Author: handprinted

I (Shirley) have been on a trip to Tokyo to attend a five day Mokuhanga course (Japanese Woodblock) and to meet with a few of our suppliers. I have never
been anywhere like Tokyo before so it was an experience on lots of different levels. I have been lucky enough to attend a couple of Laura Boswell’s courses (her courses with us are full for 2017 but her 2018 courses will be on the website soon!) 

My first print was Sycamore Seeds. It was a three block print. I wanted a bit of Bokashi printing (graduation of colour). Mokuhanga printmaking uses water
colour or gouache paints and Nori (rice paste). You apply the paints to the ply with printing brushes.

 

The cutting is the bit that seems to take the most time but the printing is the bit that is the hardest to get right. Our teacher only spoke Japanese (we
were lucky as we did have a translator). One word he said more than any other sounded like ‘squashy’ which means less! – I always seemed to be using
too much Nori paste which caused me lots of problems. 

You register each print using Kento marks (registration marks) that you carve into the blocks. These have to be in exactly the same place for each layer
or the elements will not register successfully. 

The finished print. 

For my second print I wanted to try something a little more complicated and use the layering of the blocks to create extra colours. 

This was another three layer print. Using three colours of paint and the colour of the paper to create six different colours.

 

Working out colours in my sketchbook and yet again I was using too much Nori. ‘Squashy’ the instructor said once more!

One other thing that I learnt whilst in Japan is that Kit Kat can come in many different flavours – this one is Matcha. Not one of my favourites!

After the course finished I had a few days meeting with suppliers and a couple of Mokuhanga artists. 

I loved seeing the work of Katsutoshi Yuasa  – his website can be viewed here

He works using photography but cutting the images all by hand in the traditional way. His prints are so alive that you felt that they were three dimensional.
He used the traditional artform of Mokuhanga in such a modern way. His latest work is mostly printed using CMYK. 

 

He has two pieces in this years Summer Exhibition at the Royal College of Art which runs till the 20th August – so if you are in London it is a must see.

I spent a lot of time looking for new suppliers and going to beautiful art shops. Brushes are very valued in Japan and are made from a few different animals
Summer Deer, Goat and Horse tend to be used for different purposes for Mokuhanga. 

One of my favourite shops was Pigment – can you guess what it sells? Unbelievably beautiful rows and rows of pigments in every shade you could imagine. 

We will be increasing the supplies we stock from Japan – hopefully they will start appearing on the site in the next few weeks. 

Sayonara Tokyo I hope to come back soon!

 

Batik can be a really fiddly process that may seem a little scary to try at first – but it doesn’t have to be! In this project we have layered wax and
dyes to create a wonderfully abstract fabric design that can be used for embroidery, quilting, lampshades, clothing or just a piece of artwork in its
own right. It’s so much fun to play around with batik in this way and to surrender to being surprised by your outcome! Here’s how to create an abstract
layered batik: 

Stretch your fabric out onto a batik frame using silk pins. A lightweight cotton works best – we used
Prima cotton.

Heat your wax pot so that the batik wax melts. We turn the dial to 5 1/2
on the Tixor Malam wax pot to get the wax nice and
hot without risk of smoking. The batik wax gives a slight crackle
whilst going on smoothly. Heat your tools in the batik pot. Use on natural fibre brushes in the wax or they will melt! When your brush has heated,
make marks on your cloth by splashing and dripping the wax. Keep dipping your brush into the wax to keep it hot. If the wax is not hot enough it will
turn white on the fabric, sit on the surface and won’t resist the dye.

Don’t make too many marks at this stage. Everything you have waxed will stay white in your finished batik so be mindful not to fill up all the space too
soon. 

When you have completed your first waxing it’s time to mix the dye. Mix 1/2 tsp of Procion MX dye with 50ml of cold water. Mix this quantity for each of the colours you want to use. For this project I am using
Bright Turquoise, Lemon Yellow, Golden Yellow and Magenta. Put a pipette in each colour. Use the pipettes to take small quantities of dyes and mix your first colour. 

Start with the palest colour you are going to use and work up through the tones getting darker and brighter. The colours will appear darker in the pot
than they do on the fabric and will dry paler still. 

