Author: John Wallett

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Meet The Artist: Efi Savvides

Wivenhoe Printworks
July 29th  6 – 8:30pm

During the last few days of July and the first half of August Printworks was very pleased to welcome a temporary guest Member: the internationally recognised Cypriot artist Efi Savvides.

Efi was in the UK for just eighteen days as friend and guest of another Printworks member: Zoe Papadopoulous. During this very short time Efi worked with us at Printworks to develop a series of screen prints as part of an ongoing photo-print project on the historic imagery of Cypriot independence. The project included making halftone photo-stencil screenprints overprinted in multiple colours, based on contemporary images of the exile of the first leader of Cyprus Archbishop Makarios as he struggled for the country’s unification with Greece.

The images were printed often in seven or eight separate colours onto aluminium-faced ‘Dibond’ display boards. In the process there were a great deal of experimental colour tests and trials!

 

During our work together on this project we also began to learn more about the very wide range of Efi’s print and mixed media work. The opportunity was too good to miss, so at short notice we arranged the first of what will now be an occasional ongoing series of informal presentations. “Meet The Artist: Efi Savvides” (Saturday 29th July 6-8:30pm). This was an informal talk with slides illustrating her past and recent work, combining classical and modern imagery with personal mementos and focussing on political divisions of identity, notions of ‘home’ and the shared legacies of globalism. 

In the two hour evening session Efi introduced a selection of her internationally commissioned mixed-media works, and shared through an informal discussion session how her personal artistic experience had developed over recent years. 

Efi’s chosen media range across art heritage pieces screenprinted onto mass-produced paper napkins and handkerchiefs, large scale architectural prints viewed through translucent gauzes and window blinds, maps of lost homes, displaced districts printed onto gaudy cafe ‘hospitality’ trays, and photojournalist records of personal habitations lost and found.

Bridging conceptual art, figurative printmaking, architectural memory, photography and political commentary, Efi’s work is both delicate and beautiful in its execution and powerful in its questioning of historical identity, notions of home, and collective sense of belonging. 

The evening was a great success and simulated a great deal of lively questions and discussions.

If you have ideas for  future “Meet The Artist” events please contact Eliza Kentridge ( elizakentridge@hotmail.co.uk ) or John Wallett (  johnwallettdesigner@gmail.com ).

You can also check out Efi’s own website for more details of her exhibitions, commissions, collaborations and publications: https://efisavvides.com/About

 

 

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Drypoint Intermediate

Here are some breezy shots from this weekend’s Intermediate Drypoint course. Two other people were unable to come but Dirk Paterson, Jo Kingsford and Jayne Wallett all seemed to have had a good time.

There seems to be a lot of interest for more sessions with a small focussed group of people who already have considerable drawing skills who want to apply these and use the great range of line tone andd texture that drypoint can offer.

Two half days (1-5pm) some quite sustained drawing and alot of very spirited inking with the very popular AKUA water-washable intaglio ink… plus of course our lovely big press!

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Art Off The Rails: Call for artwork!

Matt Linley from the ‘Art Off The Rails’ scheme has asked Wivenhoe Printworks to put together images for display on Wivenhoe Station platforms for March and April. We are inviting all Printworks Members to submit images we can select and prepare for this great free display opportunity to promote Printworks and our individual creative work!

Artist and work details

Please give us details of your work and we will try to include these on the printed blowups. If you have a website or Instagram account then let us know and we will make some QR codes to stick by the work. Here is a little form to use to share this information with us:

Art Off The Rails 2023

Name(Required)
Please use the form to give us some details of your work. This will really help. PS You can copy & paste if you have submitted more than four pieces by the way!

 

More details about how the work will be seen:

Station Display Frames

Art Off The Rails have six large display frames on the station platforms: five on Platform 2 (Clacton line) and one on Platform 1 (London line). The frames are all 26’ x 40’ (66cm x 101.5cm) which is somewhere between A1 and A0 in size, and are weatherproof. The scheme also has a budget for printing up enlarged versions of scanned or photographed work and will take care of all installation.

Timing

Please bring in your images next week (Sunday 19th Feb at the latest) so we have time to scan them. The prepared image scans will be given to Matt on Wednesday 22nd Feb to send off to printers. The finished prints will be installed in the Station display frames by Matt on the weekend of March 4th/5th.

Images and Sizes

We need material that can be scanned or photographed, so it should be unframed and unglazed. If work is flat un-mounted and A4 or smaller we can scan it in the workshop (if flat but mounted we will photograph it). For work that is up to A3 and flat unmounted we can get it scanned professionally in Colchester as long as we have it by the morning of Friday 17th Feb. Bigger work up to A2 can also be scanned as long as it is flat and can cope with being wrapped round a drum scanner.

Sadly we can’t do anything with framed glazed work as this will not scan or photograph well.

Image style

We want a wide range of work but some kinds of image will be more suitable for this outdoor situation. As many people will view the framed work from the opposite platform large bold images will generally be most effective. If you have a print that has a powerful design but is small then we can scan it and enlarge it. But work that has a lot of fine detail may not work so well visually. If in doubt please contact John Wallett as soon as possible to avoid last minute probs.

Shallow Relief Objects

There are two smaller ‘Art On The Rails’ display areas above the toilet doors in the Ticket Office. These are approximately 55.8cm x 75.4cm. They can take work up to 4.5cm in depth behind their clear perspex fronts and have no side frames. Because they are high up they are not really suitable for flat printed work, but if you think you have something visually ‘punchy’ that is shallow 3D then please let us know?

ps About ‘Off The Rails’

First started in 2010, ‘Off the Rails’ was set up as an art and poetry project based at Wivenhoe Railway Station, showcasing local creative talent and businesses from Wivenhoe and North Essex. Wivenhoe attracts many visitors and residents because of its vibrant arts and literary scenes, and a large number of rail travellers use the station every week. With grant aid from several sources ‘Art Off the Rails’ has shown a range of very diverse art and graphic work over the years. The scheme is ongoing and welcomes new approaches from artists and makers. If you have an idea then take a look at their website and get in touch with them:
website: https://offtherailswivenhoe.uk/
fb: https://www.facebook.com/OfftheRailsWiv
email: offtherailswivenhoe@gmail.com

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A look back on 2022

2022 has been a pivotal year for Printworks. This weekend gives us a moment to look back over the past few years with a mixture of gratitude and relief. It is also an opportunity to look forward to what we aim to achieve in 2023.

