ravilious and John Piper. In the video, we learn that this was further reinforced by his tutors at Glasgow School of Art and the Royal Academy. One of his tutors, John Norris Wood, was taught by Edward Bawden. (1)

I found the artist's use of collage particularly interesting. He enjoys the graphic quality in the use of college and he talks about finding visual equivalents for elements in his composition by chance. He says that working in collage has informed his printmaking because he works in layers and it encourages him to 'think in layers'.. This then becomes useful when combining elements in his lithography. He also has a fascination for objects and talks about placing different objects together as a sort of 3-d collage. He also designs functional objects such as plates and fabric, partly because he likes objects and artefacts and partly because he wants his art to be accessible to those who can't afford to buy a painting or original print.

I am going to concentrate here on his use of linocut by looking at two specific linocuts - I have annotated reproductions of these in my sketchbook:

'Garden Birds' (seen here, reproduced on the art angels website) is made in two colours plus black' plus the white of the paper. It appears to be a multi-plate print although I'm not sure whether it's three plates or two plates with variable inking. The two colours are pale blue and a pale beige which contrast well with the black ink. 
The composition is quite busy with lots of detail but it works well. The two birds are the main focal points, in particular their eyes. One is located in the lower and left third of the composition, the other is located at the junction of the upper right third. Secondary focal pints are the eggs in the nest and the house. 

Lots of diagonals make for quite a dynamic composition. Reading from the lower left hand corner, the diagonal of the direction of the gaze of the lower bird as well as the branch on which it is standing, move the eye up towards the other bird. The second bird's feet lead to the nest and the eggs and then the curve of the nest leads the eye diagonally back towards the house.  The line of the bird's tail leads away into the tree and then back via flying birds and curved lines in the sky round the whole composition to the starting point in the lower left again. 
There are several diagonal lines which lead your eye from the lower bird up towards the house. These diagonals serve to create perspective and the relative sizes of the birds and the house create some depth to the composition. 
Hearld employs many different kinds of marks to create texture and tonal contrast . there is a good balance of tonal values with the foreground being more black with negative shapes carved out of it for leaves and flowers and the sky being relatively light with black trees in silhouette on the skyline. 

"The Rooster', seen here on the St Jude's Prints website is a relatively large print (705x550mm - so larger than A2). It appears to be a two block linocut using a relatively bright blue and black. The composition os almost circular: the eye is drawn all around the print:

The gentle diagonal of the fence draws the eye across . The smaller V of the background fence stops the eye from exiting at the right side and directs you back to the rooster's eye. The rooster's gaze and the elegant curves of his tail feathers bring the eye diagonally up and back towards the left (the curve of the railway carriage's roof also stops your eye from exiting at the upper right hand corner). The arc of a bird's flight and curved lines in the sky further continue the route to the upper left hand corner. From here, the line continues down the stem of the tall plant in the left extremity of the print and the strong curve of the junction between the path and the vegetation swoops the eye back to restart the circle with the fence. 

There are many different types of marks here. Tiny short lines represent grass. Curves represent the feathers on the rooster's chest. . Circular gouges represent the stones on the path. Many fine parallel lines add interest and total values In the sky and behind the tall plant. He also plays with positive and negative carving to add interest to the vegetation , the tree and the  feathers. 

Once again, he uses relative sizes of the rooster to the geese, cat, hen and chicks as well as the shed in the background, to give an impression of depth. 
I would very much like to see this work in person because a small image on a computer screen of a large scale work doesn't give the full effect. 

Clare Curtis

Click here to visit the artist's website for examples of her work

Clare Curtis ia a printmaker and illustrator and many of her prints are concerned with horticultural subjects. She uses stylised forms for plants and her compositions and colour schemes appear to be carefully planned. Her colour schemes, even using contrast between complementary colours have a harmony to them and the balance of tonal values is also pleasing. 

The combination of stylised horticultural subject matter with the harmonious colours show some similarity with the work of Angie Lewin.

Although both Angie Lewin and Clare Curtis produce work that I am not immediately drawn to (maybe it's the subject matter and the carefully planned decorative nature of them that puts me off I'm not really sure why I don't respond to these as I do to other prints), I can clearly see the expertise involved and appreciate why these artists are so popular. I have made notes on some of Clare's prints in my sketchbook.