Mix up your chemical water. This will be your fixative, stopping your dyes from completely washing out of fading. Mix 5 tsp urea (colour brightener), 2 tsp soda ash (fixative)
and 1 tsp calgon (for hard water areas like ours) with 1/2 litre
of warm water. 

This mixture will have a life of a couple of hours only. After this point it will no longer work to fix your dyes so mix up a fresh batch if this time
has elapsed. 

Add your chemical water to the dye mixture you have just made. You want at least the same amount of chemical water to dye. 

Use your dye mixture to paint onto your cloth. Use a different brush to your wax brush and don’t muddle them up. Allow your dye to dry completely. You
can speed up this process by using a hairdryer. Keep the hairdryer moving and on a cold setting to avoid melting the wax!

When the dye in completely dry, you’re ready for your second waxing. If the cloth is damp, the wax will sit on the surface and not resist the dye. Use
the paintbrush to add more marks and splashes or use a tjanting to draw lines and squiggles. Different tjantings have different sized spouts creating thinner or thicker lines. 

Each time you add wax, you are preserving the colour beneath it. These wax lines will stay yellow when the next dye colour is put on top.

To mix your new dye colour, add more dye and chemical water to your first colour. This will help you build up the tones so that you know each layer will
work well over the last. 

Use larger brushes to swipe larger wax marks on your cloth – just make sure the wax is hot enough to show a darker greasy mark when applied.

Again, add to your dye mix with more colour and fixative, going darker and bolder each time.

Build up more wax when the cloth is completely dry.

You can use your pipette to add spots of rich bright colour or spot with a smaller paintbrush. The dye will spread over the wet cloth, stopping at waxed
areas.

To create even more interesting marks try some sgraffito – use a tool such as an etching needle to scratch into the wax. This will create lines for the dye to access the fabric creating delicate dyed lines with
furry edges.

 

When you’ve built up your layers so that there is not much unwaxed cloth you’re ready to crackle and dip dye. If you like the look of your fabric at this
stage then you can stop now and skip ahead to ironing the wax out. Crackling your batik will completely transform your design, making it much more
complex and textured. 

If you want to crackle your design, use a large natural fibre brush to cover your whole batik in a layer of wax.

 

Allow the wax to cool and harden before scrunching up your batik. This will crack the wax, revealing areas of fabric for the dye to penetrate. The more
you scrunch your batik, the more crackle you will get as more dye is allowed to get in to your cloth. We scrunched this batik A LOT so that lots of
dye can get in. You never quite know what you’re going to get after you’ve crackled so it’s always exciting watching it happen!

Mix up a dip dye recipe in a bucket or washing up bowl using 2tsp dye, 2tsp soda ash and 300ml water. We used a mixture of Black, Lemon Yellow and Bright
Turquoise dye to get a sludgy green.

 

Wear gloves as this dye will stain hands and clothing. Un-scrunch your batik and press it into the dye. You can see the dye getting into the fabric and
dyeing where the wax is cracked.

Once the fabric is covered, remove it from the dye bath and lay it out to dry. Blot off excess dye with kitchen paper. 

When it has dried it’s time to remove the wax. Place your batik on a large wad of newspaper and place another piece on top. Use a hot iron all over the
newspaper. As the wax melts it will saturate the newspaper. When one piece has been saturated, throw it away and replace. Continue until very little
wax is coming out of the cloth.

It’s best to use a separate iron here to the one you use for your clothing or sewing as it can get a little waxy. If your iron starts to smoke at all,
turn it off at the plug to cool down and then wipe away any excess wax from the surface.

When you have finished ironing, your batik is finished! This one has a lot of crackle where the dye has penetrated the cloth, creating lots of weird and
wonderful textures and patterns.

If you intend to use your batik for clothing or home-wares you will need to remove the remaining wax (if not, skip this final step). You can do this by
either:

• plunging the batik into boiling water for a few seconds (in a large pan not used for food). The wax will melt and rise to the surface. Remove the batik
  with tongs and give it a scrub to remove any flaky wax. Repeat a couple of times until all the wax is out. Wash your batik with a little Metapex to remove any remaining dye.

