Artist. Designer. Experimental Printmaker
From the Printer..
"I am an innovative printmaker responding to the landscape, essentially to rock formations, trees, texture and beach detail. My work is layered in effect with dominant purposeful lines; playing with the abstract but not without connection to the original earth formations.
I work in linocut, collagraph and monotype to express ideas, and with oil and pastel between printing projects to bring immediacy to the work. I use recycled materials where possible to make small limited editions in specific series so that the work can be hung individually or as a story."- Karen
Colour, Shape, Form...
Traditional Printing
Linocut
Lino printing is a fascinating and highly skilled form of fine art printmaking. It involves carving linoleum into a printing plate with precision and care. The plate is then inked with a brayer and pressed onto paper to create a beautifully detailed print. This technique, known as Relief Printing, requires a great deal of expertise and dedication, but the results are truly stunning.
Collagraph
Collagraphy is a really versatile printing process in which a textured plate made from mostly recycled items is collaged onto a surface like cardboard. The surface is also etched with a knife or similar tool. The upper surface of the plate is then sealed and left to dry. This is inked up so that the ink is pressed into the indentations. The upper surface is then cleaned off like an etching and passed through an etching press. The different surface textures hold varying amounts of ink and show different lines and tones.
Intaglio
Intaglio printing is a highly skilled and complex printing method that involves the use of etched plates to create images on paper. With this printing technique, each plate is individually coloured by hand and then printed through an etching press. The amount of pressure required to make a print is significant, which is why the rollers of such a press are made of finely tooled steel. This ensures that the pressure is evenly distributed across the plate, resulting in a high-quality print that accurately captures the details and textures of the original image. It's a time-honoured technique that requires a great deal of skill and precision, and is often favoured by artists and printmakers for its unique qualities.
Pastel
Pastel and oil painting are two popular mediums I use: Pastel is a dry, powdery medium made of pure pigment and binder. It is applied using various techniques such as blending, layering, and cross-hatching. Pastel is known for its vibrant colours and soft, velvety texture. Oil painting, on the other hand, is a wet medium made of pigment and oil, usually linseed oil. It is applied using brushes and other tools and is known for its rich colours and depth of tone.
A Printmakers Perspective..