There are many techniques I can try to emulate in these printmakers' work. One of the techniques I am particularly keen to try out is using collage to plan my Lino-cuts. I had already considered doing this because I saw the 'Matisse Cut Outs' exhibition at Tate Modern a few years ago and the fact that Matisse used collage to plan his compositions for paintings struck me as a good idea. Composition is something that I struggle with and  I also have a tendency to run out of  patience with doing lots of thumbnail sketches to try to work it out. Being able to move pre-cut elements about seems like a more flexible and immediate way to proceed. This seems particularly suited to linocut because I can plan colour layers by using papers coloured with gouache or acrylic paint. I am definitely going to try this. 

Looking at these artists has made me think more about what the elements of a successful composition may be and also about the importance of achieving a balance of tonal values and colours. This will help me to keep these factors in mind as I move forwards. 

My tutor also suggested that I look at the work of Dale Devereux Baker and Scarlette Homeshaw. I will make a separate post about these artists 

References:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byG6w2qaWnw

Research Point: Edward and Richard Bawden

Research point

Look at the work of Edward Bawden, and his son, contemporary printmaker Richard Bawden. Take a close look at the way they have worked with multiple blocks. What can you learn from them?


Edward Bawden (1903-1989)

Edward Bawden was a painter and illustrator as well as a printmaker and commercial graphic artist. He trained alongside Paul Nash and Eric Ravilious at the Royal College of Art.(1) (2). He also served as a war artist during WWII. This research point will confine itself to his linocuts the medium with which he is probably the most closely associated. I'll look at a few of his works as follows. 

Bawden's large scale print of Brighton Pier is one of his most famous works. Click here to view the print on the V&A Museum website. (1) The composition is framed on either side by graphic representations of local architectural features in starkly contrasting black and white. The pier itself is placed such that we have a foreshortened view and our eyes a drawn along a strong diagonal to the structure at the end (the Palace Theatre). 

The print was formed using two main blocks - one for the black and white detail work and one for the main areas of colour such as the sky and the sea. The block was large so was apparently printed by being laid on the studio floor where the artist used his feet to print it. (3)

The thing I find most interesting about this print, is the decorative detail that is included. There is a great deal of difference between the kids of marks the artist has made on the architectural structures and the natural elements like the sea and the beach. The inking appears to be be different in these areas too. Paler with lest stark contrast compared to the decorative details such as the ironwork on the pier. This dramatic difference in treatment of different elements of the composition seems to be quite common in Bawden's work. 

Looking at Bawden's linocut of Liverpool Street station Click here ro view it on the Fry Gallery website (2)you can see some variety in the inking techniques he has used. The ironwork is printed in flat graphic black. The sky showing through the ironwork, however, has a different feel. It is pale and possibly translucent. It seems to fade away to nothing almost as though Bawden has only partially inked the roller - but I'm sure this is deliberate. On the right side of the image, he has printed translucent pale grey ink with a swirly pattern over the black iron work. The iron work shows through. This effectively represents the billowing translucency of steam. The use of these effects means that the edition would have been variable - more like a series of monotypes in fact (2).

Edward Bawden employed a wide variety of mark making techniques and his work is very decorative and illustrative with surface patterning being the most outstanding feature. When people appear in his prints, they are flat like cardboard cut outs. He also produced numerous linocuts of animals (especially cats). These are more humorous and cartoonish in nature. 

Richard Bawden (Contemporary)

Richard studied painting, printmaking and graphic design at Chelsea, St Martin's and the Royal College of Art.

His work echoes some of his father's techniques. He also works in linocut as well as other printmaking techniques. He too, is concerned with surface decoration to a large extent. In some of his work there is a great proliferation of patterning. For example in 'Fizz' seen here on the Art Angels website, (reproduction) the majority of the surface is taken up with patterning of different types. Checks and lines on he sofa, geometric patterns on the cushions and two different layers, directions and colours of stripe on the cat. In the background there are prints within prints which are also covered in pattern. The background is translucent pink fading tho grey, much like in the Liverpool Street station sky of Edward Bawden's print. They both use the roller in this situation in a painterly way.

Richard Bawden will sometimes overlay one pattern over another. This can be seen in this image of mackerel on the art angels website. Here he has laid dark hatching over the bright geometric patterning of the tablecloth and over the various patterns and colours of the fish in order to create shadow and build three dimensional form to the bodies. 

