Saturday 19 January 2013

Owl Collagraph

Tales of collagraphic owls

Discovered a few very interesting printing blogs recently, one of which Melanie wickham lino prints has a fabulous dancing cats lino print..  it's very inspiring! I'm booked onto a lino printing course in March so I was searching for a bit of inspiration, in the meantime....


Decided to bit of collagraph printing, cheaper and quicker than lino printing, it needs only material  I have lying around. Basically a collagraph is a collage from which a print can be made, any relief surface can be used, for this I used...

* String
* Hot glue gun
* Piece of strong rigid board/cardboard
* Acrylic paint
* Old rolling pin (or printing brayer if you have one)



Lay your string out in whatever design you like...I added a few leaves for added texture, stick down with hot glue gun, or PVA (Glue gun is quicker) use brush or print brayer to cover the raised surface in paint, place on paper and roll firmly to get a print of collagraphed surface.





My owl is very simple.. make it as elaborate as you like.. then add watercolour washes to colour and decorate.





Little Owl 1





And his friend Little Owl 2...



  
And finally the distinguished Little Owl 3.....                     


 The prints can be used as finished pieces or used to form other collages.







10 comments:

  1. Hi Morag, what a gorgeous owl print! Thanks for recommending Melanie Wickham's blog, too, I liked it a lot. As for me, however, I'm particularly interested in those techniques that can be done easily at home, so I'm really glad I saw your post on the collagraph. I'd read about it in a book but sort of forgotten it was on my experiment list, and now I can't wait to try!

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  2. Thanks Salla, Hope to see some Collagraph prints on your blog sometime soon! :)

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  3. Now those three stylishly dressed little owls really do deserve names. They have such personality. I'm tempted, but their not my babies!
    Yes I've seen Melanie's blog. I love prints, and I'm always searching for print blogs. I'm limited to monoprinting and collagraph and anything I can carve easily.
    I think these prints and the way you've developed them are inspirational.

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  4. I was thinking Huey, Duey and louis :)?

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  5. They're ABsoLUTEly adorable! I've been saying I'm going to try collograph (again) (did it in elementary school) (before my teachers told me I couldn't draw/art) and you've inspired me with your lovely, wonderful owls!

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  6. What do teachers know Annie!? :) Glad you liked my owls

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  7. Lovely owls! Newbie question - how did you get the prints in the owl bodies? Are they paper, printed or something else entirely. Lovely stuff

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    1. Lovely to have you as a follower Candy :)

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  8. Hi Candy, The owl bodies were filled in with a watercolour wash, I then doodled over the top in coloured fineliner pens, It would be possible to collage in some patterned paper though, I think that would look lovely.

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  9. Brilliant idea, have to try this,, thanks for sharing..

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