• OR some dry cleaners will remove wax for you if you smile sweetly. 

Be aware though, after the wax is removed the batik will appear paler (especially if it is over boiled)! It’s better to go bold and bright with your dyes
to allow for a little fading at this point. 

To complete this project you will need:

• Batik frame
• Cotton
• Silk pins or drawing pins
• Wax pot
• Natural fibre paintbrush for wax
• Tjanting
• Etching needle (optional)
• Procion Dye
• Soda Ash
• Urea
• Calgon (optional)
• Measuring Spoons
• Batik wax
• Pipettes
• Paintbrush
• Bucket
• Iron (not your clothing iron!)
• Newspaper
• Metapex (optional)

Hello! My name is Jenny Sibthorp and I’m a textile designer based in the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. I work predominantly with screen printed linen and
leather, although some of my designs are now reproduced onto stationery and culinary ware too.

 

Describe your printmaking process.

 

Screen printing. All of my designs start off hand drawn and the repeat and design is tweaked until I’m happy with the result.

 

How and where did you learn to print?

 

I’m largely self taught. I screen printed at school a few times, then had a very long break, before taking a basic screen printing evening course at
Arts University Bournemouth. I relied heavily on YouTube and a lot of books to get me going, and as always the best way to learn I find, is trial
and error!

 

Why printmaking?

 

I’ve always loved pattern and colour. It was whilst taking evening upholstery classes in London that I realised I wanted to try and find a way to work
with my hands for a living and printing seemed like a natural progression of that. Screen printing appealed as it was so transformative, so quick,
and so incredibly satisfying.

 

Where do you work?

 

I’m lucky enough to have my own studio on a farm near where I live. It’s very basic having once been part of a milking shed but I love it. I’ve built
the tables, the shelves, there’s a bat and a constant draught. It’s a constant work in progress but having a back door that opens onto a field
of lambs in the summer makes it pretty hard to beat.

 

Describe a typical day in your studio.

 

My daily routine varies according to the season. In Winter I’ll work at home in the mornings until the frost has thawed and it’s a workable temperature.
Come summer it’s early starts and late nights as it gets very hot in the middle of the day! It’s a heady mix of emails, admin and if I’m lucky
some printing. I usually have a long printing list to keep my stock levels up, and I’ll tweak this according to wholesale orders etc. Packing orders
and a post office run usually features too. As do plentiful supplies of coffee and BBC Radio 6 Music & Desert Island Discs.

 

How long have you been printmaking?

 

Officially, I’d say about 4 years now.

 

What inspires you?

 

The outside world: flora, fauna and nature more generally. I’m quite literal in my designing process at the moment.

 

What is your favourite printmaking product?

 

I love a good Speedball Fabric Screen Printing Ink.
I find they mix really well and give great coverage.

 

What have you made that you are most proud of?

 

That’s a hard question. I guess upholstering my first ever chair using my own fabric was a pretty huge moment.

 

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?

 

I sell on my own website, etsy, notonthehighstreet, share a local shop with fellow creatives
in Wareham and regularly turn up at markets in Bridport, London and beyond. But I’m also very lucky to have acquired some pretty cool stockists
over the past few years across the UK and a few in Europe now too. Last year my biggest stockist was Anthropologie EU which was particularly exciting
and this year I’m absolutely thrilled that I’ve just finished off a large order for the Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford. I can’t wait
to go visit.

 

What will we be seeing from you next?

 

A new collection is long overdue and I really want to develop my skills in paper for limited edition prints too.

 

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

 

Make mistakes, lots of them, both as a learning method and also because sometimes the things that didn’t come out as I planned end up being much much
better than I could have ever imagined!

To see more of Jenny’s wonderful work, visit her website or follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

 

 

Lennie & Co create unisex clothing for kids, that feature playful prints that capture the fun of being little. Created by graphic designer and mother,
Amy Walker, Lennie & Co. is a collection of stylish kidswear that works hard and plays harder. 

Describe your printmaking process.

