Induction: Screen Printing

This was the first time I had done screen printing, apart from a small go when I was studying on my PGCE. Learning screen printing and lithography in two consecutive weeks made me realise there are huge gaps in my knowledge of printmaking. Actually, writing this further into the course, it's been exciting (and daunting) to learn about how different processes can be combined; screen etch-resist for example. Even to see how painterly some screen prints can become, which I didn't fully appreciate until I went to see the Kip Gresham works at Eames Gallery.

examples of student work

I used screen printing fluid to create multiple layers of gestural marks on 3 different sheets of film. I know now (especially seeing Kip Gresham's work) that if I do screen print again I'll use tusche and true grain film to create slow-drying softer marks more akin to drawing or painting. Unlike lithography, where I was scribbling down nerdy notes, I didn't feel as inspired but enjoyed the fast-paced process and found I was able to experiment much more than I'd thought; as long as I didn't spend too much time thinking.

Images showing the process

Original image, bitmap image, dither dot image

I wanted to expose a photograph onto my screen but I'm not keen on the pixellated quality of bitmap. The slideshow of images above shows, in order, my chosen image, bitmap edit and dither dot edit. My prints from this induction used a bitmap photograph (image 2). However, in a following session I learned about dither dots and I much prefer the soft diffused quality of this image; to me, it reflects the crumbly surface of the bull statue which is part of a large pediment sculpture in the Acropolis Museum dating from around 600BCE. Interestingly, the word 'dither' is from an old English word meaning to 'tremble' or 'quiver', which seems fitting for the idea of animate objects and makes me think about how photographs can render objects animate and fragment into tiny particulates as diffuse or solid as we want them to be.

My prints seem like a starting point where neither the expressive marks or the exposed photograph appear or work together how I would like. If the marks were tusche and more transparent, and covering all of the print, and the photograph created from soft dither which which seem to dissolve in the surface of the print....

The print says something and it's linked to my ideas; but it seems that the bull/object is being overwhelmed by brash marks when it should be dissolving into the print and quivering with life. Perhaps I'll come back to it.