Printing Ink Month - Inspiration

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Passing Through, Collagraph by Hester Cox

This month is printing ink month, and to inspire our readers we have contacted a few professional printmakers to get some insight and for examples of collagraph, etching, linocut, monotype, screen printing and solarplate etching.

Featured artists: Hester Cox, Gail Brodholt, Ian Brown and Owain Kirby

 Hester Cox - Printmaker

"All of my prints are created using a mix of Lawrence linseed oil based relief inks & Lawrence French 88 intaglio inks. I particularly like them because I can lay down blocks of colour & then print my Collagraphs on top, re-soaking the paper without the risk of 'bleed'. I can also mix them together & increase the range of colours. I use the inks in my classes except when I'm doing simple linocuts with children & then I use the speedball block printing inks." Watch Hester in action in this wonderful film by Paul Harris, 'Hester Cox - Profile of a Printmaker'. Hester Cox - Profile of a Printmaker from phpProductions on Vimeo.

The Winter Lake, Collagraph

Summer, Collagraph

Tall, Dry Point

Rookery, Solar Plate and Collagraph

See more of Hester's work here: http://www.hestercox.com/

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Gail Brodholt

Gail Brodholt's 'Motorway' won our Lawrence Art Supplies prize at the RE Original Print Show at Bank Side Gallery last month. We particularly loved how the subject matter is just as captivating as a traditional landscape depiction. "I always use Lawrence linseed oil relief inks - the colour depth is excellent and they give a lovely finish." Below is a short film showing Gail Brodholt producing one of her popular linocuts of a London train station. This one is of Victoria station and is called 'Poetry of Departures' [embed]https://youtu.be/UatlrseX5sw[/embed]

From the Motorway, Linocut

The Day's Work Done, Linocut

Poetry of Departures, Linocut

West End Girl, Linocut

Up With the Larks

See more of Gail's work here: http://www.gailbrodholt.com/

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Volcanic Editions - Ian Brown

Ian Brown is a printmaker and tutor at his studio Volcanic Editions. Below impressive 20 colour screen print inspired by his time in New Zealand, 'Pancake Rocks'. "We offer Etching, Drypoint, Monotype and Screen printing in our workshop and I have always sourced the highest quality equipment and the best inks." "For all my other processes I use inks from Lawrences. I specialise in a three colour monoprinting technique using the process colours from Graphic Arts (supplied through Lawrence Art Supplies). This technique allows you to create full colour images from three acetate sheets printing wet on wet. The first print is very intense and the ghost printed from the same acetates delivers a mysterious and soft version of your original print. For the bulk of our work we like to use Lawrences French 88. I stock the complete range of colours mostly from tubes. They rarely need copper plate oil to reduce them (except for yellows and the blacks) and I can’t fault them. We use Intense Black for drypoint and linear type etchings and Bone Black for Solar Plate Etchings where the emphasis on the fidelity of tone is paramount. Bone Black in tests delivers more tonal steps than Intense black but if you just want a rich black alone – then Intense Black hits hits the spot." For more info on Volcanic Editions visit my website at www.volcaniceditions.com If you would like to subscribe to my monthly mailchimp newsletter you can do so on the home page - and you are able to unsubscribe at the click of a mouse if you tire of us! There is one place left on my Screenprinting Summer School running in the first week of August. Below are prints created by his students.

Three mythical figures, Solar Plate Etching/Monotype by Hilary Stewart

Untitled, Solar Plate Etching with Chine Colle by Pat Thornton

Humming Birds, Drypoint with embossing by Pam Aldridge

See more of Ian's work and information on courses at: http://www.volcaniceditions.com/

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Owain Kirby

Owain Kirby is a freelance Illustrator and has worked on a variety of commissions including many historical projects. His chosen medium is lino cutting with a traditional woodcut style. His bold black and white prints depict complex narratives. See more of Owen's work here: http://www.owainkirby.co.uk/