In the early days I block printed personlised t-shirts letter by letter but once business grew I couldn’t continue as it was so time consuming. I knew
I had to teach myself to screen print. I visited a local studio in Devon and got some tips from them, watched lots of YouTube videos. I like the art
of screen printing, it is more than just sealing a design to a t-shirt, the method makes it more authentic. There are a lot of heat transfer applications
about and I didn’t want to go down that route.

How and where did you learn to print?

I started the business by block printing using foam hand cut stamps. It was all very accidental as I was having a craft day with my son Lennox making bunting.
Then I had a go at block printing a t-shirt and the rest was history.

Why printmaking? 

I’m a graphic designer and whilst I had always had a huge interest in screen printing I had never done it. My house is filled with limited edition screen
prints. I like the craft behind it, it always feels so much more authentic then a digital print and that you own a piece of the artist and their passion.

Where do you work?

We moved house last year and I converted our garage into a studio. Before than I was working in the spare room… You can imagine the carpet got a tad
messy. It’s nice to close myself off in the studio to work rather than it intruding on our family home.

Describe a typical day in your studio. 

Well I still work full time so as you can imagine days differ heavily. This morning (Saturday) I woke at 5:30am to crack on with a wholesale order of our
Sibling Series T-Shirts. They’re just a one colour print so quite an easy task. Other days consist of designing prints for upcoming season. They start
something solely on the computer or some from hand drawn elements. I design all of our prints and hand print our slogan t-shirts. 

How long have you been printmaking?

Two and a half years as a screen printer, although I studied Creative Art at college and Fashion at uni which allowed me to experiment.

What inspires you?

Mainly my son, the funny things he says but definitely the area we live in too. We live on the South Devon coast and I spend time with a coffee watching
the weather rolling over the sea. Beach huts, pebbles, shadows. I feel very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country which allows me to
relax and have a great work/life balance. 

What is your favourite printmaking product?

An odd and unexpected one but my ikea kids plastic cutlery. I spread ink with them, mix ink with them and use them for everything when printing. Random
but I’d be lost with out them.

What are you most proud of? 

Last year I sent a handful of my screen printed t-shirts to enter the Junior Design Awards. The awards are a recognised national competition for Children’s
brands form the UK and overseas, which include the like of M&S and Mothercare as well as independent businesses. I came Silver in the Best Emerging
brand. That was a rather exciting moment!

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell? 

Our full range is available though our website www.lennieandco.co.uk. We are also available
on Not On The Highstreet and a handful of small online children’s stores.

What will we be seeing from you next?

Our summer range launches on May 24th. Which features lots of fun and colourful prints ready for the sunshine!

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Go for it! Be experimental if you have time. Time is normally my worst enemy to create new concepts but if I had more of it I’d love to venture into more
detailed printing.

See more of Lennie and Co’s prints on their website! 

Our Handprinted Tea Towel Exchange for WaterAid is in full swing! Yesterday we opened the studio to anyone wanting to print their three tea towels and we got some lovely results.

Tea towels aren’t due in to us until the end of June so there’s still time to take part. We’d love to raise lots of money for WaterAid so we would like to get as many people as we can to take part and donate!
Anyone can join in, you don’t have to be an expert printmaker – you don’t even need to have done any printing before. The tea towels can be any style
of design and use any techniques that you like – have a play and see what you can make! Post your three tea towels to us and receive three random tea
towels from other participants in return – a great way to see what other people are making! Scroll to the bottom of this page to see how to take part. 

Here are a few pictures from the day showing the prints being made. 

Diane, Rebecca and Gill working on their prints

 

Rebecca’s linocut

 

Rebecca used Caligo Relief Inks to print her tea towels

 

Rebecca and Gill’s tea towels hanging up to dry

 

Diane’s tea towels hanging up to dry

 

Gill’s finished tea towel

 

The beginning of Holly’s drawing for an exposed screen

 

The finished drawing for Holly’s exposed screen

 

Holly’s exposed screen

 

Holly’s finished tea towel

 

Angela’s inked up lino blocks

 

Angela’s finished tea towel

Watch a quick video to see Angela’s tea towels being printed on our etching press last night:

 

Want to join in? Here’s how:

Step 1: Click here to donate to WaterAid
via our Just Giving page – we suggest a donation of £10

Step 2: Sign up for the exchange either by popping into the Handprinted Shop or clicking here to
register as a postal participant.

