OUIL504 Illustration 1 Printed Pictures - Screenprinting 101

Our first task for the Printed Pictures Element of this module coincided with our workshops down in the Print room. We we're given the choice between working with screenprint, working with Drypoint and Etching or working with Monoprinting and Linocuts in order to narrow our practice down. 

Though I enjoyed working with the latter few processes last year, I figured Screenprinting was something that I could probably pursue post college, when the college resources were no longer available. I've known of ex-alumni students who have set up Screenprinting services, as well as a lot of local artists such as the likes of Drew Millward. 

In this instance, the task to to eventually produce either a series of prints or a book of them to present in an exhibition at Colours May Vary, an art book shop down in the Leeds Art Gallery in Munro House. In order to get to that point though, we need to hone our printing skills to become experts in producing such high-quality prints.

We had a print induction in which we prepped a series of screens ready to use. We also had to produce an illustration that we could use to screenprint, so I created this 3-colour image continuing the work i'd been doing on the Moving Pictures side of this module that could be broken down and screen printed.

One thing that happened as soon as I started printing was that I immediately regretted making it a 3 colour print. I only did a series of 6 initial ones to begin with, but each run of colour requires you to take apart, wash down and reset everything ready for the next go - so by increasing the number of colours you use you double, triple, quadruple your work.

This didn't put me off, though so I continued to plough through. The first set of prints didn't have enough medium in the green, so the edges didn't come out as sharp as I'd wanted them

I managed to get two colours down in one session, but didn't have time to finish the blacks, so its something i'm going to have to do later

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As for the process though, I've really taken to it - its super fun to do! Even though at times you often understand why digital printing came as such a blessing when it was invented. I definately feel comfortable in pursuing this as a long term thing over the next couple of months.