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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! 

We are pleased to be opening our doors once more for the Chichester Art Trail!
Both Shirley and Holly will be exhibiting their latest work in the Handprinted Studio. The exhibition will feature relief prints, screen prints, etchings,
indigo dyeing and batiks! There will be framed and unframed works as well as homewares and bags to view and for sale.

The Art Trail is a great opportunity to visit our studio and see what we’re all about. For any of you who would like to know what we get up to when we’re
not teaching, blogging and posting orders, this is your chance to see! Both of us will be on hand to talk about our work, the studio and our workshops.
The Handprinted Studio will be open for the Art Trail all May bank holiday
weekend (29th, 30th April, 1st May) and the following weekend (6th & 7th May) from 10.30 until 5.30.

There are 150 artists to visit in 114 venues in the Chichester Art Trail this year! Take a look at the venue map to see the artists in your local area – we’ve got lots of other great artists near us in Bognor.

Here’s a few pictures of last year’s exhibition:

Come along to Handprinted, 22 Arun Business Park, Shripney Road, Bognor Regis, PO22 9SX to see what we’ve got this year!

 

Handprinted are organising a Tea Towel Print Exchange to raise money for WaterAid!

WaterAid help the world’s poorest communities to transform their lives with clean water. 1 in 10 people don’t have access to safe water and 1 in 3 don’t
have access to a decent toilet. We want a world where everyone everywhere has these basic human rights by 2030. Together we can make that happen. WaterAid
are on a mission to get ‘safe water, sanitation and hygiene to everyone everywhere by 2030‘. WaterAid reached 2 million people with safe water
and 3 million people with sanitation last year. We want to raise as much money as we can for WaterAid through our Tea Towel Print Exchange!

To take part all you have to do is print three tea towels, send them to us at Handprinted and receive three random printed tea towels from other participants.
We are asking all participants to make a suggested donation of £10 to WaterAid and then you can screen print, block print, embroider, dye, stamp and decorate the tea towels in any way you like!

Young girls in Sanankoro village, Mali, practice good hygiene by washing their hands in clean water from their new water points. Photographer credit: WaterAid/Layton Thompson

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

Nadia collects clean water from the rehabilitated borehole in Nyamigende village, Rwanda. Photographer credit: WaterAid/Zute Lightfoot

If you’re local, use the Handprinted studio to create your tea towels – why not come as a group and all print together? If you’re further away you could
meet up at home with a couple of friends and each print three tea towels. They can be all different or all the same, using any decorative technique
that you like. Feel free to use any tea towels you can get your hands on to create your own unique designs. We want you to be creative! If you like,
you can even download the ‘In support of WaterAid’ logo below and add it to your design.

Sign up to enter by post!

Donate to WaterAid

Start printing!

Meet London based artist and designer Sarah Hamilton and enter our competition for a chance to win a copy of her new card making book ‘House of Cards‘.

Sarah has been running her own creative business for over 20 years. She describes her work as ‘Joyful, fresh and contemporary, with a Mid-Century Scandinavian
feel. Colours, and their effect on each other, fascinate me. Put simply my colours must sing.’

She contributes regularly to UK Handmade magazine and is a passionate champion of independent businesses and Artists and Designers. Such is her belief
in their future she instigated the ‘Just a Card‘ campaign to encourage people to support them.
She’s also been a guest speaker at Mollie Makes awards, Crafty Fox Market events and for The Design Trust. Sarah’s work has sold through many prestigious
stores.

Describe your printmaking process.

Silkscreen printing is my first love. I mainly use paper cut stencils and my book ‘House of Cards’ describes the process, as well as other techniques,
in depth. Ten leading artists and designers, including Gabriela Szulman, Kirsty Elson and Sam Marshall, detail their own favoured techniques to inspire
both those new to printmaking and professional artists alike. The aim is to show that greeting cards can be artworks in their own right though the
book is useful and inspiring to everyone interested in a variety of printmaking processes including lino printing, textile foiling and letterpress
printing.

How and where did you learn to print?

My first degree was in Fine Art, Printmaking from Manchester, followed by a post-grad at Central St Martins. Very happy days, and I was taught etching
by Norman Ackroyd – if you know his work you’ll appreciate how lucky I was, though I ultimately specialised in screen printing I loved etching too.