Postal participants are charged £1.60 which will go towards covering postage expenses – absolutely no profit will be made from postage costs. Entrants
anywhere within Europe can join in too!

Step 3: Print your tea towels! Show us what you’re making using the hashtag #teatowelsforwateraid

Step 4: Get your tea towels to us by 30th June – drop them off at our Bognor Regis shop or post to: Handprinted, 22 Arun Business Park,
Shripney Road, Bognor Regis, PO22 9SX. Please include your name and address so we know who the tea towels are from.

Step 5: Receive your three random tea towels! Pick up from the shop or receive them in the post. We will send the tea towels out in mid
July. Show us what your received using the hashtag #teatowelsforwateraid

 

We have just launched our Ready Made Thermofaxes in a
smaller size. The designs are the same as the Medium Ready Mades – just smaller (most images are about 6cm square). Thermofaxes are like a light weight
screen and are great for printing your own textiles or papers. If you don’t know what a Thermofax is hop over to our earlier blog here. 

We get lots of enquiries from customer’s wanting to create their own labels and brand their products. There are a couple of options we recommend for this
depending on the product and what kind of image the branding is, some people carve a stamp from Speedy Carve or MasterCut and use this with Versacraft ink pads, others send us their designs and order an exposed screen. The alternative to an exposed screen would be a Thermofax. A Thermofax is not as hard wearing as a screen but is
more lightweight and cheaper. The designs are little less accurate as a Thermofax screen is made by hand so the tension of the mesh is not so tight. 

The great thing about Thermofax screens is that they can be used for printing on paper or on textiles. We recommend using either fabric screen printing inks or fabric paints for printing on textiles and acrylic screen printing inks for paper or card. 

If printing on paper is is recommended that you use a light squirt of something like Spray Mount to keep the paper in place when printing. 

If you are printing on fabric it is always recommended that you pin your fabric to your padded print surface – to ensure you get a sharp print. 

We have also made Thermofax screens for customers fed up of sewing name tags into uniforms – what a time saving idea!

This past weekend we had Nick Morley AKA LinocutBoy come to our studio to teach a weekend course in Multi Block Lino.

On the Friday evening he came and gave an illustrated talk and demonstration. Nick is softly spoken but his dry sense of humour was obvious in both his
talk and his prints.

We were very lucky that at the end of the evening he printed some Tea Towels for our WaterAid print exchange – click here for further details – who knows if you participate you might be lucky enough to receive one of his printed Tea Towels? 

The weekend course focused on multi-block linocuts. The participants learnt how to design, carve and print multi-blocks by hand and using a press.

In addition Nick also taught how to sharpen tools, transfer designs to the lino, mix transparent and opaque colours, ghost printing, process colours and
their interactions, and how to register designs accurately. 

We put together a video that we hope captures the essence of the weekend (please excuse the cheesy music!).

 

We are very to happy to report that we have two further weekend courses with Nick Morley the dates are 21st and 22nd April 2018 and 24th and 25th November 2018. 

Here are a selection of the final prints.

Hello! My name is Laura Danby and I am an illustrator / designer / print maker and creator from sunny Brighton! Inspired by simple iconic Scandi folk artwork
and retro styling from the 50s, I love taking a form and simplifying it into a bold design which can be printed, patterned, made into jewellery and
more! 

Describe your printmaking process.

I generally use Adobe illustrator to create my artwork in, unless its a paper cut stencil. When the design is ready. I print my separations onto acetate
and expose my screens for each colour. Once the screens are prepped and dry, I tape over the edges and any bits I don’t want to print. Mix my ink up
and print away!

How and where did you learn to print?

I was given a gift to do a weekend’s screen printing course at West Dean College. I absolutely loved it and totally got the bug. I met my lovely tutor
Jane Sampson, who I discovered ran a studio 10 mins walk away from my home in Brighton. So not only did I learn a new skill, I came home knowing it
was totally possible to carry on my new passion!