Printworks began as a collective idea in early 2017. By November 2017 we started renting the current space. Thanks to local trusts and individual sponsors we also acquired our two great printing presses and screen-print facilities. By mid 2018 we had a working Membership system and were running a programme of short cost-recoverable courses. In June 2019 we consolidated 'Wivenhoe Printworks' as a not-for profit Company Limited by Guarantee with a small Board of Directors and a mix of annual and monthly Members.

Barely ten months later in March 2020 the UK went into an indeterminate period of lockdown as the COVID virus struck, and Printworks faced some very difficult decisions about how to continue renting our large workshop space and maintaining the facilities whilst meeting safety requirements. We did our best to keep up with the changing legislation but it’s true to say that in practice it would be Autumn 2021 before we were again able to put together a proper course programme with the confidence that people would feel safe to attend. During that period we were very fortunate to receive financial support and encouragement from patrons, dedicated Members and our small but very loyal Board. Without their support Printworks would not have made it through, and 2022 would not have been the turning point year that it has been.

2022 Achievements

2022 has been a year of real achievement, notably the significant strengthening of the team which manages project direction, facilities and course development, the addition to the team of Carol Munn-Giddings as Member Representative, the refocussing of print process development on the core areas of Relief, Screenprint, Collagraph and Intaglio, the restarting of a long-term course programme delivered through Eventbrite, the successful participation on several local Art Trails in partnership with the Old Grocery venue and the very impressive financial stabilisation of the organisation.

2023: Membership Development

Printworks is a small organisation and it is largely demand-driven. Demand comes primarily from two main user groups: people who attend courses and people who become Members. Courses bring new people into the Printworks orbit and enable us to share skills and creative approaches with a wide range of users from complete beginners to accomplished printmakers. This is very much a two way process and helps us as much as it helps newcomers to enjoy the range of activities which we offer. Whether we provide the teaching ourselves or bring in other printmakers and artists as guest tutors, the process stimulates further ideas for course development and gauges potential interest in going further with specific processes. People who come on short courses often get excited to try out other printmaking opportunities and consider the benefits of becoming Members. During 2022 our Member Representative Carol Munn-Giddings has been working to strengthen this engagement through conversations with individual Members which feed back into Printworks planning; profiling Members and their interests to feature on future website posts and in social media, and working with other Board members to reshape how we plan and deliver Member-related (ie internal) courses. She has also been evaluating alternative Membership models and benefits.

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Press for hire

Wivenhoe Printworks have a very nice compact press available for hire at a very modest rate. It is a really nice machine and we love it a lot, but we don’t quite have the space to comfortably use it in the workshop right now. We would like to make it available on medium to long-term hire so that it is used and loved. Download pdf of photos and dimensions

Our proposal is to hire it out for a minimum of three months and then ongoing with a month notice on either side (thought we are very unlikely to need to call it back at short notice).  For hire rates and to discuss insurance etc please email John Wallett now.

The press breaks down convenienty into components: top roller, main drive mechanism, iron wheel, steel print plate and steel support frame. Each of these can be lifted and handled by one or two reasonably able-bodied people so with care it can be transported and reassembled without the need for specialist print-press transport. We can help arrange transport within a twenty-mile radius if necessary though the hirer would need to pay the cost of this. We do have an associate who can be called on to drive it for a very reasonable charge. We have disassembled and reassembled it so we can also help with that. The main requirement for its situation is to be in a firm and level ground-floor space that is not subject to excessive damp.

If interested or would like to take a look please contact John Wallett:
mobile: 07757 305327 landline: 01206 820849 email: johnwallettdesigner@gmail.com

Click photo for downloadable details

 

Intaglio press (also suitable for relief)

Maker: Littlejohn Graphic Systems
machine number: w 1596/5
no visible date (1970s ?)
Condition good

Dimensions

Base footprint 55x64cm
Bed 91x53cm (15mm steel)
Height of bed from floor apx 94cm.

Features

Ground steel print-bed with removable end stops, screw-adjustable plated upper roller 10cm Ø, direct drive lower roller 7.5cm Ø, gun-metal bearings, fully enclosed drive gearing, cast iron drive wheel & removable handle, steel under-shelf, plus basic set of blankets.

This is a very compact intaglio press with a floor footprint suitable for the smaller studio. The polished plated top roller and ground steel print plate are in good condition and the gearing and lower drive roller work very smoothly.

Roller height/pressure are adjusted with two screw knobs which also have lock-nuts. Some ‘give’ to the impression is provided by the use of stacked hardboard packers which are indicated in a close up. A simple vertical height scale is also visible on each side of the top roller. The two plate end stops can easily be removed for maintenance and cleaning.

