Collagraph is an Intaglio printmaking process. Please use 'Etching Inks' for this technique
Follow the steps below to help you learn the printing process. You can return to this guide in the future and use it as a reminder and to help you build confidence using the print room.
Preparing your plate
Draw your design onto white 'mount board' and remember, your design will print 'flipped' so any text should be added with this in mind.
Cut your design out using a scalpel and peel the first layer of white mount board back. The parts you remove will reveal texture, causing these parts to hold ink and be printed.
Use a brush to fully coat the design side of your mount board with 'Shellac varnish' a minimum of 4 times. Allow 1-3 hours between coats for drying. Allow 8 hours drying time after the final coat.
TIPS :
You can add textures such as sand paper (not too rough), masking tape and fabrics, within your design before varnishing to add texture variations to your collagraph.
For more precise designs, laser cutting can be another option of getting a design onto mount board. You can contact '3DmakeSupport@ntu.ac.uk' for more info
Step 1
Preparing your printing paper
Select your preferred printing paper and use the edge of a ruler to tear to desired size using your artwork as a reference. 'Bread & Butter paper' works well and may be supplied by a technician on request.
Place a piece of newsprint down on the printing press and draw around your printing paper onto the newspaper.
Label your paper before placing into water (so you don't mix it up with someone else's!)
Add room temperature water to the white tray using a bucket (You can use the shower, at the end of the hall)
Now drop your paper into the water, making sure its fully submerged, use the trays for larger paper sizes.
Step 2
Prepare your workstation for inking up
Gather the materials needed for inking up your plate and prepare your work space as displayed in the image below. You will need the following which are all supplied ...
- Newsprint
- Scrim
- Tissue paper
- Inking card
- Inking board
- Vegetable oil
- Etching Ink
Step 3
Preparing your Ink
Place about a small grape sized ink blob onto your inking board
Add a small drop of veg oil to thin the ink and mix using an inking card or spatular to the consistency of honey. Add more oil if needed.
Step 4
'Inking up' your plate
Scrape ink onto the plate using inking card.
Fully cover your artwork and the plate with ink.
Make a FLAT sponge of scrim (do not screw the scrim up in a ball)
Use the scrim to wipe away the ink from the smooth part of your plate (which has not been cut away) use wiping and circular motions.
Ink should remain in the cut away, rough parts of the plate, but not so much that its gloopy or over saturated to touch.
Next, when the majority of the ink has been removed, use the tissue paper to further polish away the ink, focusing on the smooth parts of the plate (the un-cut parts)
Unless you want a grey or lightly ink part of your print, keep cleaning the smooth parts until very little or no ink remains.
Step 5
Printing your artwork
Place your plate in the centre of your outline on the newsprint design side up.
Lift paper from the tray trying not to drop water anywhere other than the tray. Hold above tray until drips stop.
Using the blotter paper dry your printing paper. Dry by pressing (not rubbing or patting) the paper.
Ensure all water has gone by holding up to the light. If you can see spots of water glimmer then dry again.
Take your paper to the press and holding on opposite corners (using bits of paper to to grip corners and protect paper if you wish) then place on top of your plate within the outline you drew earlier on the newsprint.
Cover with a piece of news print, and now with the blanket folding the blanket out in two stages, half then whole.
Flatten the swan skin (blanket) gently using the palm of your hands
Now, Wind the press wheel slowly towards you (don't steer like a ship) until you feel it stop. If the press is too easy, lower the weight, if its too hard to wind, reduce roller tension 'equally' using the 2 clamp grips
After rolling through the press lift up a corner to see if your print requires another pass. If the tension of the press seems ok and your print is still faint you may need to repeat the inking process, inking up your plate can take practice!
Step 6
Drying your print
Place your print on an MDF press board, cover with a piece of tissue paper (from the shelf 'to the right' of the MDF boards) and place another board on top to flatten.
Stack every new print on top of the last and leave over night to dry flat.
Step 7
Cleaning up
Please allow 15 minutes at the end of your session for cleaning up time
Wipe any leftover ink from the inking board and tools using your inking card and newsprint.
Wrap excess ink, cards and paper up in your used newsprint and throw into metal general waste bin.
Clean the inking board and tools using just a couple of squirts of Zest spray in the brown spray bottle. This will dilute the ink and allow you to wipe clean using tissue.
Use the Zest spray to wipe everything spotless.
Place all tools and cleaning equipment back to its correct place and that's it, you're done!