Why printmaking?

I am originally a designer, so I do love a sharp line! I love how screen printing gives me a slick, sharp edge in perfect flat coverage but still using
thick ink. It gave me the finish I was looking for. Plus I find printing is really therapeutic… once all the setup is done, I really enjoy the
process of squeegeeing! I get into a rhythm with it. There is always that added excitement when you lift the screen to see if it has come out right!

Where do you work?

I recently gave up my day job to do my illustrating and print making which I am absolutely loving. So I can say I now work for Laura Danby Enterprises!!!

Describe a typical day in your studio.

I have recently moved into the One Girl Band studio space in the North Laines in Brighton, which is filled with inspiring entrepreneurial women following
their own path. So my typical day would be first coffee, nothing can happen without coffee! Then my next job is to package up yesterday’s orders and
answer my emails. Each day differs but general jobs would be to make stock for my shops, work on new pieces and prototypes, photograph products, list
items and keep my online shops up to date and running smoothly. I also do graphic design / branding work and this week I’ve been working on an illustration
for a magazine. To screen print I use local studios Ink Spot Press and Tidy Print, I tend to wait till I have a few designs, then go and blitz them
in a day or two. All this squeezed into between 9.30 and 2.30pm… my to do list is never ending!!

How long have you been printmaking?

About 5 years now.

What inspires you?

Nature, Scandinavian folk art, interior design, geometrics, travel and tropical wildlife inspire me to name a few!

What is your favourite printmaking product?

Hmmm tricky one, I love them all! I have been prototyping some new metallic patterned purses recently and they were simple patterns printed in metallic
ink (gold, silver and copper) onto a thick black linen. They were such a pleasure to print! Single colour and so simple, yet really rewarding! They
were then cut up and made into purses, backed with a crushed glitter fabric. So the result is luxurious and super shiny!

What have you made that you are most proud of?

Probably my toucan sitting on a big monstera leaf. I was so pleased with the design the way it came out when printed. It was a five colour screen print,
which tested my patience with the registration! I printed it on a thick watercolour paper, so the texture shows through the ink.

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?

Online I sell on Etsy and Not On The High Street.

I am starting work with a few hand picked stockists, but as I am only a one woman company, I have to be realistic about what I can achieve in the time
frame I have. My big task in the next few months is to get my own website www.lauradanby.co.uk into an e-commerce site.

What will we be seeing from you next?

Good question! I have a few products prototyping that I plan to launch in the next few months. More illustration work, more series of images, more patterns
and definitely more screen printing. I have a dream to produce a set of enamel picnic ware, which has been a goal for a while. Watch this space!

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Follow your dreams! I feel so lucky that I am now making a living from my hobby. Its so refreshing to get off the computer and roll your sleeves up and
get mucky and covered in ink!

There are lots of ways to see more of Laura’s wonderful work:

Website: www.lauradanby.co.uk

Instagram: instagram.com/lauradanby

Twitter: twitter.com/lauradanby1

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lauradanbymakerandcreator

 

Collagraphy is a really versatile printing process in which a textured plate is inked up and put through a press. Different textures hold varying amounts
of ink and print different tones. Anything with a low relief texture can be stuck down and used: wallpaper, leaves, fabrics, tapes and threads etc.
The collagraph plate is then varnished and can be printed intaglio or relief. This is our method of creating and printing collagraph plates intaglio.

If you would like to start with something a little quicker that does not require varnishing your plates, try our Easy Cardcut Collagraph project featured earlier on our blog.

Start with a piece of mount board cut to size. Begin choosing and cutting down the pieces to stick on top. We started with some thin cotton. Stick your
fabric down with PVA glue. Take care where you paste your glue as areas of PVA will print differently when inked up.

Drizzled PVA glue creates a raised area that can be wiped clean whilst holding ink around the edges.

Use carborundum sprinkled over PVA glue to create a rough texture that holds lots of ink.

Try open weave fabrics such as scrim.

Threads will hold ink too – experiment with gluey threads dropped onto the surface.

Another way of creating a textured collagraph plate is by using filler. Use a palette knife to spread a thin layer of paste onto the block. The edges of
the filler will create the most contrast in your print so use them creatively.

