How-to- Collagraph

Final paper ready to be cut for postcards  My latest experiments have been with collagraphs.  I'm sure there are many ways to create such a thing, but this is my attempt to explain the process...some are more complicated than others.  I am making postcards to send to my MailArt buddies.  So...here goes.

I found this

unusual piece of cardboard and thought it would be the bases for my print.  I painted it with acrylic paints and then placed a sheet of ordinary computer paper on top, rubbing in the grooves and all around.  When I lifted the paper, not as much paint came off onto the paper as I thought would, but that is the beauty of printmaking.  It actually left dots and stripes from the corrugated parts.  Left it to dry.

Next, I inked up this leaf plate.  Cut leaf shapes glued to a heavy matte cardboard.  Lined the paper up on the plate and rubbed all around with my fingers and a spoon.  Check out the leaf shapes in the background.  Sorry, didn't take a picture of this whole process.  Next time.

Painted some bubble wrap and randomly stamped around.

Here is another cardboard collagraph that I have used on other prints.  I inked it up with an opaque blue acrylic, placed the paper ontop and again rubbed the surface with my fingers and a spoon.  I really like the way this paint lets the other shapes come through.

This time I inked up this bird and flower made from a foam sheet and glued on to a sturdy cardboard backing.  I used a regular black stamp pad.  Then stamped with my small leaf stamp and  added a strip of washi numbers tape.

 

Cut off the excess ready to create  my 5" x 7" postcards.  I'll glue this paper to a file folder backing, sew around it, and it's off to California and downstate Michigan.  Sorry, no surprise, but I hope that explains.