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Photopolymer/Solar Plate

Photopolymer (Solar Plate) Course Structure

IMAGES FROM RECENT PHOTOPOLYMER INTRO WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 2022

This course will take place over one-day or two consecutive half-day sessions

Outline of programme

  • Welcome, teas/coffees and introductions
  • Examples of photopolymer artwork, plates and prints
  • Mini-darkroom equipment and process:
        safety, lights, printing frames, plates and use of tone-screen
  • Quick demo of the photopolymer process
  • Making test strips to find ideal exposure times
  • Developing artwork alternatives for your main print:
         using copier/printer to resize and print photographs onto acetate
         use ‘Tru-Grain’ textured drawing film for direct drawing of line and tone
         use collage materials (plant forms, fabrics etc) or pre-made acetates
  • Tonal screen and artwork exposure
  • Hardening your plates
  • Inking and printing
  • Review of results
  • Finish

Photopolymer process step by step…

1 Plan and prepare photo, design or drawing
choose a photograph, collage or drawing as the basis for your print
if necessary use a photocopier/printer to resize image
laser-print/copy onto clear acetate
this will be your ‘artwork’ when exposing image onto printing plate

2 Preparation of plates
take prepared artwork and tools into mini-darkroom
you will find printing plates all ready to use
turn on red safe-light and make sure darkroom is light-free
unwrap plate and peel off protective covering
lay plate on contact printing frame facing upwards

 

 

 
3 Expose the tonal screen
lay tonal screen sheet onto surface of plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip down tight onto the film
place frame in middle of the UV light area
start timer and switch on three UV lights
expose tonal plate for 3.5 -4.5 minutes (depending on test plates)
switch off UV lights
take out tonal screen and put it away safe from scratches
stop timer and reset to zero

4 Expose your artwork
lay artwork FACE DOWN on the plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip it tight
start timer and switch on three UV lights…
expose artwork for 35-45 seconds (depending on test plates)
switch off the UV lights
take out artwork and put somewhere it will not get lost or splashed
stop timer and reset to zero

5 Rinse your plate
put the safelight down to the lower shelf near water tray
put your timer somewhere visible
submerge plate FACE UPWARDS in water
start  timer and gently rock the tray to soak plate for ONE MINUTE
GENTLY wipe plate with brush/sponge for ONE AND A HALF MINUTES
carry the tray and plate out to spray booth or sink
RINSE GENTLY FOR ONE MINUTE with a fine spray hose

6 Dry your plate
plate should now be well washed and surface of plate may  show faint image
plate will be soft so handle by edges only
lift plate from rinse and stand upright on blotter to remove excess water
lay plate flat face upwards on a clean dry cloth, towel or blotter
lay dry newsprint flat across plate to take off surface water (gently but quickly)
lean plate against wall, emulsion face forward
reset timer to zero and time
dry plate with hairdryer (cool) for FIVE MINUTES
make sure plate is dry on both sides and along all edges
leave plate to cool down for FIVE MINUTES
zero and reset your timer

 

 

7 Harden your plate
take dried plate back in darkroom and lay flat under the UV light face up
check image colour (which should be a kind of honey yellow colour)
start timer and turn on all UV lights
leave plate under UV for 15 – 30 MINUTES
as plate hardens under  UV colour will change to GREEN/BLUE GREY
after 15-20 minutes gently feel plate edge and press with thumbnail
plate should feel smooth and glassy, and will resist nail pressure
you can leave the plate under the UV (or bright sunlight) for up to 35 minutes
(this hardens the surface and make non-etched areas easier to wipe clean)

8 Ready to ink and print!
when plate is hard and dry you can ink and make a test print
or put it away wrapped in clean dry tissue

FAQ’s

What is Photopolymer/Solar Plate and how does it work?

Photopolymer is a simple and versatile process to create either relief or ‘intaglio’ (tonal etched) printing plates using UV light and a variety of natural, photographic or found/collage materials. In these sessions we will be showing you how to make a tonal intaglio plate that displays a wide range of line, tones and textures. You can also do a more simple black and white photopolymer plate to achieve an effect like a relief woodcut. We will demonstrate both processes.

How do I make a printing plate that displays tones and textures?
How big should my drawing or design be?

You may need to create your artwork (photo, collage or drawing) and then copy or laser-print it here onto transparent acetate film that will be contact-printed onto your plate. Your final artwork will be a ‘positive’ the same size as the finished print.

Can I make a plate from a photograph?

Yes! Photopolymer is excellent for making a print from a black and white photo image as long as it has a good range of line, tone and reasonable contrast. If you plan to use a photograph we suggest you just bring it on a memory stick or your phone so we can help you print it out on your acetate at the right size and resolution. If you have already chosen your image you can also email it to us beforehand so we can check how it will print. Alternatively if it is an old traditional (pre-digital) photo you can bring the print in and we will show you how to scan it to get good results.

What about a drawing?

If you prefer to make a drawing then you may want to use the wide range of art materials we have here and draw straight onto a smooth or textured piece of film so you get the best possible image quality to reproduce. You can resize any pre-made drawing in the session using our scanner/copier, or you can make your design here in the session using the art and collage materials which we will provide. If you are not sure how much to prepare before the session then please just call or email us and we will help you decide.

It may be best just to bring some sketches and work on a final image once you have seen a quick demo of the process!

What creates the different tones on my print?
Is it like making an etching?

Tonal photopolymer is similar to applying an ‘aquatint’ to a metal plate in traditional etching. You will first of all put a tone onto your plate before applying your drawing or design. With photopolymer plates this is done using a sheet of film covered in tiny random dots. (We call this a ‘tonal screen’.) Once you have exposed the plate with the tonal screen you will then expose it again using your artwork. This will combine your drawn or photographed image with the pre-exposed tones to create a very sensitive plate suitable for inking and printing on a traditional etching press.

What should I bring with me?

Artwork and art materials
If you want to use a photo please bring either a good print or better still the digital image on memory stick or phone. If you want to use found natural materials (plant forms, scraps of lace or other fabrics etc) to make collages or shadowgrams please bring a election with you. We will also have some collage materials you can experiment with. If you want to develop a tonal drawing we suggest you bring some preliminary studies plus any drawing media you like working with. We can then help you scan or copy the finished drawing onto laser acetate at the right size. If you are happy to experiment we will have a range of inks, pens, crayons and papers you can use.

