COLLAGRAPHY

A collagraphy is just like an etching a relief print, by making a print of a collage. It refers to a combination of relief and print made on any flat surface using different textures. To this end, various materials are applied to a plate, carefully glued and painted with a water-resistant lacquer. After drying, the plate is inked as you would an etching, the excess ink is wiped off and the plate is printed on damp etching paper and passed through the etching press. The choice of materials for making a collage is extensive and can include dried plant materials, embossed paper, textile, fibre material, rope, etc.

It is also possible to apply relief to a plate by drawing in a layer of wet epoxy resin, polyester filler or modelling paste with a stick or something similar, or alternatively by printing an object such as a leaf skeleton in it. This layer must then cure properly. One can also draw on it with glue, as in the works below.

A carborundum print is a print where carborundum is glued to a plate in order to obtain mainly dark shades, because its grainy surface retains a lot of ink. Carborundum consists of silicon carbide grains that are scattered in the wet glue on the plate. After the glue has dried, the excess grain is beaten off and the plate is inked and printed. The use of sand, filings, sawdust or sandpaper has a similar effect. See for example "Rondo", "Moonriver" and "Biedermeier".

Rondo