A PRINT FOR I.P.E

This year I have decided to enter the International Print Exchange. This has been running annually since 2009 but its new to me. It involves submitting an edition of 10 prints (plus a small admin fee) and in return you recieve 8 random prints from other printmakers who have also entered. What a great idea.

There are strict guidelines for size etc but there is no theme and, indeed, no selection. All prints that fulfil the criteria are accepted. The quality seems to be very good with lots of prints employing lots of printmaking techniques.

I decided to use a sea sketch and to make up three plates in different printmaking methods; lino, drypoint and collagraph. This is the sketch I used (photocopied in reverse - well done me....i usually forget to flip).

And these are the three plates I made. The guidelines asks for 10cm x 10cm which is quite small but does make it quite easy to make up multiple plates and chose which works best.

I worked on the lino plate first but realised very quickly that I had messed up by removing too much of the midground and the interest wasnt there. Heres the finished plate and the print I pulled from it.

I might have another go at this one at a later date. But its not really working.

Then I worked on the collograph and it came together quite well and I'm still considering working on it a little longer and running it through the press again. Like the lino it needs more interest in the midground but I think when that is fixed it might make a nice little print.

In the end I decided I decided to go with the drypoint. I taped the reversed photocopy to the back of a piece of perspex and scratched through to make the image. It seemed to ink up quite well and I ran off fourteen prints from which I will make an edition of 10. All I need to do now is pack them up and send them off (and hope they pass muster) and wait for my return prints to arrive. Cant wait! Heres the final edition of 10