Protective clothing
Photopolymer is a very simple process involving only UV light and water. There are no toxic chemicals or sticky resists involved in making your plates. It is one of the safest and cleanest processes of platemaking known. However the plates made are usually used to print intaglio as with traditional metal plate etching and this of course involves very sticky pigmented inks which can spoil clothing and may require detergent or oil-based thinners and cleaning agents. It is advisable to come wearing clothing that can cope with a few stains and smears, or to have a protective overall or apron for the printing part of the day! Also the Printworks workshop is a working environment with a certain level of dust and rough working surfaces so please don’t wear Sunday Best!. We do have a selection of characterful (if sometimes grubby) aprons that you can borrow.

 

 

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Photopolymer Course (September 17/18)

Photopolymer (Solar Plate) Courses
(re-usse this for future classes)
Saturday/Sunday September 17/18th. Times: 1pm – 5pm

Course will take place over one-day or two consecutive half-day sessions

Outline of programme

  • Welcome, teas/coffees and introductions
  • Examples of photopolymer artwork, plates and prints
  • Mini-darkroom equipment and process:
        safety, lights, printing frames, plates and use of tone-screen
  • Quick demo of the photopolymer process
  • Making test strips to find ideal exposure times
  • Developing artwork alternatives for your main print:
         using copier/printer to resize and print photographs onto acetate
         use ‘Tru-Grain’ textured drawing film for direct drawing of line and tone
         use collage materials (plant forms, fabrics etc) or pre-made acetates
  • Tonal screen and artwork exposure
  • Hardening your plates
  • Inking and printing
  • Review of results
  • Finish

Photopolymer process step by step…

1 Plan and prepare photo, design or drawing
choose a photograph, collage or drawing as the basis for your print
if necessary use a photocopier/printer to resize image
laser-print/copy onto clear acetate
this will be your ‘artwork’ when exposing image onto printing plate

2 Preparation of plates
take prepared artwork and tools into mini-darkroom
you will find printing plates all ready to use
turn on red safe-light and make sure darkroom is light-free
unwrap plate and peel off protective covering
lay plate on contact printing frame facing upwards

 

 

 
3 Expose the tonal screen
lay tonal screen sheet onto surface of plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip down tight onto the film
place frame in middle of the UV light area
start timer and switch on three UV lights
expose tonal plate for 3.5 minutes (depending on test plates)
switch off UV lights
take out tonal screen and put it away safe from scratches
stop timer and reset to zero

4 Expose your artwork
lay artwork FACE DOWN on the plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip it tight
start timer and switch on three UV lights…
expose artwork for 35-40 seconds (depending on test plates)
switch off the UV lights
take out artwork and put somewhere it will not get lost or splashed
stop timer and reset to zero

5 Rinse your plate
put the safelight down to the lower shelf near water tray
put your timer somewhere visible
submerge plate FACE UPWARDS in water
start  timer and gently rock the tray to soak plate for ONE MINUTE
GENTLY wipe plate with brush/sponge for ONE AND A HALF MINUTES
carry the tray and plate out to spray booth or sink
RINSE GENTLY FOR ONE MINUTE with a fine spray hose

6 Dry your plate
plate should now be well washed and surface of plate may  show faint image
plate will be soft so handle by edges only
lift plate from rinse and stand upright on blotter to remove excess water
lay plate flat face upwards on a clean dry cloth, towel or blotter
lay dry newsprint flat across plate to take off surface water (gently but quickly)
lean plate against wall, emulsion face forward
reset timer to zero and time
dry plate with hairdryer (cool) for FIVE MINUTES
make sure plate is dry on both sides and along all edges
leave plate to cool down for FIVE MINUTES
zero and reset your timer

 

 

7 Harden your plate
take dried plate back in darkroom and lay flat under the UV light face up
check image colour (which should be a kind of honey yellow colour)
start timer and turn on all UV lights
leave plate under UV for 15 – 30 MINUTES
as plate hardens under  UV colour will change to GREEN/BLUE GREY
after 15-20 minutes gently feel plate edge and press with thumbnail
plate should feel smooth and glassy, and will resist nail pressure
you can leave the plate under the UV (or bright sunlight) for up to 35 minutes
(this hardens the surface and make non-etched areas easier to wipe clean)

8 Ready to ink and print!
when plate is hard and dry you can ink and make a test print
or put it away wrapped in clean dry tissue

FAQ’s

What is Photopolymer/Solar Plate and how does it work?

Photopolymer is a simple and versatile process to create either relief or ‘intaglio’ (tonal etched) printing plates using UV light and a variety of natural, photographic or found/collage materials. In these sessions we will be showing you how to make a tonal intaglio plate that displays a wide range of line, tones and textures. You can also do a more simple black and white photopolymer plate to achieve an effect like a relief woodcut. We will demonstrate both processes.

How do I make a printing plate that displays tones and textures?
How big should my drawing or design be?

You may need to create your artwork (photo, collage or drawing) and then copy or laser-print it here onto transparent acetate film that will be contact-printed onto your plate. Your final artwork will be a ‘positive’ the same size as the finished print.

Can I make a plate from a photograph?

Yes! Photopolymer is excellent for making a print from a black and white photo image as long as it has a good range of line, tone and reasonable contrast. If you plan to use a photograph we suggest you just bring it on a memory stick or your phone so we can help you print it out on your acetate at the right size and resolution. If you have already chosen your image you can also email it to us beforehand so we can check how it will print. Alternatively if it is an old traditional (pre-digital) photo you can bring the print in and we will show you how to scan it to get good results.

What about a drawing?