In 'Roses and Freesias' he exploits the translucency of the ink. Laying one colour over another to create a third colour.

The artist describes his approach in the book 'Printmakers' Secrets' by Antony Dyson (5):

"Excited by what I see, I am driven by a compulsion to draw and paint. Sometimes I am inspired by the sheer grandeur of a location and sometimes by its details, by the richness ad depth of colour and texture. I am not ashamed to admit that I love decoration. Yet I am also enraptured by monumental geometric simplicity and the satisfying tension of a straight line. As an artist, my starting points are many: people, places, open landscape, intricate interiors, things which are odd or, at first glance, even completely boring (although inviting transformation). For me, making a print is a way of extending an idea a stage further than drawing or painting. A spontaneous drawing is often the starting point for a considered design, frequently lurking in my mind in several forms'.

He goes on to describe how he works with the Lino, using a Stanley knife to make precise linear cuts and flat shapes.For him Lino is a very controlled medium in comparison with etching which he uses in a very free way using multiple proofs which he works into using watercolour and crayon. with lino, he plans everything meticulously in advance as, "This leaves nothing to chance; everything is carefully considered and thought out." (5)


In his linocut 'Fireside' click here to view the 'green man' version on Gwen Hughes -Fine Art site (6),the artist acknowledges the influence of his father on his work. This is self portrait, the artist is relaxing in an armchair. Above his head there is a picture of his father in an almost identical pose. Above the fireplace hangs one of his fathers linocuts of a cat while Richard's own cats play on the fireside rug. Everywhere there is the surface patterning that is a feature of both artists' work. 



The work of both father and son is extremely accomplished and exploits the medium to its full extent. There is certainly a lot that I can learn from their work although personally it doesn't excite me or draw me in. It has certainly been a valuable exercise to look in more detail at how they have achieved their results.


What Can I Learn from These Artists?:

• It is possible to combine very different techniques of patterning and mark-making in a single print
• Less isn't always more when it comes to surface pattern and decoration - sometimes more can be more!
• It is possible to ambitious with scale and subject matter
• The block can be inked in different ways to create a variable series of prints.
• Translucent ink and lighter ink can be used over dark ink to good effect
• Colour mixing of overlaid layers of ink can be exploited to good effect
• A Stanley knife is a good tool for cutting straight lines (although being a surgeon I'd prefer a scalpel)
• Art and design are two parts of the same thing. Edward Bawden was both a designer and a fine artist
• Multiple blocks can be used and they can be pieced together to form a design. (For example when printing wallpaper)

References:
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bawden
(2) https://www.scribd.com/document/35418461/Lecture-Notes-Edward-Bawden-Art-vs-Design-Kristian-Purcell
(3) https://artuk.org/discover/stories/edward-bawdens-tips-for-creating-a-great-linocut
(4) https://www.birchamgallery.co.uk/catalogue/artist/Richard:Bawden/biography/
(5) Printmakers' Secrets by Anthony Dyson. Bloomsbury Visual Arts, London 2009 - reprinted 2016






Image Sources:
(1) http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O123292/brighton-pier-linocut-bawden-edward/
(2)http://fryartgallery.org/the-collection/search-viewer/686/artist/6/Edward-Bawden-CBE-RA/241
(3) http://www.art-angels.co.uk/prod/fizz-593
(4) http://www.art-angels.co.uk/prod/2-mackerel-588
(5) http://www.art-angels.co.uk/prod/roses-freesia-583
(6) http://gwenhughesart.co.uk/artworks/richard-bawden-fireside-ii-the-green-man/

Research Point: Contemporary Printmakers - Lino

Research point

Find a couple of contemporary printmakers whose work you like, and reflect on their techniques. How do they use lino? What sort of marks do they make? What could you learn from them?

I have done quite a lot of research here looking at a wide range of printmakers who use or used Lino in their work (not all of the artists I researched are contemporary). I do not intend to give an exhaustive account of every artist I looked at - I will include very brief comments on most but then talk in more detail about the artists to whose work I am drawn and which seems to have more direct relevance to whet I would like to do. 

Examples of linocuts by Picasso, Gertrude Hermes and Angie Lewin

• Picasso - very bold colourful use of the expanses of flat colour possible with Lino. Did he use multiple blocks as these are bold primary colours without evidence of other colours showing through.
• Gertrude Hermes (1901-1983). I particularly appreciate the variety of mark-making used to create texture - especially on the Stonehenge linocut.
• Angie Lewin (contemporary) - a very commercially successful printmaker. Main interest is horticulture. Stylised images of plants and nature. Extremely accomplished work but probably not directly relevant to my own interests.