Pressing and drawing textures in the block will create more areas for the ink to be held.

Pressing objects and fabrics into the filler will change the texture of the plate.

When your plate is completely dry (this usually takes a couple of hours) it is ready to be varnished. Shellac works very well at protecting and strengthening
the plate and making it wipe-able.

Again, allow your plate to dry completely (another few hours) and then you are ready for inking. Prepare your paper by soaking it in a tray of water. We
are using a 300gsm paper stock as it needs to be strong enough to be strong when wet and not tear when embossed with the raised areas of the plate.

We are using Hawthorn Stay Open Oil Based Inks mixed with Linseed Reducing Jelly – this reduces the ink to a more workable consistency for intaglio printing. You only need a little linseed jelly to dramatically change the consistency
of the ink. The Dense Black ink that we used is particularly sticky so we used the quantities shown below.

Work the ink into the plate with a stiff brush – a toothbrush works perfectly. Pay particular attention the the areas that you want to hold the ink.

Work the ink into the plate using a piece of scrim. Use the scrim
to begin to clean the ink of the mount board ground and any other areas that you want pale.

Use a flat piece of tissue paper to polish the plate, concentrating on the pale areas. Finish by using a clean piece of fabric to clean the edges and any
areas that you would like to print as close to white as possible.

When your plate is inked up, place it on the press bed. Use a registration sheet like the one shown below to ensure your print is centred and straight.

Remove your paper from the tray using paper fingers as seen below to keep it clean. Blot between pieces of blotting paper. You want the paper to be damp
but not wet. This way it will draw the ink out of the recessed areas of the plate.

Put your paper on top of the plate and through the press. Remove your print to see the result! If the pressure is correct, you should see an embossing
on the back of the paper but none of the areas should have pushed all the way through! If your print is very pale there may not be enough pressure.
If your print is too dark and sticky there is too much ink and your plate needs more cleaning before printing. You will need to re-ink your plate before
printing again.

For plates made with filler, ink up and print in the same way.

You can print your plate in different colours by printing a la poupée – using a wad of fabric to ink different parts of the plate separately. You can also
use a brush as before, concentrating on each area at a time in your desired colour. The colours will blend a little when cleaning the plate with scrim
and tissue.

Clean up the your plates, inking slab and tools with Zest-it – a more environmentally friendly alternative to white spirit.

To make your own collagraph you will need:

• Mount board
• PVA glue
• Fabrics, papers etc. to create texture
• Carborundum
• Wall filler
• Shellac
• Paper to print on
• Tray in which to soak paper
• Inking tray or glass slab
• Palette knife
• Hawthorn Stay Open Ink
• Linseed Reducing Jelly
• Stiff brush or toothbrush
• Scrim
• Tissue paper
• Fabric for cleaning plate
• Zest-it,
  white spirit or oil for cleaning up ink
• Etching Printing Press (e.g. Xcut Xpress)

 

I’m Pragya, an architect, designer, linocut printmaker, and now the creative force behind Hedge and Hog Prints.
After working in academia for several years, I was inspired to create something caring, as well as socially and environmentally aware. As a Mum to
three girls, I am passionate about creating beauty in our lives through my designs, while also creating products that inspire them and others to think,
dream and smile.

How and where did you learn to print?

I am trained as an Architect and have always drawn and painted since I was little. I also tried monoprinting while at college, and dabbled with collagraph.
I did a one day course just before Christmas in 2015 in linocut printmaking and was immediately hooked. I am largely a self-taught printmaker, and
have learnt a lot through experimentation and trialing different tools and techniques.

Why printing?

I haven’t thought about this but, on reflection, I would say that it is a combination of a few different things. The actual physicality of the process
is very satisfying and also very calming. The act of carving is therapeutic and mindful in itself. A slight lapse in attention can change the character
of the piece and also cause some injuries, so one has to completely focus on the task on hand! Also, I love how a variation in pressure and mark-making
can alter the texture and nature of the final print. I love the graphical nature of lino printing and how a single colour can be used in many interesting
ways.