Why printmaking?

Nothing beats the excitement of lifting a silkscreen to see the results of printing. I use a variety of mediums, and make a range of work, but my first
love is my trusty screen press. I’m addicted to paper and love everything about the process – cutting paper stencils, mixing inks, brandishing a squeegee,
watching multiple prints stack up. Screen printing is a great way to learn about and discover colour relationships – however experienced you are, you
can never predict the results.

Where do you work?

My studio’s in my home in Dulwich, South London. It’s an unusual split-level 1950’s house set in woods overlooking the city. The best thing about it is
that it’s an upside down house, the living spaces are at the top, so my studio is flooded with natural light. I’ve the best of both worlds here as
it’s very green, but only 14 minutes by train to central London.

Describe a typical day in your studio.

One of the many pleasures of my work life is that no two days are the same. Days are spent designing, packing online orders or meeting clients, either
here or in the studio, to discuss a commission. I also run the JUST A CARD campaign, write for various publications, as well as being a trustee of
an educational arts charity – all these add ensure my week is as varied as it is busy.

How long have you been printmaking?

My first encounter with silkscreen printing was at sixth form college – aged sixteen. I had a fantastic Art tutor – one of those extra special inspirational
teachers who alter the course of your life by their passion and enthusiasm.He’d persuaded the college to invest in printmaking facilities, and I clearly
recall him saying he thought I’d love screenprinting as I was so keen on experimenting with colour.I’ll always be grateful to him for his support and
encouragement.

What inspires you?

Nature, music, folk art, travel, fifties designs, everything Japanese, architecture, books – all the usual suspects with a healthy dose of music, friendship
and laughter rolled in.I gravitate to art, architecture and design from the ‘less is more’ school of thought – clean lines, the union between materials,
colour and imagery. As to the music, friendship and laughter- the more of that the better!

What is your favourite printmaking product?

I love so many tools and products associated with printmaking, but one of my very favourites is lino rollers. I especially like the ones with wooden handles
and brass fixings, so beautifully made.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

A living as an artist and designer – does that count!? It’s not easy – there are so many challenges, but overcoming them is part of the exciting creative
journey.

Where can we your work? Where do you sell?

Every year, in May (Sat/Sun 13-14th this year)I have an Open House/Studio. It’s fun, sociable and everyone’s welcome so do pop in. It’s a great day out
and we have fabulous cakes too. Details will be on my social media channels and website. I also sell via my website and through various galleries and
independent shops.

What will we be seeing from you next?

2017 is shaping up to be very busy and I’m planning to focus on more Fine Art work. Funnily enough, as the book was meant to inspire people, Sam Marshall’s
chapter in House of Cards about lino printing has reignited my love of relief printing – I may well be ordering some lino materials from Handprinted
soon.

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

My advice is to always keep your creative aims in mind – try new things and never compare yourself to others.

Also, very importantly, embrace Social Media with open arms – it really is an artists’ best friend. No end of opportunities have come my way from it. Be
patient, consistent and generous to others and you’ll find it makes a huge difference. I wouldn’t have written this book if I hadn’t made the initial
contacts on Twitter. It’s very important to remember that SM is not all about selling – it’s as much about making connections which ultimately lead
to somewhere.

And finally – Check out the JUST A CARD campaign to encourage people to support artists, makers and independent shops. Follow us on Social Media – especially
on Instagram. Our volunteer team work extremely hard to promote the campaign so we’d love you to join us.

For more of Sarah’s work, follow on Instagram: @SarahHamiltonPrints,
@hoc_cardbook and @Justacard

To enter our April giveaway for a copy of Sarah Hamilton’s new book House of Cards, click here! Competition closes on 30th May 2017.

 

The Xcut Xpress is traditionally used as a die cutting machine but has found a whole new life as a printing press! This small scale machine is portable,
affordable and can produce amazing quality prints. We used our Xcut Xpress with Extended Print Bed and Felt to produce a linocut, a drypoint etching and a collagraph!

The Xcut comes folded into its portable form. The press unfolds to produce the print bed and rollers.

Each side has a removable piece that can be lifted out.

Underneath is a slide that can lock the sides of the press down in place.

The side pieces can then be replaced the other way up, clicking into place to produce a flat bed.

