The Method...

Thin MDF board is undercoated before a paste of Poly filler is spread evenly on the board.

Natural and man made materials are embedded into the paste and just before near set and dry, remove the materials from the paste surface. When fully dry, sand with fine sand paper and seal with a varnish or undercoat.

Use a toothbrush to ink up the first colour into all the recesses. * Brenda Hartill so generously has produced a reference book and video on this Collagraph Technique. I was very fortunate to attend a talk by Brenda Hartill at the Bendigo Pottery in 2013 and I saw first hand some of her beautiful prints and her  wonderful Collagraph blocks.

Use various rubs of ink over the top surface.

First yellow then red is applied to this block.

Dampen printing paper, place over inked block and roll through the press to print the Collagraph image.

My second print exchange involvement...

* The Exchange involves creating an edition of 10 prints in any traditional printmaking technique.
* The paper size is to be 12X12cm with the printed image within that size. The works will be displayed in CD cases.
* Of the 10 copies, one print will be donated for exhibition and sale - the proceeds pledged to The World Society for the Protection of Animals-WSPA.
* A second copy will be kept by the organisers for exhibition in various gallery venues.
* The prints will be exhibited initially at the Milk Factory Gallery in Bowral. There is an online exhibition also ... http://annieday.wix.com/animalia-exchange# or www.annieday.com.au
*The remaining 8 prints will be exchanged with all printmakers in random selection.
* Monday July 1st is the deadline for entries.

I had produced several lino blocks and their printed images in the past featuring parrots, magpies and fish so I decided to use these ideas for this exchange. The print methods I selected were lino cut and collagraph. I have decided on 2 editions to be sent to the exchange... "The Tiding of Magpies", a lino cut  and "The Moon Fish" a collagraph.

Final  Collagraph print colour scheme- Phthalo blue with a yellow and red rub.

The Collagraph printing block is constructed on thin card using various collaged materials and then sealed.

The final Collagraph Print edition which will be noted as a EV edition which means Edition varie. Because of the painterly nature of the inking technique it is difficult for me to gain exactly the same result with every print.

The Printmaker Posada

La Calaca Press is conducting a printmaking exchange, created to promote printmaking and create connections with artist/printmakers around the world. The print exchange & exhibition in 2013  pays homage to the Centenary of the death of Posada ( a famous South American printmaker.) The theme is "The Day of the Dead" a theme that Posada used throughout his life's work. Printmakers from around the world are asked to create an edition of 15 prints to be sent before Sept 2013. 2 prints will go into exhibitions, one will be archived and the 12 other copies of the edition will go into a collection which will be divided up in a random selection and 12 different prints will be sent to each participant in November/December 2013.

My submission and its development...

Each colour range was added separately to the Lino cut in a run so as not to muddy the colour application. The prints have to be numbered, pressed and packed carefully with acid free tissue between each print and then posted to Carlos Barberena USA. http://calacapress.blogspot.com