Tiny Printmaking Tutorials

Jane LaFazio has posted a 'tiny tutorial' for making monoprints with masking tape and plexiglass. This is a nice, simple idea, which would make a good project for teaching children about printmaking.

Source: approachable-art.blogspot.co.uk via Francesca on Pinterest

Judi Hurwitt has a whole series of projects for simple stamps and relief prints, which would also make great introductory projects for wee people, or which could be used in surface design.

Printsy Interview - Mark Long

Etsy: marklong.etsy.com
Website: marklongillustration.co.uk

Brief Bio
I live/work in London where I was born. I graduated with a BA illustration 2005, then I did a PGCE and worked as a secondary school Art teacher for 3 years. I left full time teaching to do a part time MA at Camberwell College of Art while pursuing a career as a freelance illustrator. I still do occasional workshop teaching.

How did you get started in printmaking?
I started an MA a couple of years ago, I wanted to learn some skills as I felt I hadn't learned any tangible skills at all in my 3 years at university first time around. I'm really just a beginner at printmaking.


Describe where you work.
At home in my bedroom; it has its pros and cons. Sometimes it's lovely to work at home, it's a nice room, gets lots of light you have all your comforts with you.

I'd like to move out to a studio though, as occasionally I realise that I haven't left the house for two days and I've gone a bit mental.

What's your favourite printmaking process?
I guess screen printing, but it depends. I think lino/woodcuts are more impressive when done well.


What's your creative process for any given print? (eg. sketch first? Pre-planned or free-form?)
Always sketch first, I have it planned, but not 100% as I like to be surprised by the outcome. A lot of my lino prints are made to get a certain effect, and I scan the layers in separately, then I can tweak the colours and clean up any mistakes.

I've only just come around to the idea of selling my prints. Before I just did them for fun.

I wish I could go back in time and take more care, and do them on nice paper etc.

What do you enjoy most about printmaking?
Being surprised by the outcome, the colours are bolder and brighter than digital printing.


What's your least favorite part of the process?
Obviously they can be very time consuming and sometimes, at the end of it, they look crap. And you think "I've spent all day doing that".

That's why I tend not to make images that take longer than a day, I've got very little patience.

What are your inspirations (other artists, people, places, events, etc.)?
In terms of printmakers: Edward Bawden, David Gentleman, Keith Haring, Christopher Brown, the German Expressionists, Yann Brien.

How has your work changed and evolved since you started?
I've only been seriously printmaking for a couple of years, so perhaps just a bit neater and tidier, and a little bit better all round.

How do you get past creative slumps?
Getting briefs/projects from other people. I'm an illustrator so I rely often on other people for inspiration. I also look at illustrators/artists that I admire.


How do you promote your work?
Website, mail outs. I hate promoting myself, I feel uncomfortable blowing my own trumpet, but you have to get over that if you want to get work/sell anything.

Any other comments or advice for others who want to try making hand-pulled prints?
I make my lino and screenprints at home in my bedroom. You can still get very professional results on a super low budget, it's just much harder. Have lots of clean rags to wipe your hands on!

Printsy Interview - Anne Nydam

Website: www.nydamprints.com
Blog:nydamprintsblackandwhite.blogspot.com
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/NydamPrints

Brief Bio
I’ve been fooling around with arts and crafts my whole life. I majored in linguistics in college, then taught middle school art for ten years until the birth of my children. Since then I’ve been a stay-at-home mother, artist, writer, and very negligent housekeeper.

How did you get started in printmaking?
I’d made a few linoleum blocks for my family’s Christmas cards when I was in high school, but didn’t really fall in love with block printing until the carving rubber came out. One of the companies sent me a sample (because I was an art teacher) and it was so much more fun to carve than the old hard, dry linoleum I’d done before that it was a revelation. (That free sample was probably their best advertising dollar ever!) Besides, block printing can be done in a small space with relatively inexpensive materials, and in small chunks of time, all factors that were necessary for me if I was going to be able to do any art.

Describe where you work.
I have the luxury of a table dedicated to projects, in a room with lovely sunny windows. When my children were babies I did all my work during naptime and bedtime. Now that they’re older I work while they’re at school.

What's your favourite printmaking process?
Mostly I do rubber block relief prints. I enjoy wood blocks, too, but the rubber is probably my favorite.