The Xcut Xpress comes with a short bed but we have an extended bed and compressed felt to further the printmaking possibilities of this machine. To print, we added two pieces of newsprint
between the bed and the felt.

Linocut: Pressure at 6.5

We inked up one of our linocuts with Hawthorn Dense Black Stay Open Ink. We used a Hawthorn Roller to transfer the ink to the block.

We adjusted the height of the roller to 6.5 and gently fed in the print bed and felt. The lino was placed face up on top of the print bed and one piece
of newsprint. The second piece of newsprint and felt were placed on top.

We are using 3.2mm traditional grey lino onto 190gsm Kent paper. 6.5 seems to be the perfect pressure
for this combination with our 3mm thick compressed felt and extended bed.

You will need to guide the bed with your hands until the roller takes hold of the lino. The handle is easy to turn and requires no pressure.

After one pass through the press we got a perfect print.

Drypoint Etching: Pressure at 4

We inked up one of our drypoint etching plates with Caligo Safe Wash Etching Ink in Carbon Black.
For more information about making and printing a drypoint etching, see our blog post.

We turned the dial to 4 to get the correct pressure and gently fed in the print bed and felt, again with two pieces of newsprint to sandwich our print
(you will need to turn the dial to 4 before feeding the bed and felt in as the felt will resist the dial being turned this low). This seems to be the
lower limit of the press when using this print bed and 3mm felt. We are using 0.5mm drypoint plastic with 190gsm Kent paper with our extended print bed and felt.

Dampened Kent paper was placed on top.

The print came out crisply with lovely embossed plate marks.

Collagraph: Pressure at 4.5

We inked up one of our collagraph plates with Akua Intaglio Ink in Carbon Black.
For more information about creating a card cut collagraph like this one, see our blog post.

We turned the dial to 4.5 and gently fed through our print bed, newsprint and felt. We used 1400 micron mount board with very low relief collagraph textures.
Again, we printed onto dampened 190gsm Kent paper.

Although the plate was old and worn out from lots of use, the print came out beautifully with varying tones and embossed plate marks.

I am a printmaker based in Bude in North Cornwall. I make print editions centred round themes of food, still life imagery and the domestic everyday.

Describe your printmaking process.

At the moment I am working mainly in linocut but I also use alternative ways to reproduce my images by making adaptations to the traditional print processes.
I switch between the 2 methods and both inform one another.

How and where did you learn to print?

While studying Graphic Design in Manchester I discovered the Screen Printing workshop and I was hooked on printmaking from then on. I specialised in Printmaking
at the Royal College of Art for 2 years where I began exploring alternative printmaking processes.

Why printmaking?

I love repetition! I am totally attracted to images on repeat. The physical process behind a successful repeat is also really appealing to me. I really
enjoy the problem solving and mechanics behind producing a print edition.

Where do you work?

I use a small workshop just down the coast from Bude, kind of in someone’s garden, amongst the vegetable patch! It’s a simple set-up; I have a home-made
press, and an inking up and drying area, it works perfectly. If I’m just cutting lino I sometimes work on the kitchen table at home, especially when
it’s chilly in the winter.

Describe a typical day in your studio.

I am also a post lady, so my day actually begins in the sorting office! Once the post is delivered by early afternoon I am free for printmaking for the
rest of the day. I have to plan ahead and work out the afternoon’s task the day before otherwise the afternoon just drifts away and I get nothing done.
In the early stages of a project, I am drawing, generating ideas and mapping out images. Once the printing process begins it’s a really different working
pace. Having limited time adds an extra element of excitement to the process! I am often racing against daylight to mix the right colour or to complete
a print edition so there is enough drying time before an exhibition.

How long have you been printmaking?

It’s 10 years since I first discovered Printmaking on my Graphic Design degree but I would say it’s been 6 years doing it reasonably seriously and while
exhibiting regularly.

What inspires you?

The everyday. Daily domestic life, family homes and fruit and vegetable shops are all big inspiration for me. I also love cottage industry and small-scale
mass-production, which influences my own reproduction processes.

What is your favourite printmaking product?

Flexcut Slipstrop, I still need
a bit of practice but it’s showing great potential for keeping my tools sharp!

What have you made that you are most proud of?

