Alphabet Soup Printing Induction: Relief Print & Screenprint

For the printing induction, we had to attempt to try different relief print processes.  We selected some of our Alphabet Soup Letterforms from the Visual Thinking task and produce Mono prints and Lino prints from them as well as producing some Woodblock type .

MonoPrint



Tools for Monoprinting

I selected the shatter letter that was altogether and whole as an image as I had to cut out the letterform and I felt that it wouldnt be successful if I used a letterform that wasn't simple or direct.

MonoPrint Printing Process

I would ink up the plate and use the cut out shatter letter to produce a silhouette. I would then reprint without inking up to produce different tonal values and opacities and overall letterforms to produce texture and form. I think some of these are successful as they are quite powerful and strong in thier visual quality due to the juxtaposition in the colouration of black and white, however, some haven't printed out as well so they are quite fuzzy and unclear.

LinoPrint

Rubber Print I Carved

I reproduced my most successful shatter letterform by using a piece of lino rubber to carve into with the tool, taking negative space away from the space around the letter rather than putting the letter in the space. This allowed me to continue to take away and manipulate the image.

LinoPrint Printing Process

This carving allowed me to develop the image and continue to effect the space thereby producing a texture that is unique to the lino print process. I prefer the cleaner version of the printing rather than the carved into version as I think it produces a simple yet clean aesthetic whereas the carved version is alot more rough and unconsidered however you could argue that this gives the letterform room to breathe.

Woodblock Type

Using some already cut woodblocks, I selected a Caslon type to produce the word 'Shatter' as I wanted to have the type still link as a series with the rest of my prints dispite the fact that it isnt the same letterform or style of letterform.

Woodblock Type Printing Process

I think the woodblock prints are the most classic looking prints out of all of the relief printing methods I have tried as it gives it a real homely, authentic aesthetic due to the cracks in the media showing through onto the print. This fragility makes the harsh word seem quite beautiful.

Screenprinting

In a different induction, we got the chance to add to our printing knowledge by being taught how to screenprint. We were shown how to clean a board, store a board and actually print with it as well, as we tried out the process on an already set up board and design (see picture).

Screenprinting Print Process

I found the process difficult as I didn't press down had enough the first time so I found it physically difficult to give the image enough pressure, however, I do like the actual visual outcome of the print as it gives a smooth colouration and sharp vivid appearance.I definatly learnt something new as it was a process I had never tried before so I found the induction worthwhile and would prehaps consider trying it out if a brief called for this type of process.

Overall, I think it was a successful induction as I had managed to try out every process so that I could experience each one and find what I liked and what I didn't like. I prefer the Wood Block type printing as it has a classic aura and unquestionable authority which is interesting and I liked the texture it produced.