If you prefer to make a drawing then you may want to use the wide range of art materials we have here and draw straight onto a smooth or textured piece of film so you get the best possible image quality to reproduce. You can resize any pre-made drawing in the session using our scanner/copier, or you can make your design here in the session using the art and collage materials which we will provide. If you are not sure how much to prepare before the session then please just call or email us and we will help you decide.

It may be best just to bring some sketches and work on a final image once you have seen a quick demo of the process!

What creates the different tones on my print?
Is it like making an etching?

Tonal photopolymer is similar to applying an ‘aquatint’ to a metal plate in traditional etching. You will first of all put a tone onto your plate before applying your drawing or design. With photopolymer plates this is done using a sheet of film covered in tiny random dots. (We call this a ‘tonal screen’.) Once you have exposed the plate with the tonal screen you will then expose it again using your artwork. This will combine your drawn or photographed image with the pre-exposed tones to create a very sensitive plate suitable for inking and printing on a traditional etching press.

What should I bring with me?

Artwork and art materials
If you want to use a photo please bring either a good print or better still the digital image on memory stick or phone. If you want to use found natural materials (plant forms, scraps of lace or other fabrics etc) to make collages or shadowgrams please bring a election with you. We will also have some collage materials you can experiment with. If you want to develop a tonal drawing we suggest you bring some preliminary studies plus any drawing media you like working with. We can then help you scan or copy the finished drawing onto laser acetate at the right size. If you are happy to experiment we will have a range of inks, pens, crayons and papers you can use.

Protective clothing
Photopolymer is a very simple process involving only UV light and water. There are no toxic chemicals or sticky resists involved in making your plates. It is one of the safest and cleanest processes of platemaking known. However the plates made are usually used to print intaglio as with traditional metal plate etching and this of course involves very sticky pigmented inks which can spoil clothing and may require detergent or oil-based thinners and cleaning agents. It is advisable to come wearing clothing that can cope with a few stains and smears, or to have a protective overall or apron for the printing part of the day! Also the Printworks workshop is a working environment with a certain level of dust and rough working surfaces so please don’t wear Sunday Best!. We do have a selection of characterful (if sometimes grubby) aprons that you can borrow.

 

 

Posted on

Photopolymer Course September 2022

Photopolymer (Solar Plate) Courses
Saturday/Sunday September 17/18th. Times: 1pm – 5pm

Course will take place over one-day or two consecutive half-day sessions

Outline of programme

  • Welcome, teas/coffees and introductions
  • Examples of photopolymer artwork, plates and prints
  • Mini-darkroom equipment and process:
        safety, lights, printing frames, plates and use of tone-screen
  • Quick demo of the photopolymer process
  • Making test strips to find ideal exposure times
  • Developing artwork alternatives for your main print:
         using copier/printer to resize and print photographs onto acetate
         use ‘Tru-Grain’ textured drawing film for direct drawing of line and tone
         use collage materials (plant forms, fabrics etc) or pre-made acetates
  • Tonal screen and artwork exposure
  • Hardening your plates
  • Inking and printing
  • Review of results
  • Finish

Photopolymer process step by step…

1 Plan and prepare photo, design or drawing
choose a photograph, collage or drawing as the basis for your print
if necessary use a photocopier/printer to resize image
laser-print/copy onto clear acetate
this will be your ‘artwork’ when exposing image onto printing plate

2 Preparation of plates
take prepared artwork and tools into mini-darkroom
you will find printing plates all ready to use
turn on red safe-light and make sure darkroom is light-free
unwrap plate and peel off protective covering
lay plate on contact printing frame facing upwards

 

 

 
3 Expose the tonal screen
lay tonal screen sheet onto surface of plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip down tight onto the film
place frame in middle of the UV light area
start timer and switch on three UV lights
expose tonal plate for 3.5 minutes (depending on test plates)
switch off UV lights
take out tonal screen and put it away safe from scratches
stop timer and reset to zero

4 Expose your artwork
lay artwork FACE DOWN on the plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip it tight
start timer and switch on three UV lights…
expose artwork for 35-40 seconds (depending on test plates)
switch off the UV lights
take out artwork and put somewhere it will not get lost or splashed
stop timer and reset to zero

5 Rinse your plate
put the safelight down to the lower shelf near water tray
put your timer somewhere visible
submerge plate FACE UPWARDS in water
start  timer and gently rock the tray to soak plate for ONE MINUTE
GENTLY wipe plate with brush/sponge for ONE AND A HALF MINUTES
carry the tray and plate out to spray booth or sink
RINSE GENTLY FOR ONE MINUTE with a fine spray hose

6 Dry your plate
plate should now be well washed and surface of plate may  show faint image
plate will be soft so handle by edges only
lift plate from rinse and stand upright on blotter to remove excess water
lay plate flat face upwards on a clean dry cloth, towel or blotter
lay dry newsprint flat across plate to take off surface water (gently but quickly)
lean plate against wall, emulsion face forward
reset timer to zero and time
dry plate with hairdryer (cool) for FIVE MINUTES
make sure plate is dry on both sides and along all edges
leave plate to cool down for FIVE MINUTES
zero and reset your timer

7 Harden your plate
take dried plate back in darkroom and lay flat under the UV light face up
check image colour (which should be a kind of honey yellow colour)
start timer and turn on all UV lights
leave plate under UV for 15 – 30 MINUTES
as plate hardens under  UV colour will change to GREEN/BLUE GREY
after 15-20 minutes gently feel plate edge and press with thumbnail
plate should feel smooth and glassy, and will resist nail pressure
you can leave the plate under the UV (or bright sunlight) for up to 35 minutes
(this hardens the surface and make non-etched areas easier to wipe clean)

8 Ready to ink and print!
when plate is hard and dry you can ink and make a test print
or put it away wrapped in clean dry tissue

FAQ’s

What is Photopolymer/Solar Plate and how does it work?