What's your creative process for any given print? (eg. sketch first? Pre-planned or free-form?)
I always start by sketching. Often I use photographs for research and reference, while other things come straight from my imagination. With the rubber I can transfer a pencil sketch onto the block, which gives me a lot of flexibility in getting the design the way I want it. (With wood I have to sketch directly on the block, and backwards.) I don’t necessarily draw out every detail, but I’ve developed a sort of shorthand in my sketches so that it’s like making notes for myself about how I want to carve different areas. Then, of course, comes the carving. When I’m nearly finished I use a regular stamp pad to print a rough version so I can see what I need to tweak before the real printing. I have a small press, but most of the time I just use the back of a wooden spoon to press with.

What do you enjoy most about printmaking?
I love that the finished print isn’t the same as what I drew. There’s always suspense and then a surprise when I pull that first one. I also appreciate that I get multiples, so I can give one of everything to my parents, and still sell the others. My favorite part of the process is the carving.

What's your least favorite part of the process?
Printing an entire edition. I never make editions of more than about 15 because I get bored after the first few.

What are your inspirations (other artists, people, places, events, etc.)?
I love plants and animals, industrial sites, fairy tales and nursery rhymes… Actually I’m interested in all kinds of things, so inspiration can come from anywhere. (I enjoy other artists’ work, and often envy it, but it seldom translates into making something of my own.)

How has your work changed and evolved since you started?
I’ve been a bit more willing to experiment; I’ve done both much simpler designs and much more detailed designs. My sketches have gotten less detailed. But in many ways I’m still coming back over and over to a lot of the same ideas and inspirations I’ve been interested in all along.

How do you get past creative slumps?
Sometimes I just wait them out – I’m also a writer, so I can immerse myself in that for a while. Other times I set myself an assignment. For example, I’ve just finished an animal for every letter of the alphabet, which got me making all sorts of things I never would have come up with otherwise – a yapok, for example.

How do you promote your work?
Not very well. Every year I do about two Open Studio shows and try to have at least one show in a local venue such as a library. These are a lot of fun and I see tons of people, but the rest of the time I don’t do much of anything. I really do not have the right personality for self-promotion.

Any other comments or advice for others who want to try making hand-pulled prints?
You can start by carving a plain white rubber art eraser and printing with a stamp pad. If you cut yourself a square to work with, then you can carve almost anything - no matter how random or “messed up” - and if you print in a sort of tile pattern it’s guaranteed to look cool. It’s so easy to get started, what have you got to lose? Just sit down and give it a try!

Printsy Interview - Anna See

Website: www.annasee.com
Etsy: www.annasee.etsy.com
Blog: www.annasee.blogspot.com
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/anna_see

Brief Bio
For as long as I can remember, I have always turned to art as a means of therapy, entertainment, expression, and an outlet for creativity. After a brief stint studying art history, I realized I missed actually doing art and enrolled and recently graduated from Art Center College of Design. I am now currently embarking on a career as an illustrator and designer.

How did you get started in printmaking?
I discovered it by accident actually. After completing a very small run of a linocut image on a Vandercook press for an assignment my final term at school, I realized that I really liked the result and sought to replicate that post-graduation without access to a letterpress. Thus, I experimented and taught myself how to achieve that result via printmaking without a letterpress.

Describe where you work.
I work on my kitchen table, at my drafting table and at my computer in my small cozy apartment....eventually taking over the whole place with prints at various stages of drying!


What's your favourite printmaking process?
Given my limited experience with more formal printmaking techniques, my favorite would have to be my self-taught method with linocut blocks in which I roll the ink on the block and transfer it to paper via burnishing with a large metal spoon.

What's your creative process for any given print? (eg. sketch first? Pre-planned or free-form?)
I usually have a vague idea beforehand of what I want to create. What I have seen, like a particular kind of bird for example, inspires what I will make. I sketch an image first, working from reference as to ensure accuracy, then scan it into Adobe Illustrator, using the sketch as a template. I then refine and simplify the shapes, play with color, then resize and print it out. I use this to transfer the image onto the linoleum block with graphite (Saral paper). I carve away! Once I'm done carving all the blocks, I mix the colors using my Illustrator printout as a guide and roll out the colors and burnish to transfer onto paper.


