Collagraph experiments

For once I decided to go and be taught how to do collagrpah properly - although I do collographs I have always used the sticky foil to seal the plate and wanted  to see how much difference using shellac would make to the detail obtained in a print. So thanks to Linden Print Studio I spent a lovely couple of mornings playing. First learning point - sounds ridiculous, but when transferring a tracing use a coloured biro to go over the back so you can see where you have gone over the line....too many years of primary teaching where you just turn it over and use the same pencil! Secondly, rub and then remove some vegetable oil on the plate - to ease transference of ink. We used Calagio safe wash for ease of cleaning - apply with a toothbrush then rub in and remove. A simple margarine tub holds newspaper/yellow pages (chopped up) nicely. Make sure everything is really well stuck down with PVA - especially lichens before sealing the plate and seal the edges and back too with a minimum of two coats. I shall definately be doing more and using the big press although the Xcut Xpress does the job well enough. 

The plate after inking up and cleaning.

Aughertree meltwater channel print.

Botallack mines plate after inking and printing. 

Botallack mines