Photopolymer is a simple and versatile process to create either relief or ‘intaglio’ (tonal etched) printing plates using UV light and a variety of natural, photographic or found/collage materials. In these sessions we will be showing you how to make a tonal intaglio plate that displays a wide range of line, tones and textures. You can also do a more simple black and white photopolymer plate to achieve an effect like a relief woodcut. We will demonstrate both processes.

How do I make a printing plate that displays tones and textures?
How big should my drawing or design be?

You may need to create your artwork (photo, collage or drawing) and then copy or laser-print it here onto transparent acetate film that will be contact-printed onto your plate. Your final artwork will be a ‘positive’ the same size as the finished print.

Can I make a plate from a photograph?

Yes! Photopolymer is excellent for making a print from a black and white photo image as long as it has a good range of line, tone and reasonable contrast. If you plan to use a photograph we suggest you just bring it on a memory stick or your phone so we can help you print it out on your acetate at the right size and resolution. If you have already chosen your image you can also email it to us beforehand so we can check how it will print. Alternatively if it is an old traditional (pre-digital) photo you can bring the print in and we will show you how to scan it to get good results.

What about a drawing?

If you prefer to make a drawing then you may want to use the wide range of art materials we have here and draw straight onto a smooth or textured piece of film so you get the best possible image quality to reproduce. You can resize any pre-made drawing in the session using our scanner/copier, or you can make your design here in the session using the art and collage materials which we will provide. If you are not sure how much to prepare before the session then please just call or email us and we will help you decide.

It may be best just to bring some sketches and work on a final image once you have seen a quick demo of the process!

What creates the different tones on my print?
Is it like making an etching?

Tonal photopolymer is similar to applying an ‘aquatint’ to a metal plate in traditional etching. You will first of all put a tone onto your plate before applying your drawing or design. With photopolymer plates this is done using a sheet of film covered in tiny random dots. (We call this a ‘tonal screen’.) Once you have exposed the plate with the tonal screen you will then expose it again using your artwork. This will combine your drawn or photographed image with the pre-exposed tones to create a very sensitive plate suitable for inking and printing on a traditional etching press.

What should I bring with me?

Artwork and art materials
If you want to use a photo please bring either a good print or better still the digital image on memory stick or phone. If you want to use found natural materials (plant forms, scraps of lace or other fabrics etc) to make collages or shadowgrams please bring a election with you. We will also have some collage materials you can experiment with. If you want to develop a tonal drawing we suggest you bring some preliminary studies plus any drawing media you like working with. We can then help you scan or copy the finished drawing onto laser acetate at the right size. If you are happy to experiment we will have a range of inks, pens, crayons and papers you can use.

Protective clothing
Photopolymer is a very simple process involving only UV light and water. There are no toxic chemicals or sticky resists involved in making your plates. It is one of the safest and cleanest processes of platemaking known. However the plates made are usually used to print intaglio as with traditional metal plate etching and this of course involves very sticky pigmented inks which can spoil clothing and may require detergent or oil-based thinners and cleaning agents. It is advisable to come wearing clothing that can cope with a few stains and smears, or to have a protective overall or apron for the printing part of the day! Also the Printworks workshop is a working environment with a certain level of dust and rough working surfaces so please don’t wear Sunday Best!. We do have a selection of characterful (if sometimes grubby) aprons that you can borrow.

 

 

Posted on

Photopolymer Course September 17th & 18th

Photopolymer (Solar Plate) Courses
Saturday/Sunday September 17/18th. Times: 1pm – 5pm

Course will take place over one-day or two consecutive half-day sessions

Outline of programme

  • Welcome, teas/coffees and introductions
  • Examples of photopolymer artwork, plates and prints
  • Mini-darkroom equipment and process:
        safety, lights, printing frames, plates and use of tone-screen
  • Quick demo of the photopolymer process
  • Making test strips to find ideal exposure times
  • Developing artwork alternatives for your main print:
         using copier/printer to resize and print photographs onto acetate
         use ‘Tru-Grain’ textured drawing film for direct drawing of line and tone
         use collage materials (plant forms, fabrics etc) or pre-made acetates
  • Tonal screen and artwork exposure
  • Hardening your plates
  • Inking and printing
  • Review of results
  • Finish

Photopolymer process step by step…

1 Plan and prepare photo, design or drawing
choose a photograph, collage or drawing as the basis for your print
if necessary use a photocopier/printer to resize image
laser-print/copy onto clear acetate
this will be your ‘artwork’ when exposing image onto printing plate

2 Preparation of plates
take prepared artwork and tools into mini-darkroom
you will find printing plates all ready to use
turn on red safe-light and make sure darkroom is light-free
unwrap plate and peel off protective covering
lay plate on contact printing frame facing upwards

3 Expose the tonal screen
lay tonal screen sheet onto surface of plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip down tight onto the film
place frame in middle of the UV light area
start timer and switch on three UV lights
expose tonal plate for 3.5 minutes (depending on test plates)
switch off UV lights
take out tonal screen and put it away safe from scratches
stop timer and reset to zero

4 Expose your artwork
lay artwork FACE DOWN on the plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip it tight
start timer and switch on three UV lights…
expose artwork for 35-40 seconds (depending on test plates)
switch off the UV lights
take out artwork and put somewhere it will not get lost or splashed
stop timer and reset to zero

5 Rinse your plate
put the safelight down to the lower shelf near water tray
put your timer somewhere visible
submerge plate FACE UPWARDS in water
start  timer and gently rock the tray to soak plate for ONE MINUTE
GENTLY wipe plate with brush/sponge for ONE AND A HALF MINUTES
carry the tray and plate out to spray booth or sink
RINSE GENTLY FOR ONE MINUTE with a fine spray hose