What do you enjoy most about printmaking?
The satisfaction of a beautiful finished print is what I may enjoy most but I really enjoy the whole process. I enjoy the patience, concentration, diligence, and often caution it requires as it forces you to slow down and think ahead yet be thoroughly involved in the moment so as to ensure a good print. It's thoroughly therapeutic, like knitting!

What's your least favorite part of the process?
Cleaning up!

What are your inspirations (other artists, people, places, events, etc.)?
I am greatly inspired by nature, specifically what I see in nature, the colors, the shapes, everything, including all kinds of animals, people and the human form. I also am inspired by artists too numerous to name all but I love Mucha, Gaudi, all Art Nouveau, Da Vinci, Poiret, Erte, fashion illustration, Hokusai, Hiroshige, Japanese wood block prints, Charley Harper and the vintage graphic aesthetic. But, honestly, anything and everything can be a source of inspiration!


How has your work changed and evolved since you started?
I think my work is always continually evolving but I've definitely become less timid with my color palette and shape design. I'm relying less on my digital skills and more on my traditional skills and letting that show through. I'm including more texture and pattern and am becoming more intentional with the placement of color and other elements.

How do you get past creative slumps?
I let it rest or "sleep on it" and work on something else or start something new, often in a non-printmaking medium. Hopefully, when I've taken enough of a break from the piece, I am able to come back to it with a fresh set of eyes and get past that slump. There are always simultaneous art and non-art projects going on.


How do you promote your work?
Networking, word-of-mouth, passing out business cards and postcards, participating in competitions as annuals are great advertising and exposure, selling my work at art fairs and Etsy, giving my work as gifts, and having a web presence with my website and blog so people interested in your work can easily find you.

Any other comments or advice for others who want to try making hand-pulled prints?
Just have patience and persevere as it's a lot of trial and error, but the end results are well worth it! And just have fun with it!

Printsy Interview - Stacey Bradley

WEBSITE: www.perlaanne.com
BLOG: www.perlaanne.blogspot.com
ETSY: www.perlaanne.etsy.com

BRIEF BIO: Studied printmaking at Dallas School of Art and Design, as well as various independent art studios in New Olreans and Mississippi. I originated my hand block printing company in 1997 under the name Me and C, when I began creating custom cards inspired by my then three-year-old daughter, Cierah. After I developed an obsession with bolder design elements around 2003 and renamed the company Perla Anne, in honor of my mother. She was a constant force behind any and all of my creative pursuits! I now live in Charleston, SC and run Perla Anne from home.

HOW DID I GET STARTED IN PRINTMAKING: Printmaking was introduced to me by my high school art teacher, and I've been obsessed ever since!

DESCRIBE WHERE YOU WORK: I work daily from my sunny home studio, which is perfect for me as I am constantly mastering the art of balancing Perla Anne with life at home!


WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PRINTMAKING PROCESS: Always has been wood and linocut carving, due to it's tactile nature. I love the process of using my hands the entire time.

WHAT'S YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS FOR ANY GIVEN PRINT: Mostly pre sketched. All the images have to be carved in reverse and this helps me to be certain that my words and designs are facing the correct way when printed! That being said, I do love to occasionally
just begin carving without an image already drawn onto the block, just to get that beautiful element of surprise!


WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT PRINTMAKING: I truly love the timeless art of printmaking, and the involvement from beginning to end. Drawing then carving the design, rolling the ink, pressing the back of the paper to transfer the reversed image, then finally pulling up the paper to get the surprise you can only get from hand printing! Each piece unique and different.

WHAT'S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE PART OF THE PROCESS: The clean up! I make an enormous mess even if I'm just doing one print run!

WHAT ARE YOUR INSPIRATIONS: It changes, but mostly the simple life that surrounds me. My amazing family, nature of course and it's endless wonders.


HOW HAS YOUR WORK CHANGED AND EVOLVED SINCE YOU STARTED: When the business began I was enchanted with busy design and color. These days I find myself in love with the simplicity of design and black ink on white paper.

HOW DO YOU GET PAST CREATIVE SLUMPS: I enjoy the time away from my studio as much as my time in it, but I tend to find inspiration everywhere...it's the time to act on it that I'm lacking!!


HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR WORK: This is where I fail miserably. My sites are grossly outdated. I don't enjoy the promotion side of things, and I hope daily that somehow it takes care of itself. Word or mouth, blog mentions...etc.

