Next Steps: post-print and a change of scale

Over the last week or so, I’ve been reflecting on my recent exhibitions, and thinking about the next step for my printmaking practice.

Within the collagraph technique, I feel that there is still so much to experiment with, particularly in terms of print substrates such as silk and cotton. I’m also itching to play around much more with how I can work into images post-print, an approach I first used in my print ‘Moment’ for the ‘Pushing Boundaries‘ show. Further, I want to try to escape (or negotiate my way around) the physical confines of the printing press dimensions – the built-in restriction of the press bed – to produce works even larger than my largest print width to date, or around 800mm.

So, how am I going to achieve this?

One idea I’ve had is to combine or ‘stitch’ together multiple prints on paper. This could be done by forsaking the confines of the framed image, or by placing frames in close proximity to create, in effect, one large panel. Another option might be to print onto a long piece of fabric, across one section of the press bed, before moving it along and printing on the next, until the entire length has been printed. The material could then be hung down or across a wall as a large-scale piece.

Whatever I decide to do, I’m sure it will be a lot of fun. I’ll take some advice from my print technician colleague at Uni next week and see where the idea goes…

‘Moment’, from the ‘Pushing Boundaries’ exhibition, Ireland.