Double Bind: Screen Collograph Plates
Double Bind | Statement | Influences | Process | Plates | Definitions
The plates collaged onto plywood and presented on the floor
These are examples of Screen Collograph plates after the completed printings. Note on the arm above the extended leg on the upper right, where some of the original tracing or drawing marks can be seen.
In this process, the dark areas are not processed by painting the surface with acrylic medium. They remain open and receptive to the ink. The ink is held within the weave of the fabric and will print much like a mezzotint, or a deep, flat area of rich colour.
Generally speaking the dark areas do break down. The plate itself may not hold up for a large edition but it should be ok for a small one.
I applied acrylic medium to the surface in order to create white and gray areas, such as in the two legs on the left. Once it has been printed it never returns to its virgin state, so experience counts a lot in the planning and estimating how much acrylic medium is needed for the gray or white areas you desire.
In addition to using a brush I also slip trailed some of the medium so that it would print as a sharp white. What was harder to control is the markings etc that happened within the thicker areas. To get a really white white I should have religiously applied the matte medium over and over but then I would have lost some spontaneity.
The plates were easy to cut up and didn't really require the edges to be beveled. The plates could then be inked with separate colours and printed together.
Technically one has to be careful not to allow the plates to shift or move while or during the printings.
I was very fortunate because the Manitoba Printmakers association had a huge press they imported from a company in New York state. I was able to print half of the print in one printing. For example Rock the Boat, which was printed on foam mattress was done in 2 printings. It was a great surface to print on and it was its own blanket!
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