Introduction
Over recent weeks I have been exploring the use of water colour backgrounds for prints. The idea is that this process would add an extra layer to prints to provide colour and depth. During my research I had spoken to other artists who add coloured backgrounds, a good example being Mary Carrick, who works mainly with collagraphs. She often introduces colour by creating a second collagraph which she colours in a variety of ways and prints over the top. I thought that it may be a good idea to experiment with water colour as the paint is transparent and has good potential as the printed line would show through.
Experiments
1. "Hide"
On the banks of the River Humber there is a bird hide which I have used as a subject for an oil painting. The hide stands alone on a turn of the bank heading towards the locks at the Ancholme River. I walked along the bank in the Spring and looked inside. The window looks out over a large stretch of marshland with the Humber Bridge in the background. I continued my walk and upon my return I noticed the view again. I came up with the idea that I could do a print with three views - approach from the east, approach from the west and the view from inside the hide, looking out towards the Humber Bridge.
I started by preparing a piece of aluminium and drawing into a hard ground to create a line drawing of my idea. I then printed out an initial first impression to see how it could be improved.
The initial line drawing
I felt that I then needed, as a second stage, to add tone to create light and dark areas. I achieved this by using an aquatint which I etched in stages and reprinted the image with black ink.
Tonal areas added using aquatint process
Thinking about how I could introduce colour, I pre-prepared some printing paper and marked out the exact size of the final print. I then looked at the initial prints and worked with water-colour to follow the three sections of the subject matter. I used a variety of colours, but kept each background within the refines of a limited palette. I then printed the plate onto the pre-prepared coloured backgrounds.
Final Print with green and brown palette
Final Print with blue, orange and red palette
2. "Horkstow Bridge"
Horkstow Bridge is about one mile upstream from the locks at the entrance to the Ancholme River. It was designed by Sir John Rennie as part of the River Ancholme Drainage Scheme, completed in 1836, and is a Grade II* listed building. It is a very early example of a suspension bridge. It is a surprisingly magnificent structure for such a remote spot, but the bridge was used in the 19th century as a vital link over the river from a nearby quarry. Horkstow Bridge reminds me of how local people have used the river and its surrounding environment as a source of economic prosperity over many centuries, adapting and changing the environment over time.
I decided to follow the same methodology as above to add watercolour backgrounds to some hard ground etchings which I had made. I played around with different colour schemes.
Watercolour background using "Fauvist" colours
Finished print
Watercolour background using a more limited palette
The Finished Print
I also experimented by painting an etching with watercolour after it had been printed in black. I followed the "Fauvist" theme.
Watercolour added following printing
Conclusions
The final prints worked well in that the colours provided depth and colour interest. The colours harmonised well and the limited palette was restful to the eye. The Fauvist colours were more interesting and provided excitement. The method enabled a freely painted background to blend in with the scheme of the design without being a rigid process - the final outcomes had a sense of "flow". This contrasts with the print which was hand coloured with watercolour afterwards, as this process produced more accuracy in following the lines of the image. The fact that the paint was transparent allowed the detail of the line drawing to show through. Both methods were successful in that they gave "life" to the prints and "lifted" them. Hand-colouring afterwards would be more appropriate if detailed, accurate colouring is required.
No comments:
Post a Comment