I think my ‘Courgette Shop’ project was one of the most ridiculous and challenging projects I have ever set myself. It’s become a bit of a storage problem
now but I’m still pretty proud that I hand-painted 2800 toilet rolls under some tough time constraints!

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

I am about to take part in a 3-person show on lino cuts at ‘The Hybrid Gallery’ in Honiton and I currently have work for sale in ‘The Workshop’, Bude as
well as on my online shop. You can follow my process on Instagram and any upcoming venues are posted on here too.

What will we be seeing from you next?

I am about to go on an artist residency in a rural village in Nepal to research subsistence farming techniques, so a new body of work is around the corner!
The next 12 months look set to be exciting for me and my work.

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Work hard and be patient! It’s a roller-coaster and I’m very much still riding it! Keep making even if you’re not sure about it, you need to get through
the bad ideas before you get to the good stuff. I’m still trying to get there too!

To see more of Helen’s amazing work, visit her website: helenmurgatroyd.co.uk

 

We are happily now stocking Hawthorn Stay Open Inks. These are oil based inks that work beautifully for relief printing. We have a fantastic range of colours
including the process range. Process colours are inks specially formulated to create a full spectrum of colours when mixed. There is a Process Yellow,
Process Cyan (Blue) and Process Magenta (Red). We stock the process range of many of our inks, particularly Speedball Screen Printing Inks and Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks.

As well as being mixed, process colours can be printed on top of one another to create secondary colours. Yellow over red will create orange, yellow over
blue will produce green and red over blue will produce purple. All three over one another will produce brown. By using just three layers of ink you
can produce seven colours. You can experiment with transparency to achieve the best results.

We did a little experiment to show you the new Hawthorn process colours layered up. We mixed each colour with about 50% of the Transparent Hawthorn ink. In order to see the colours
through one another you need to roll a thin layer of the inks onto the block.

Our three circles were printed with Process Cyan, Process Magenta and finally Process Yellow, all mixed 50:50 with Transparent. You can see the
secondary and tertiary colours where the circles have overlapped. These were printed wet on wet but ordinarily we would wait for each layer to dry before
printing the next.

The process colours produce a full range of colours when mixed. We produced three colour blends with our roller to show the spectrum of colours when using
just two of the process inks. Process Yellow to Process Cyan:

Process Yellow to Process Magenta:

Process Magenta to Process Cyan:

To mix a pillar box red add a little yellow to magenta, to mix a turquoise blue add a little yellow to cyan. To make colours more ‘dirty’ add the complementary
colour – add red to make greens more natural and orange to subdue blues. Watch this space for more blog posts on colour mixing with process colours!

Our full range of Hawthorn Inks can be viewed here!

Even if you have never heard of Swifty you will probably have seen or even owned a piece of his artwork. In the late 80s he was plucked straight from
art school in Manchester by Neville Brody to work on The Face  – the most influential magazine for music and graphic design. He has worked
for record labels like Gilles Peterson’s Talking Loud and James Lavelle’s Mo Wax, designed TV titles such as Smack the Pony and Peep Show, was
the art director of Straight No Chaser magazine, designs Fonts, club night flyers, T-shirt designs and skateboards. 

Swifty’s is a very hands on graphic designer – equally at home with a Rotring pen and a stack of paper to designing in Photoshop. To create his iconic
artworks he mixes up to the minute design tools with lo-fi production techniques. 

Describe your process.

My process has been refined over a period of about 30 years. Even though I was at the forefront of digital technology being one of the first graphic designers
in the UK to adopt and use Apple Macintosh computers I still adopt a very hand drawn analogue approach.

Yes the computer will always be used as the tool of choice but my tools are still very much pencils and marker pens. Original type is drawn by hand and
then scanned. A Photoshop file is generated at the right size and I print a positive heavy black print onto OHP inkjet film.

Handprinted have been instrumental in helping me develop my process which is all in house and very lo-fi. I use aluminium screens in a 55T mesh – this
grade works best for me, giving me the right amount of detail and the aluminium frames stand up to the elements as most of them are stored outside
in the garden. I have found that the 55T grade mesh works best for me giving me the right amount of detail. After coating the mesh with Speedball Photo Emulsion I leave it in my shed/studio overnight in the dark to dry thoroughly.