Where do you work?

I work from my home studio which we converted from our garage a couple of years ago. A lot of my making also happens from the kitchen table (and any other
free surface in the house really!).

Describe a typical day in your studio.

I used to print all the time, at odd hours of night and first thing in the morning before breakfast. Since my twins were born last year, any routine has
completely gone out of the window, especially as they’ve had numerous health-problems and are very poor sleepers. So there isn’t a typical day right
now. I try and sketch and conceptualise a lot while I can during the day, and often print in the studio late at night once they are asleep. It is also
tricky to work with inks and paints during the day and although I work with environmentally friendly products as much as I can, I am wary of ink-stained
clothes and hands while carrying the babies. I also have a full-time academic job right now, so have to fit any printmaking around it.

How long have you been printmaking?

I only started printmaking at the end of 2015, but last year was a hugely productive year for me, and I created many interesting prints.

What inspires you?

I grew up in India, and traveled widely, and my experiences and travels have influenced my art and designs. I now live near the sea with my Scottish husband,
my three girls, my dog and my cat, and work from my home studio. Often my designs have Scottish motifs and landscapes, my pets feature widely in my
linocut prints, and I love creating art prints for children’s rooms. My designs also reflect my love for the British sense of humour, the quirky and
whimsical in language, celebrating local slang, literature and places around us.

Both classical and modern art and architecture is a huge source of inspiration.

What products do you use? What product/tool could you not be without?

I love my Pfeil carving tools and
couldn’t work without them. I also use Caligo inks, and although I’ve tried many others, I keep returning back to them. It is also more environmentally friendly which
resonates with the sustainable and eco-friendly ethos of my brand.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

There are several, from the very first print that I made of Belle on windowsill to a more recent ‘Surf’s Up’. I was pleased with the way I was able to
create movement and sense of freedom in this print, and also because I used my tool as a pencil and drew while I carved based on a very loose idea
at the start. This is something that I am experimenting with more in my work, and trying to bring more spontaneity in my designs, rather than starting
from a rigid sketch or photograph. I feel that it is more natural, and allows me to explore the potential of lino printing to its maximum.

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell? 

I sell with Artfinder and most of my prints are on there. I have also recently set
up my own website which also has my other illustrations on it as well as some of my linocuts
which I am still populating. I also take personal commissions via my website or through my Facebook page.

What will we be seeing from you next?

This year should be exciting, once my twins are in nursery, and I have really interesting ideas that I am itching to get started on. I have recently created
some very comprehensive printmaking kits with extensive instruction booklets and tips and troubleshooting included that is an essence of all my experience
of trialing and experimenting and things that I wish I knew when it started. All tools and materials are included as well as design templates so all
you have to do is to open the box, and start! I am releasing many new designs, and so that is something I am very excited about. I have also have started
a Print Club which is a ‘mini print of the month’ subscription service for those who are keen to start or add to a linocut collection. There are

3 and 6 month packages and also gift cards available. Have a look at my website on hedgeandhogprints.com.

I also have dates and packages for printmaking workshops available in my home studio now, with the possibility to design a day around your needs, whether
individual or as a group session. Plenty of tea and cake included!

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

As creatives, we often doubt ourselves, and are reluctant to put anything out there unless we think that it is perfect. I think it is important to create
for the joy of it, and if it makes you happy, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Don’t force yourself to be creative, as it is not easy to be original
and interesting all of the time. Use playfulness and doodling to be inspired and generate new ideas for yourself. I know that there is a lot of advice
on using Pinterest as inspiration but I am always wary of that. Try and find what inspires you in everyday life, and find something that is meaningful
to you. I would also advise strongly to think about plagiarism and copying, as this is something that more creatives should be aware of. Be careful
that you do not do this even unknowingly, and read any trademark and infringement laws carefully. But most importantly, enjoy the process, and not
just the final result.

For more of Pragya’s work, see her website, Facebook page and Instagram. You can also see more
work on Artfinder or sign up to Pragya’s Newsletter. Get 15% off your first purchase on the website. Plus, use the code HEDGE&HOG10 for a discount on the website’s
featured collection until the end of May 2017!