6 Dry your plate
plate should now be well washed and surface of plate may  show faint image
plate will be soft so handle by edges only
lift plate from rinse and stand upright on blotter to remove excess water
lay plate flat face upwards on a clean dry cloth, towel or blotter
lay dry newsprint flat across plate to take off surface water (gently but quickly)
lean plate against wall, emulsion face forward
reset timer to zero and time
dry plate with hairdryer (cool) for FIVE MINUTES
make sure plate is dry on both sides and along all edges
leave plate to cool down for FIVE MINUTES
zero and reset your timer

7 Harden your plate
take dried plate back in darkroom and lay flat under the UV light face up
check image colour (which should be a kind of honey yellow colour)
start timer and turn on all UV lights
leave plate under UV for 15 – 30 MINUTES
as plate hardens under  UV colour will change to GREEN/BLUE GREY
after 15-20 minutes gently feel plate edge and press with thumbnail
plate should feel smooth and glassy, and will resist nail pressure
you can leave the plate under the UV (or bright sunlight) for up to 35 minutes
(this hardens the surface and make non-etched areas easier to wipe clean)

8 Ready to ink and print!
when plate is hard and dry you can ink and make a test print
or put it away wrapped in clean dry tissue

FAQ’s

What is Photopolymer/Solar Plate and how does it work?

Photopolymer is a simple and versatile process to create either relief or ‘intaglio’ (tonal etched) printing plates using UV light and a variety of natural, photographic or found/collage materials. In these sessions we will be showing you how to make a tonal intaglio plate that displays a wide range of line, tones and textures. You can also do a more simple black and white photopolymer plate to achieve an effect like a relief woodcut. We will demonstrate both processes.

How do I make a printing plate that displays tones and textures?
How big should my drawing or design be?

You may need to create your artwork (photo, collage or drawing) and then copy or laser-print it here onto transparent acetate film that will be contact-printed onto your plate. Your final artwork will be a ‘positive’ the same size as the finished print.

Can I make a plate from a photograph?

Yes! Photopolymer is excellent for making a print from a black and white photo image as long as it has a good range of line, tone and reasonable contrast. If you plan to use a photograph we suggest you just bring it on a memory stick or your phone so we can help you print it out on your acetate at the right size and resolution. If you have already chosen your image you can also email it to us beforehand so we can check how it will print. Alternatively if it is an old traditional (pre-digital) photo you can bring the print in and we will show you how to scan it to get good results.

What about a drawing?

If you prefer to make a drawing then you may want to use the wide range of art materials we have here and draw straight onto a smooth or textured piece of film so you get the best possible image quality to reproduce. You can resize any pre-made drawing in the session using our scanner/copier, or you can make your design here in the session using the art and collage materials which we will provide. If you are not sure how much to prepare before the session then please just call or email us and we will help you decide.

It may be best just to bring some sketches and work on a final image once you have seen a quick demo of the process!

What creates the different tones on my print?
Is it like making an etching?

Tonal photopolymer is similar to applying an ‘aquatint’ to a metal plate in traditional etching. You will first of all put a tone onto your plate before applying your drawing or design. With photopolymer plates this is done using a sheet of film covered in tiny random dots. (We call this a ‘tonal screen’.) Once you have exposed the plate with the tonal screen you will then expose it again using your artwork. This will combine your drawn or photographed image with the pre-exposed tones to create a very sensitive plate suitable for inking and printing on a traditional etching press.

What should I bring with me?

Artwork and art materials
If you want to use a photo please bring either a good print or better still the digital image on memory stick or phone. If you want to use found natural materials (plant forms, scraps of lace or other fabrics etc) to make collages or shadowgrams please bring a election with you. We will also have some collage materials you can experiment with. If you want to develop a tonal drawing we suggest you bring some preliminary studies plus any drawing media you like working with. We can then help you scan or copy the finished drawing onto laser acetate at the right size. If you are happy to experiment we will have a range of inks, pens, crayons and papers you can use.

Protective clothing
Photopolymer is a very simple process involving only UV light and water. There are no toxic chemicals or sticky resists involved in making your plates. It is one of the safest and cleanest processes of platemaking known. However the plates made are usually used to print intaglio as with traditional metal plate etching and this of course involves very sticky pigmented inks which can spoil clothing and may require detergent or oil-based thinners and cleaning agents. It is advisable to come wearing clothing that can cope with a few stains and smears, or to have a protective overall or apron for the printing part of the day! Also the Printworks workshop is a working environment with a certain level of dust and rough working surfaces so please don’t wear Sunday Best!. We do have a selection of characterful (if sometimes grubby) aprons that you can borrow.

 

 

Posted on

Photopolymer Course September 2022

Photopolymer (Solar Plate) Courses
Wednesday September 14th. Time: 10am – 5pm
Saturday/Sunday September 17/18th. Times: 1pm – 5pm

Course will take place over one-day or two consecutive half-day sessions

Outline of programme

  • Welcome, teas/coffees and introductions
  • Examples of photopolymer artwork, plates and prints
  • Mini-darkroom equipment and process:
        safety, lights, printing frames, plates and use of tone-screen
  • Quick demo of the photopolymer process
  • Making test strips to find ideal exposure times
  • Developing artwork alternatives for your main print:
         using copier/printer to resize and print photographs onto acetate
         use ‘Tru-Grain’ textured drawing film for direct drawing of line and tone
         use collage materials (plant forms, fabrics etc) or pre-made acetates
  • Tonal screen and artwork exposure
  • Hardening your plates
  • Inking and printing
  • Review of results
  • Finish

Photopolymer process step by step…

1 Plan and prepare photo, design or drawing
choose a photograph, collage or drawing as the basis for your print
if necessary use a photocopier/printer to resize image
laser-print/copy onto clear acetate
this will be your ‘artwork’ when exposing image onto printing plate

