High Relief Collagraphic Monoprints with Chine Colle

Collagraphic monoprints, also called “collagraphs”, are one-of-a-kind prints. No two prints pulled from the same plate are exactly the same. Prints tend to vary widely because of the way they’re printed using a hybrid method that combines both intaglio and relief processes. The collagraph plates are textured with mediums, grits and metal meshes that create the plate’s textured surface, the recesses in turn grab ink when the plate is wiped just as in intaglio. The highly textured surfaces of the plates lend themselves to relief printing as well and can be rolled with ink to pick-up the raised surfaces on the plate much like a wood block print. I often combine these two inking processes to create layers of color.

In order to push the layered quality of the prints a step further, I include the print collage process “chine colle”. The chine colle elements are torn or cut from light weight colorful papers from Nepal and Thailand, and are often painted with ink washes before being included in the larger print. Sometimes photographic images are used for chine colle as well. My background papers are also painted prior to printing. On an etching press, these papers are brought together with the highly textured surfaces of the inked collagraph plate. Layers are fused under tremendous pressure as the collagraph plate sculpts the papers while inking the image. Together these processes create a number of opaque and translucent layers of color and texture. The result is a deeply embossed print that holds both a physical and visual impression of the plate.

All prints are archival and made with 100% cotton rag and kozo papers.

BELFAST DESIGN

BELFAST DESIGN