Drypoint exploration

Drypoint is an intaglio printmaking process, which means the ink is printed from the depths of the plate - the areas cut away, rather than the surface. In that sense it's like etching - except that with drypoint you scratch directly into the plate, rather than using acid to bite the surface.

The lines created with drypoint are distinctive, because the ink is captured within the 'burr', the edge of the cut line. It is possible to use metal or perspex plates. In either instance the plats have a shorter life - because each printing serves to flatten the plate.

Enough of the background! Here are a couple of examples. To familiarise myself with my new Hawthorn etching press, I created a small drypoint image of Pittenweem on the Fife coast of Scotland. It's an atmospheric, beautiful fishing village - with cottages hiding from the sea down narrow alleys called 'wynds' which often connect to streets on other levels. My husbands family spent many holiday in the cottage on the right. It has been wonderful to revisit this beautiful area with him.

Test print - Pittenweem drypoint (perspex plate)

This image started as this little sketch, below:

Sometimes, I find I use drypoint to test a planned composition. This is a drypoint which I created as a little study for 'Above Ullswater' to see if I like the structure. I then went on to explore how to create this in a linocut. You can see more about this process in my blog on the topic here.

Initial drypoint test plate for 'Above Ullswater'

To learn more about my work, please check out my website www.carolynmurphy.co.uk where you'll find my gallery, online shop and links to my social media.

Printmaking Course in Wrexham

One of the best things I've done this year was the new Level 3 Printmaking course at the Regional Print Centre at Coleg Cambria's Wrexham campus. It lasted a far too brief 12 weeks!

During the course we covered a wide range of printmaking techniques: screenprint, drypoint, etching, linocut before focussing on our chosen area to develop work to a final stage for submission. Having completed the year-long original part-time Hot Bed Press Complete Printmaker course, I was already familiar with the techniques, but my main aim was to bring a new rigour and more structured approach to my creative processes.

I couldn't resist lino as my focus area and chose to explore the work of the Grosvenor School printmakers and the wider use of printmaking in transport marketing in the 1930's. This was fuelled by my love of those old railway and underground posters, as well as a distant family link to one of the designers of these - Margaret Calkin James. My grandmother was a Calkin, and a cousin to Margaret.

'Sale Water Park' - my final course work

The programme involved research around my chosen topic area, which included a trip to the London Transport Museum to see their 'Poster Girls' exhibition, as well as an exploration of other printmakers' work and visits to galleries in Liverpool to appreciate contemporary art and a wider context.

I decided to log my journey on this assessed programme with a learning journal online as a blog. You can take a look too, by following this link. If you're thinking of taking a Level 2 or Level 3 course, it's well worth looking at these new UAL validated programmes. The facilities are great at the Regional Print Centre in Wrexham and I really enjoyed the tuition and support. It's well organised and my only criticism is that it didn't go on for longer!

To see more of my work, please check out my website: www.carolynmurphy.co.uk where you will also find an online Shop with currently available work. Thanks!

Drypoint on a large scale

Last weekend I really enjoyed Alan Birch's new large format drypoint course in Rossendale's Prospect Studios. It was a chance to work on Perspex plates as large as 50 x 70 cm.

This was the first weekend the course has run. Another one is coming up in October. Class sizes are small. Day 1 was creating plates using traditional - and less traditional - drypoint techniques. Day 2 was all printing - quite tiring given the plate size.

I'm pleased with my first attempts to work at this scale and took the chance to explore the same image (an 'everywoman' / Eve sketch) using traditional drypoint tool and also on plate 2 adding power tool effects! Not easy to control, but creating some great texture and definition. I think I'm hooked! These rough proofs give you a preview of work in progress.

Drypoint using a variety of hand tools

 

Drypoint using a power sander as well as traditional tools

 

Ispired by Picasso in Malaga

Finally, after years of visiting Malaga, I got to the Picasso Museum this time. I'm really glad I did. The building alone is stunning - and much larger than I'd expected, housing the Collection and an exhibition running until 21 February 2016, called Picasso 'German Records'. Printmaking was well represented in both sections and the press used by Picasso in Paris, was also in pride of place on loan.

You aren't allowed to take pictures of the works themselves, so the images below are sadly of postcards or flyers, so the quality is not great. My favourite images were the large linocuts 'Portrait of a Young Girl, after Cranach the Younger'.

5 colours on plates 64 x 53.5cm, produced in 1958. There were also some great etchings, sugar lift aquatints and drypoint original prints. I found them inspiring in their challenge of technique as much as the powerful images themselves.

 It's a beautiful city. If you haven't been, perhaps it's time to plan it in...

Prospect Studios

I've just spent another fantastic weekend at Alan Birch's printmaking workshop at Prospect Studios in Waterfoot, Rossendale, experimenting with a mix of etching, drypoint and multi-block lino cut printmaking. I had plans to do a vast amount - including monoprinting - which I've had to leave until next time.

These workshops are great and I feel like a regular already, despite this only being my second visit. The atmosphere is relaxed, the group size is small, with around 7 or 8 people, everyone is busy on their chosen projects and Alan manages to help and guide everyone - and supply plenty of tea! Perfect!

Below you can see how things went. I created a 2 block linocut using oil-based ink, then added a drypoint image over the top. This is the first attempt at this image. I have refined the lino blocks ready for next time, when I'll print in softer colours. I've also created an etching along the same lines, with 2 linocut blocks to match. Photos will follow next month...