2 Preparation of plates
take prepared artwork and tools into mini-darkroom
you will find printing plates all ready to use
turn on red safe-light and make sure darkroom is light-free
unwrap plate and peel off protective covering
lay plate on contact printing frame facing upwards

3 Expose the tonal screen
lay tonal screen sheet onto surface of plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip down tight onto the film
place frame in middle of the UV light area
start timer and switch on three UV lights
expose tonal plate for 3.5 minutes (depending on test plates)
switch off UV lights
take out tonal screen and put it away safe from scratches
stop timer and reset to zero

4 Expose your artwork
lay artwork FACE DOWN on the plate
close glass of the contact frame and clip it tight
start timer and switch on three UV lights…
expose artwork for 35-40 seconds (depending on test plates)
switch off the UV lights
take out artwork and put somewhere it will not get lost or splashed
stop timer and reset to zero

5 Rinse your plate
put the safelight down to the lower shelf near water tray
put your timer somewhere visible
submerge plate FACE UPWARDS in water
start  timer and gently rock the tray to soak plate for ONE MINUTE
GENTLY wipe plate with brush/sponge for ONE AND A HALF MINUTES
carry the tray and plate out to spray booth or sink
RINSE GENTLY FOR ONE MINUTE with a fine spray hose

6 Dry your plate
plate should now be well washed and surface of plate may  show faint image
plate will be soft so handle by edges only
lift plate from rinse and stand upright on blotter to remove excess water
lay plate flat face upwards on a clean dry cloth, towel or blotter
lay dry newsprint flat across plate to take off surface water (gently but quickly)
lean plate against wall, emulsion face forward
reset timer to zero and time
dry plate with hairdryer (cool) for FIVE MINUTES
make sure plate is dry on both sides and along all edges
leave plate to cool down for FIVE MINUTES
zero and reset your timer

7 Harden your plate
take dried plate back in darkroom and lay flat under the UV light face up
check image colour (which should be a kind of honey yellow colour)
start timer and turn on all UV lights
leave plate under UV for 15 – 30 MINUTES
as plate hardens under  UV colour will change to GREEN/BLUE GREY
after 15-20 minutes gently feel plate edge and press with thumbnail
plate should feel smooth and glassy, and will resist nail pressure
you can leave the plate under the UV (or bright sunlight) for up to 35 minutes
(this hardens the surface and make non-etched areas easier to wipe clean)

8 Ready to ink and print!
when plate is hard and dry you can ink and make a test print
or put it away wrapped in clean dry tissue

FAQ’s

What is Photopolymer/Solar Plate and how does it work?

Photopolymer is a simple and versatile process to create either relief or ‘intaglio’ (tonal etched) printing plates using UV light and a variety of natural, photographic or found/collage materials. In these sessions we will be showing you how to make a tonal intaglio plate that displays a wide range of line, tones and textures. You can also do a more simple black and white photopolymer plate to achieve an effect like a relief woodcut. We will demonstrate both processes.

How do I make a printing plate that displays tones and textures?
How big should my drawing or design be?

You may need to create your artwork (photo, collage or drawing) and then copy or laser-print it here onto transparent acetate film that will be contact-printed onto your plate. Your final artwork will be a ‘positive’ the same size as the finished print.

Can I make a plate from a photograph?

Yes! Photopolymer is excellent for making a print from a black and white photo image as long as it has a good range of line, tone and reasonable contrast. If you plan to use a photograph we suggest you just bring it on a memory stick or your phone so we can help you print it out on your acetate at the right size and resolution. If you have already chosen your image you can also email it to us beforehand so we can check how it will print. Alternatively if it is an old traditional (pre-digital) photo you can bring the print in and we will show you how to scan it to get good results.

What about a drawing?

If you prefer to make a drawing then you may want to use the wide range of art materials we have here and draw straight onto a smooth or textured piece of film so you get the best possible image quality to reproduce. You can resize any pre-made drawing in the session using our scanner/copier, or you can make your design here in the session using the art and collage materials which we will provide. If you are not sure how much to prepare before the session then please just call or email us and we will help you decide.

It may be best just to bring some sketches and work on a final image once you have seen a quick demo of the process!

What creates the different tones on my print?
Is it like making an etching?

Tonal photopolymer is similar to applying an ‘aquatint’ to a metal plate in traditional etching. You will first of all put a tone onto your plate before applying your drawing or design. With photopolymer plates this is done using a sheet of film covered in tiny random dots. (We call this a ‘tonal screen’.) Once you have exposed the plate with the tonal screen you will then expose it again using your artwork. This will combine your drawn or photographed image with the pre-exposed tones to create a very sensitive plate suitable for inking and printing on a traditional etching press.

What should I bring with me?

Artwork and art materials
If you want to use a photo please bring either a good print or better still the digital image on memory stick or phone. If you want to use found natural materials (plant forms, scraps of lace or other fabrics etc) to make collages or shadowgrams please bring a election with you. We will also have some collage materials you can experiment with. If you want to develop a tonal drawing we suggest you bring some preliminary studies plus any drawing media you like working with. We can then help you scan or copy the finished drawing onto laser acetate at the right size. If you are happy to experiment we will have a range of inks, pens, crayons and papers you can use.

Protective clothing
Photopolymer is a very simple process involving only UV light and water. There are no toxic chemicals or sticky resists involved in making your plates. It is one of the safest and cleanest processes of platemaking known. However the plates made are usually used to print intaglio as with traditional metal plate etching and this of course involves very sticky pigmented inks which can spoil clothing and may require detergent or oil-based thinners and cleaning agents. It is advisable to come wearing clothing that can cope with a few stains and smears, or to have a protective overall or apron for the printing part of the day! Also the Printworks workshop is a working environment with a certain level of dust and rough working surfaces so please don’t wear Sunday Best!. We do have a selection of characterful (if sometimes grubby) aprons that you can borrow.