Examples of linocuts by Arthur Homeshaw and Gail Brodholt

• Arthur Homeshaw  (1933-2011). Stylised landscapes with bold contrasts of colour and tone and very extensive patterning. A wide variety of mark making in evidence over the whole surface of the Lino. His work reminds me both of Paul Nash (especially the shapes of the trees) and Eric Ravilious for the mark making and patterning. I love the patterning and the complexity of this work but the subject matter doesn't interest me so much. 
• Gail Brodholt (contemporary). Her subject matter is very familiar and talks about life today. Depicts railway stations, commuters on trains and the underground as well as motorways. Exploits the full potential of the medium in the aspect of producing graphic images with areas of flat colour. Less so in terms of the variety of marks made. Her use of colour is wonderful. She really knows how to capture the atmosphere and light effects for example of train tracks at dusk or the artificial lighting on the tube. I can really picture myself in the environments she creates. I am ambivalent about this work. I love the colours and the fact that the work reflects life today but I am more drawn to work which uses lots of textural mark making and I seem to gravitate towards the monochrome. 

Examples of linocuts by H.J Jackson, Angela Cavalieri and Chuck Close

• H J Jackson (contemporary) creates hand pulled linocuts as he doesn't own a press. His prints are made on multiple blocks (an average of 8 prints from 6 blocks for each (1)). His subjects are often nautical. The multiple layers of ink add to a grainy texture which is suited to his subject matter of rusty machinery and peeling old boats. Again, I find this work impressive and accomplished but the subject matter doesn't interest me so much. 
• Angela Cavalieri (contemporary) Uses writing as a form of drawing on her large scale works. These are created on canvas using a combination of loco print and oil paint.

Chuck Close

I was already familiar with Chuck Close's large scale portraits which are painted using a grid (almost pixellated) structure. Patterns or circles and ovals of contrasting colours are painted into each square on the grid so the painting looks abstract when viewed close up but from a distance the patterns combine to give an average hue or tonal value and the painting reads as an almost photorealistic portrait. I have always admired this way of working. It seems to be almost an extension of the theories of the pointillists. 

I first discovered that Close had also experimented with printmaking when I visited "The American Dream - Pop to the Present" (2). A very large printmaking exhibition at the British Museum (more about this in a separate blog post). He has worked with a variety of printmaking media including mezzotint (on an incredibly ambitious scale), etching, woodcut and linocut. 

In the reduction Linocut Roy (Click for image online), the image is created using multiple layers of tonal values of grey and black. On each layer the carving is composed of multiple small marks rather than areas of flat tone. This treatment resolves into a grainy texture at a distance, which lends itself well to the wrinkled texture of the skin. 

In Lucas the marks are more linear and directional in nature which describes perfectly the texture of the hair and beard. 

I also found online, a site which shows step-by-step images of the creation of one of his linocuts Alex. The Lino was printed step by step onto mylar and used to create screen prints. Click here to view images of the process of creation. 

These are quite amazing prints and show just what is possible. There's certainly a lot that can be learnt from this. 

Chuck Close collaborates with master printmakers on his printmaking projects. He had 'an event' in 1988. A spinal artery collapsed, causing paralysis from the neck down. He has regained movement but is still significantly disabled so probably would not have the dexterity to carve the Lino himself. This 'outsourcing' of the physical making of the art object has been common practice throughout the history of art, with the artist directing others to create their vision. This doesn't detract from the validity of the work. Personally, I am attracted to the 'craft' of printmaking (and obviously am never going to be on a level with someone like Close!). Part of the satisfaction for me comes from the act of carving the block or creating the plate. 

