Process:

During this semester I learnt how to complete a variety of different printmaking methods. We started off easier and grew to learn about the harder printmaking techniques. The first method was Frottage. This included using lead pencils and imprinting a pattern from our surroundings into the paper. The 2nd method was Potato Printing which was very simple yet very fun. The next printmaking technique was Mono printing where a plastic sheet is covered in ink and we use different tools to wipe away a design into the plastic and essentially stamping that sheet onto paper. The next thing we learned was how to etch. This was the most time-consuming print so far in the process. From scrapping the design into the acetate and wiping every last smudge of ink off to get the perfect print it was extremely frustrating. Finally, we moved on to our final piece of art using the Lino Printing method. In this method, we use sharp tools to scrape strips of lino out to form a unique design.

How I was organised and created designs:

During this whole process, it was important to be organised and efficient. As we were only spending a couple weeks worth of lessons on each printmaking technique it was important to at least finish one design per technique. When deciding on a design I wanted to print I used Pinterest to get inspiration. For many of the art pieces I created, it was more about learning the routine of making the print rather than the actual design so using other people’s designs was more efficient than making my own every time. When it came to my final design on Lino I created it all myself.

What was successful:

• My collage of frottage
• The amount of monoprints I was able to finish
• The shadowing on my final etching print
• the 2nd attempt at my tester lino prints
• My final Lino print (hypnotise)

What wasn’t successful:

• The first few designs in Mono print were not very creative
• My first attempts at lino printing were very smudges and blotchy
• My practice etching didn’t print very well as it needed to be deeper
• In my final lino ink kept getting smudged in the white sections

What I learned:

I learnt that there are so many different methods of printmaking and all of them are unique in their own way and achieve different effects on paper. I also learned the importance of being clean when printing. You would not sell your art if it had a smudge on it. I also learned how to be precise when carving into different materials including acetate and lino. Overall this art unit has taught me a lot.