Funny how things come about ...

Collagraphs are a fun and accessible printmaking method. Essentially you create a printing plate using strong cardboard or similar and glue a collage of different stuff on it, varnish the whole lot and then print it. I have been doing a small research project on the method this semester and up until this very last minute have been a tad bored. I should have approached the subject differently but I trudged along in my set little way making small and boring test plates - no images at all- dolt! Then, I discovered Sara Amos. Do yourself a favour and have a squizz at her work - it is beautiful. Sara was also generous enough to answer a heap of questions that I posed, via email. I love it when artists share. For anyone in the vicinity, Sara will be having a show at The Art Vault, Mildura, August 15 - Sept. 3rd. So, feeling a bit more ramped up about collagraphs after Sara's input I decided to create a plate out of the materials I love to work with - metals and found objects. I came up with this ...

I used lots of different scraps of tin and metal, some cogs and strong cardboard. I riveted the whole lot onto some mdf. Being mindful that this fella had to go through a press I made all the rivets beautifully round. You could wear him if he wasn't so large! Which got me to thinking ...

A wearable version made of reclaimed pewter and watch bits.

I learned alot making this doggie - I am not gonna show you the back for that very reason!

I plan to take that new-found knowledge and revisit this idea ...

This might help a bit with scale. I did in fact print this plate - there were a number of issues though ...

And I had a few goes to get it almost right ...

I have one more session in the printmaking studio left this term so I hope to get a good print this week. Now what to name my new pooch ...?