Printsy Interview - Liv Rainey-Smith

Website: www.livraineysmith.com
Etsy: raineysmith.etsy.com, lovecraftian.etsy.com

Brief Bio
Printmaker Liv Rainey-Smith works with woodblocks to create richly colored prints. Her process incorporates a mixture of traditional and modern tools as well as a blend of European and Japanese printmaking technique. She draws upon history, nature, religion, dream, and vision for inspiration.

How did you get started in printmaking?
I needed some more "secondary craft" credits as part of my degree requirements. Printmaking caught my eye because it was taught by Brian Shannon and I was curious about the process. Little did I know I'd be lured away from my primary craft (metals) and into the world of print.

Describe where you work.
I do my sketching anywhere and everywhere, I make sure to take my sketchbook whenever I might have some quiet time. Most of my carving is done in my home office on a small desk. I prefer solitude for carving and need to take periodic stretch breaks, being at home gives me plenty of other small tasks to break up the work and still feel productive. My office is a bit cluttered, with a full bookshelf, CD rack, two computers and desks, a rolling steel rack loaded with supplies, and a tank housing our pet mice. For the actual printing I'm a member of Atelier Meridian. The Atelier offers plenty of work space, several presses to chose from, and good company.

What's your favorite printmaking process?
Woodblock with oil-based ink. I'm particularly fond of reduction printing, though I've primarily focused on single-color prints this year. I enjoy strong solid colors and thick papers that take embossing.

What's your creative process for any given print? (eg. sketch first? Pre-planned or free-form?)
My process varies. My thesis, The Four Portlanders of the Apocalypse, was highly planned. I spent months developing the concept, taking photos of locations around Portland, drawing, and testing out the sizes of various elements on photocopiers. The finished designs were transferred to the blocks using carbon paper, and then I carved all four concurrently.

My current series, the Iunges, has been much more free-flowing. I start directly on the block, spending time looking at the grain, then sketching the outline of the Iunge. I make a few guidelines as the carving progresses, but for the most part the details are not drawn out first. I've found this technique very liberating since woodblock tends to be a very rigid medium.

What do you enjoy most about printmaking?
I love being able to make two-dimensional art using three dimensional means. I've always been more comfortable with mediums that require a certain amount of force and control. Metalsmithing was actually the focus of my education and taught me a great deal about precision. Ultimately though, I found the prospect of making the same pieces of jewelry over and over again unappealing. Printmaking has the advantage of allowing the production of editions without the same level of tedium.

What's your least favorite part of the process?
Cutting paper and mats. It is exacting and not very exciting work. I also have trouble photographing my own work as well as I'd like to, and job that out whenever possible.

What are your inspirations (other artists, people, places, events, etc.)?
As a child I went through the period of fascination with dinosaurs most kids seem to go through, but then I also got into ancient Egypt, the Aztecs, Hopi and Zuni lore, and natural history. My interest in historical art and cultures has continued on through adulthood, so it can be a bit difficult to pinpoint my influences. Some of my earliest print works are clearly influenced by particular cultures, but as my work has continued the connections have become less apparent.

Dream has also been a very large part of my creative life. I remember my dreams from every night, so the often non-sensible scenarios and beings I encounter within them are to me, normal. As important as rational thought is, I believe it is important to maintain a sense of wonder and awe. This will be a sad world indeed if we ever succeed in banishing all of the angels, devils, and bogeys from our minds.

How has your work changed and evolved since you started?
My first prints as a student were technical exercises. Not terribly creative, but very exciting to me as I could see the door to a new world of art opening up. Technically I see great improvement in my carving, even from the work I did a year ago. Familiarity with the tools and techniques of woodblock has allowed me to start experimenting more. I've been letting go of some of my rigid notions of how things "must" be, and allowed myself to work more freely.


How do you get past creative slumps?
When my cup of ideas runneth over, I lament my lack of time to pursue each idea fully, and sketch them out for future dry spots. When concept begins to weigh me down, I let myself just have some fun. Not every piece needs to have a deep meaning behind it. When I'm feeling a bit lost, trying out different block sizes has also proved fruitful. I followed up the largest blocks I've ever carved with the smallest I've yet carved. The transition from large to small was a fantastic mental exercise.

