The Collagraph Process
Collagraph is a printmaking technique which involves taking a print from a collage.
I use a combination of textured papers, fabrics, silver foil card, scissors and PVA glue to create a unique ‘plate’, which is then inked up using oil-based printer’s ink and passed through an
intaglio press.
Once the glue is dry it is covered with a thin layer of shellac to protect the surface. Then it is inked, wiped and put through a press. The various textures of the materials used and the different way each discharges the ink onto the paper create an interesting printed surface. I frequently work into individual prints with inks and pastels, so each print is a unique image, rather than one of multiple identical images. One can obtain up to ten prints from one ‘plate’ before the surface starts to lose definition.