First thing in the morning I set up for exposing which is about as basic as it gets. I have an old 60’s photographic light with the biggest traditional
bulb of about 500 watts which exposes the screens in a range from 22-27 minutes depending on how old the emulsion is. I print the positive film printed
off on my Epsom 1400 inkjet which provides a really good positive black similar to and old fashioned Bromide or film positive. After exposure I wash
out the emulsion in our family bathroom.

My set up is very simple – just hinge clamps on a wooden table, prints are hung to dry, on a makeshift drying line with clothes pegs in the shed and when
that’s full up and it’s a nice day on the washing line outside.

How and where did you learn to print?

I learnt to print on my foundation course aged 16-17 at Padgate Art College near Warrington, Merseyside. I was immediately drawn to the silk screen process
in particular and then discovered the work of Andy Warhol which sealed my interest in the print form and ways of reproducing multiples in any medium.
After pursuing a career in graphic design I didn’t then silk screen print properly for about 30 years. I then taught myself how to produce an edition
starting from scratch and the golden rule was I couldn’t outsource any part of the process apart from buying the materials and ink needed, I had to
be self sufficient.

Why printing?

So I can produce editions primarily. Rather than spend a fortune outsourcing the prints I prefer to print myself. Not only for the obvious cost reasons
but because the act of printing is such a joyous one. Every print is hand pulled by myself and I like the slight imperfections and accidents that occur.

Where do you work?

My studio is in a small shed at the end of my garden in West London. It’s the smallest studio I’ve operated out of but in some ways the best because I
have customised the layout several times to a point now were every available space is used to the maximum – small space working is very exciting when
you have everything just how you want it – ‘were there’s a will there’s a way’!

Describe a typical day in your studio.

As varied as possible, not every day will I be printing: only when I have a new edition connected to say ‘Dingwalls’ (the bi yearly jazz Dance event my
partner Janine organises) or for the ‘Art Car boot Fair’ (another yearly event in the diary I always produce a new edition). Not only silk screen printing
but lino cuts, stencils and spray paint etc. I often mix the mediums on one print. Usually my days are still spent designing logos, record covers,
fonts and magazines for my usual clients in the music industry. Very occasionally I  design the odd title sequence for TV or I might be planning
and producing bits of art for a gallery show. No two days or even weeks or a month is ever the same. I’m blessed to have a rich and varied client base
who come to me for all sorts of stuff. It’s that variety that keeps me going most of the time.

How long have you been printmaking?

Since I retaught myself – about 10 years now. Silk screen is my preferred medium but I still do the odd mono print or etching. And I do have a range of
inkjet prints called the ‘Swifty Jazz festival’ which are very popular. That’s not the same as a proper print but it does make them cheap which is
part of their appeal.

What inspires you?

Everything from Saul Bass title sequences to Reid Miles Blue Note record covers, Charles Eames furniture to Brutalist architecture – the list is endless
and it changes with the mood. I just saw the Rauchenberg exhibition at the Tate so that’s big on my mind at the moment. He’s another great artist who
adopted the silk screen medium and produced some amazing work right through to his transfer paintings of late, another technique I am very interested
in. Inspiration has to be a constant and us creatives need to constantly discover new stuff to keep us inspired.

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

One stop shopping at Handprinted! They give great advice about screens and new products. Speedball is my favourite ink for both t-shirt and paper printing,
I recently had fun with some of the fluorescent inks.

My aluminium screens, hinge clamps, squeegees, everything comes from Handprinted. Although my 60’s photographic lamp is the one bit of kit that I couldn’t
do without, bought on Portobello Road market well over twenty years ago.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

Oh that’s a tough one, I’ve got a couple of camouflage paintings which I’m pretty fond of but in terms of printing some of the editions for ‘Dingwalls’
I think are very classic Swifty designs. But of course I’m still proud to have designed some great logos for the likes of ‘Talkin’Loud’ or ‘Mo Wax’
and my font designs like ‘Coltrane’ or ‘Gunshot’ are works that people still resonate with over 20 years later.

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

My website for general info and portfolio (needs a lot of work!) I sell prints and other bits on my
Big Cartel shop. 

My monograph book – ‘Swifty: Funky Typografix’ is available from the Gamma Proforma website.

What will we be seeing from you next?

Lots more editions with a bit of luck – time to delve into the archives and pull out some gems!

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Never stop.