How do you promote your work?
I keep my business card in my wallet and car so I've got it to hand out any time I run into someone interested or interesting. I also apply for juried shows and send show announcements to my alma mater. Art and craft events can be good for creating visibility, and conferences have proven excellent for making professional contacts.

I use Etsy, Facebook (via a fanpage and a personal page for friends), and my website. I also have a blog but I've not really set it up yet. I'm not fond of sitting down to write long entries. I much prefer sharing photos with little bites of info.

Any other comments or advice for others who want to try making hand-pulled prints?
Take a survey class if you can. You never know what technique you might fall in love with until you try it, and a bit of hands-on guidance can make intimidating processes more approachable. Be prepared for some failures, but don't let them stop you.

Printsy Interview - Jeff Phegley

Etsy: thenaptowner.etsy.com
Website: www.jeffphegley.com
Blog: thenaptowner.blogspot.com

Brief Bio:
I grew up in central Indiana and attended college at Ball State University where I received a BFA in Graphic Design and a Masters in Painting.

How did you get started in printmaking?
I took printmaking courses throughout college and was hooked at the start. I was introduced to German Expressionist prints early in my academic career and I still cannot get enough of the work...absolutely powerful.

Describe where you work.
I work in my home studio. I like to be surrounded by my tools and be able to work on my artwork at any convenient moment. I print on a Dick Blick press which I love! It is very empowering to own your own press and have the opportunity to print whenever you want!

What's your favorite printmaking process?
I really enjoy intaglio. There are so many techniques that can be utilized to create the final print. I enjoy charting a course on how I want my prints to look in the final stage and then implementing the steps to make it happen. It can be a very time consuming medium but is very much worth the effort in the end.

What's your creative process for any given print? (eg. sketch first? Pre-planned or free-form?)
I usually begin by writing down ideas that are inspired by a number of stimuli (books, nature, people watching, tv, radio). I then develop my ideas in sketches to work out compositions and subject matter. I also sketch in pen and ink to practice my mark making which I then transfer to the copper plate. An attractive quality to printmaking is in the creation of multiples, so I like to create series of works to further explore the multiple and cover my ideas from different angles.

What do you enjoy most about printmaking?
Pulling the first print off the press is very exciting. Even though a plate has been worked over for several hours and you have a pretty good idea of what you may get, there are always surprises revealed once the plate is inked and printed. It is really a magical moment.

What's your least favorite part of the process?
The process of printing an edition of several impressions can be monotonous and time consuming. I am usually at my wits end after cleaning, inking, wiping and printing five impressions of the same image. At this point I walk away, rest and approach the edition with fresh eyes because focus is needed to create a consistent edition.

What are your inspirations (other artists, people, places, events, etc.)?
Observation of urban and rural nature, people, video, radio and reading books always provide inspiration. Visiting museums and reading about other artist's work and methods of production is also great for fueling the creative fire.

How has your work changed and evolved since you started?
The quality of idea forming through observation and more playful execution of techniques has increased over the years which has really elevated my work to a more challenging place for me and hopefully the viewer.

How do you get past creative slumps?
I recognize them and enjoy them. I try to avoid being frustrated and understand that the well will once again fill up. I find these to be great times to look at other artists work, or just take a break and not think about art-making at all.

How do you promote your work?
I just recently started selling my work on Etsy! I have a website which features my finished works and a blog that I update with sketches and works in progress. I enter competitions once or twice a year and have gallery shows about once every couple of years.

Any other comments or advice for others who want to try making hand-pulled prints?
Printmaking can be accomplished with limited means. There are several books out there that illustrate great printmaking techniques that can be accomplished with a few household tools. There is no excuse for not printing! The best thing about prints are the multiples that you can trade for other artist's works!

If you could curate a museum show of a printmaker who would you exhibit?
I would love to curate a comprehensive exhibition of Goya's prints. The show would include various states of specific prints (if they exist) and original plates, tools and a reproduction of a press that he may have used. Oh yes, and there would be printmaking demonstrations throughout the duration of the exhibition.