This artist also works exclusively with portraiture. He suffers from prosopagnosia - that is , the inability to recognise faces. This may explain his obsession with faces. Repeatedly painting or reproducing the same face helps him to recognise the people around him (although the artist himself says he wasn't conscious that his decision to work on portraits had its origins in his condition) (3)

Examples of linocuts by Richard Galloway and Ade Adesina

Richard Galloway casts an apparently critical eye over aspects of today's society and urban life. Click Here to view examples of the artist's work on his blog. His down to earth subjects include the clientele of a greasy spoon kaff or a pub or the bin men on their rounds. His work 'Dolor'(Here) shows environmental degradation with effluent and fumes pouring out into a city in a dystopian world. The world is populated with somewhat grotesque characters. Lads in hoodies or balaclavas with English bull terriers. Fried chicken shops and payday loan outlets. Enormous shopping trolleys and wheel-clamped cars. Above this mess what looks like a WWII plane and pilot are grimacing. What are we doing to our world? What do we do when we have the freedom to do as we please? Do we all sink to the lowest common denominator? Stuff ourself with fried chicken and buy as much as we can in our consumerist frenzy while destroying the world around us? - At least, that's my interpretation of the scene but I don't know what the artist intended. 

Galloway's linocuts are impressive in scale - His average prints are 1825x1525 but same are larger than this. They are black and white, single block linocuts. Every part of their surface is crowded with action so they feel, to a certain extent, claustrophobic. He creates a very large variety of marks and cuts to create textures and tonal values. I really appreciate this work but I've only seen it online. I would love to see these prints in real life as it's impossible to get a sense of the scale on a computer screen. 

Ade Adesina

I first encountered the work of this artist when I visited National Original Print Exhibition at Bankside Gallery in London last year. Like Galloway, his linocuts are impressive in terms of their sheer scale, he also works in monochrome (black and white) and there is also an implication of criticism and concern for our deteriorating environment. 

Adesina (click here to view the artist's website)(4) produces imaginary landscapes which have a post -apocalyptic feel about them. The ground is cracked and dry. Boats and superfluous nautical spare parts such as anchors are discarded in the landscape or  the boats run on rails instead of water (in a work entitled adaptation). Whales fly through the sky on enormous wings. A panda pulls a cart full of flowers on a road through a parched landscape and is avidly pursued by bees. Baobab trees from the artist's native Nigeria feature in many of his prints. This seems to be an image of our possible future after the planet is devastated. 

As previously mentioned, the linocuts are ambitious in scale, ranging going up to 110x160cm. There are marks on the Lino that are tiny. Adesina sometimes uses needles to carve Lino(5). Creating something this large using such painstaking techniques must require a great deal of patience and stamina.

This artist has also produced a number of collaborative works with other artists including the Scottish artist June Carey. My favourite collaborative work is the collaboration between Adesina and David Mach Signs of Life which draws imagery from Mach's collage Towers of Babel (which can be viewed on his website) but is placed very much within Adesina's landscape. Both images appear to treat similar subject matter i.e. ecology and the destruction of out environment. 

Work by David Mach and Ade Adesina
Facing page: Lino prints by Henryk Królikowski

Magda Szplit and Henryk Królikowski

While browsing the internet for this research point, I came across This website. I was amazed by the images of linocuts by these two Polish artists. Some of the works are figurative and some abstract. Some appear to have phallic or vaginal symbolism. The this that interested me the most, however, is that they don't look like linocuts at all in some cases. The marks on the Lino are so fine as to just impart a grainy texture or tonal value to the surface. This may be a reflection of the small scale of the pictures on my computer screen compared to the large scale of the prints in real-life. Or could it be that the artists use a combination of Lino etching and cutting - I'm not sure. Either way these prints made my jaw drop. There is certainly a lot that can be achieved using lino. It is much more versatile than I had previously thought.

lino prints by Henryk Królikowski and Magda Szplit 

References:

1. Printmakers' Secrets by Anthony Dyson. Bloomsbury Visual Arts, London 2009 - reprinted 2016

4.https://www.britishmuseum.org/PDF/American%20Dream%20Press%20Release%20Jan%2031.pdf

3.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Close
4. http://www.adeadesina.com
5. https://www.jmlondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Ade-Adesina-E-Catalogue.pdf

Image References:

1.https://www.picassomio.com/chuck-close/31548.html

2. http://nydamprintsblackandwhite.blogspot.com/2010/11/chuck-closes-printmaking.html

3. http://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/view/collections/collection-spotlight/alexreduction-print.html

4. http://chuckclose.coe.uh.edu/process/alex-images.htm

5. http://richardgalloway.co.uk/dolor.php
6. https://affordableartfair.com/ade-adesina-signs-of-life
7. http://www.davidmach.com/gallery/
8. http://www.printmaking.pl/index.html