Collography – by Pip Carpenter
What is a Collograph?
Also spelt Collagraph – both are correct
A description by one of our featured Artists, Pip Carpenter
Collography: Techniques and Materials
A Collograph is a collage of tactile and relief textures on a backing board which, when inked and printed, will exaggerate the relief and transmit it to the damp paper creating a rich and varied surface.
Different tonal effects and vibrant colour is also achieved because of the depth of relief and consequent shadow effects and the differential inking that results from the highly textured surface
Substances such as carborundum, acrylic texture mediums, sandpapers, string, cut card, leaves and grasses can all be used in creating the collograph plate. The plate can be Intaglio inked, inked with a roller or paintbrush or a combination of all three.
In my landscapes I create textures that will represent for example ploughed fields, rows of crops or vineyards that follow the undulations of the terrain. I create the character of the vegetation and water whether sun-dappled, glassy smoothe or angry waves. I study flowers, grass, trees and rocks. I invent and combine effects that will interpret them.
When the print comes off the press, I study it and always finish with hand-colouring to emphasise and extend the printed image.
The Artist
Pip Carpenter is a printmaker and painter of great talent and energy. She like to work directly from the subject, taking her printing plates, paints and paper to the scene to capture the spontenaeity of first vision.
Pip is a member of the Greenwich Printmakers. Examples of her work can be found on show at Outlines, and more of her work is on display in the Gallery section of this site.
Be sure to look at her work! Click Here.