What printastic museum would you recommend other printmakers to visit?
THE REMBRANDT HOUSE MUSEUM
They have the MOST comprehensive collection of Rembrandt prints. The house, which Rembrandt owned for many years, has been restored to reflect how Rembrandt lived in it in the 17th century. It is a remarkable experience.
The Rembrandt House Museum
Jodenbreestraat 4
1011 NK Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Printsy Interview - Sally Flynn

Website: www.sallyflynn.com.au
Blog: caffeinatedprints.blogspot.com
Etsy: www.flightindustries.etsy.com
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/flightindustries/

Brief Bio:
Sally Flynn is an artist who splits her time concentrating on her practice in printmaking and working full time at a regional Art Gallery. After studying Fine Art at the University of Tasmania, majoring in painting, she completed her honours year in printmaking. Highlights of her practice include two residencies, solo exhibitions and running workshops for artists.

Starting her career as an arts-worker in Western Sydney and then Tasmania with qualifications in Community and Youth Work, Sally then completed her Graduate Diploma in Museum Studies at the University of QLD to move into arts management. She has worked as the Gallery Assistant at Artisan (peak body for craft and design in QLD), managing the popular Ivory 24-7 window project space. Her knowledge within the visual arts includes experience in the operations of an art gallery, curating exhibitions and working with artists. She is passionate about assisting artists in their careers, so much so this often comes before her own practice. She has her own website and posts regularly to her blog.

How did you get started in printmaking?
I was making paintings and drawings in my honours year at Uni Tasmania and my lecturer said - whoa there Nelly those look like etchings - get yourself to a printmaking class. I found etchings too fussy, but loved relief prints, especially in the form of woodcuts and lino cuts. I also like embossing. This was all about 5 years ago, and you can't stop me.


Describe where you work:
I like printing better than painting because I can do a lot of the prep at home (in front of the telly). When I accrue enough time at work I'll take a free day and book a session at the community print studio. I recently did a residency where I was able to print 24/7 - lovely!

What's your favourite printmaking process?
Oh yeah, shot my mouth off already - its relief embossing.


What's your creative process for any given print? (eg. sketch first?Pre-planned or free-form?)
I like to do little thumbnail sketches. With my background in painting this was always enough to get me started. I'm finding with printmaking I need to do a lot more planning. From the thumbnail sketch I move onto plotting out on the wood or lino. I use smelly marker pens, or if I'm feeling fancy I will go with a chinagraph pencil. I like to adjust things after I print too. I'm not too proud to dig in with my carving tools to get things 'just right'.

What do you enjoy most about printmaking?
I love all the planning that goes on. When you make an artwork you really feel liked you have worked! I also am enjoying the resurgence of this craft with the whole handmade revolution.

What's your least favorite part of the process?
I'm still no good at reversing the image in my mind - so many times I have printed and thought, oh - that's not how I thought it would look. I really don't like the messy stinky inks. I also get frustrated that there is little room for spontaneity during the press stage. Oh the blankets I have ruined!


What are your inspirations (other artists, people, places, events, etc.)?
Right now its screenprints - Little Friends, and posters, etc. But children's books, illustration, pattern, fabric prints, all have their place. Sometimes my partner and I make up silly stories, and I think - I would like to do a print about that.

How has your work changed and evolved since you started?
When I started I was really into creating images that were part of my research thesis on mental illness and artmaking. Now I want to learn more about the technique. I read people blog's to see how they do things. Lately I've been musing over various approaches to text.


How do you get past creative slumps?
I keep a journal or sorts, or rather a few. I write notes as much as I draw thumbnails. Flipping through this can take me back to the moment of inspiration, and will spark it off again. But when I'm in a deeper slump, its other people that inspire me - blogs, exhibitions, movies, etc.

How do you promote your work?
I've just started to take this seriously. I have a website that is still a baby. The best method of my promotion has been my blog. I also have an Etsy store. I had a stand at a market earlier this year, and I really enjoyed meeting my 'clients' face to face. That's something I am really going to pursue.

Any other comments or advice for others who want to try making hand-pulled prints?
The delight in making prints is not reserved for special people; anyone from children to adults can make this art! Find a class, enroll and enjoy!

Printsy Interview - Kirsten Lowe-Rebel

Etsy: KloRebel.etsy.com

Bio:
Kirsten Lowe-Rebel is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2007). She has a BFA in Studio Art, focusing in Painting and Print Media. Kirsten’s minor, women’s studies, has allowed her to explore cultural constructions of gender. Her interest in social binaries of femininity and the history of women's work and sexuality is what enforces her work.


My first printmaking class at IUP was based on a love and hate relationship. The first night I ran a Litho-plate edition on my own, I was up all night and wrote down very hateful words about the printmaking process and lifestyle! I swore that it was not for me, and I also cried a little. As the sun rose that very first time, I started to understand that it was no longer about me but it was about being one with the machine. Whether it is because I enjoy tormenting myself or it’s the narcissism of it all... seeing your art multiplied, I love traditional methods of printmaking!


My favorite methods of printmaking are the most graphic and immediate ones (wood and/or linoleum block prints). I enjoy the solid application of the inks and textures they can take on. I started printmaking by way of intaglio. This method allowed me to create scenes or objects to be printed in multiples. Now, I am much more interested in the layering possibilities. I wouldn’t even consider my work a specific genre because I apply multiple layers of printing, painting and embellishment techniques. For this reason my work has evolved to mostly mono-prints. I love the unique quality in something that remains constant.


Some contemporary artists that I admire are Tracey Emin and Sarah Lucas. For example, Sarah Lucas printed some very controversial and aggressive print images onto sugar paper and applied them to birthday cakes. I love the idea of using traditional printing techniques and printing them onto unexpected surfaces. While in school I took advantage of portfolio exchanges with conceptual themes. I enjoy working in a collaborative style. Since I have graduated I have spent little time in communal studio type settings but continue to show my work around Pittsburgh, PA. I believe that printmaking can embody very addictive qualities and bring out the very best and worse in every printmaker!

Printsy Interview - Jessica Maloan

Etsy: pinestreetmakery.etsy.com
Flickr: flickr.com/pinestreetmakery

Brief Bio
I’m from a small town in West Tennessee. When I was little, I would love to make stories and draw characters from my favorite cartoons. Sometimes in the summer I would take art lessons in the upstairs of the local craft store. I moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University in 2003. I studied Design Communications and Religion in the Arts. I was really lucky to have a great design professor who encouraged me to incorporate my hand-lettering and illustrations into my design work.

How did you get started in printmaking?
I took a class in college about different printing methods and really enjoyed learning about linocuts. I preferred it to etching and monoprinting. I really liked being able to stylize my prints with different carving techniques.


Describe where you work.
I have a corner of my house that I’ve dedicated to crafting. I have a desk, a bookshelf and a table for my printing press and supplies. Sometimes the corner tends to grow throughout the rest of my house, though.

What's your favourite printmaking process?
I love letterpress printing. I just purchased a Kelsey 6x10 tabletop press and I’m working on getting it up and running. I interned at Hatch Show Print here in Nashville. That’s when my ‘like’ for printmaking turned into a full-on love. I loved the smell of the ink, the sound of the press rollers, and the skill involved in type-setting. It was an amazing experience to be involved with a working letterpress poster shop. If you’re ever in Nashville, you should definitely visit.


What's your creative process for any given print? (eg. sketch first? Pre-planned or free-form?)
I usually do a rough sketch first and then transfer it to linoleum. I make adjustments while I’m carving. I find that the process is most enjoyable for me when I don’t try to over-think it or perfect it.

What do you enjoy most about printmaking?
I love working with my hands. It’s so rewarding to see your ideas take shape. I love the simplicity of hand-printing and how it requires only a few tools.

What's your least favorite part of the process?
Having to quit for the day to go to work!

What are your inspirations (other artists, people, places, events, etc.)?
Sister Corita Kent and Hatch Show Print. I think being from the South influences my work, too.


How has your work changed and evolved since you started?
In college, I carved a few blocks directly from photographs. Some of the other design students told me they liked my drawings and that gave me the confidence to start carving my own illustrations. So, I guess I’ve simplified since I started.

How do you get past creative slumps?
Some days I have to walk away for a while. I’ll read a book or run a few errands and then come back. If you’re feeling stuck, it’s usually a good time to take a break.

How do you promote your work?
This is something I’m not great about doing. I’m trying to get better. I recently started selling my cards at a local bookstore. I’m just beginning to brand my shop. I hope to get involved with local craft fairs, too. I would love some suggestions!


Any other comments or advice for others who want to try making hand-pulled prints?
Try not to poke yourself! Printing tools can be sharp! As far as promoting and selling your prints, Etsy is a great way to get started. It requires very little start-up and you have an instant community of creative people who are willing to give you feedback and answer questions you may have.