Michael Gage

This week's printmaking class was all about picture making. Keeping the technique to a minimum and using the most basic materials -- plastic erasers and stamp pads -- the emphasis was on using your imagination to create a print. Here are some pictures of how my students got on. We started with the erasers in their natural state: using all sides and edges to print from, and then enhancing the image with pencil and pen lines.




Then we started to carve the erasers with craft knives and linocut tools. Unlike previous sessions where we use a single block to create multiple images, this time we used multiple blocks to create a single image.





Finally we took this further, creating patterns from tiny bits of eraser. (Each of the sixteen little squares that make up these patterns is about half an inch square.)

I'll be teaching a two day weekend course, exploring contemporary and traditional bookmaking methods at the South East School of Art in East Grinstead.

13 - 14 August 2011, 10.30 - 4.30pm

  

This weekend course introduces bookmaking techniques from traditional casebound books to more surprising structures. This is an ideal introduction to bookbinding for both creating books as beautiful and useful objects, and as a starting point for making your own artist’s books. All the techniques that you’ll learn can be easily reproduced at home with minimal equipment.

• Make a minibook from a single sheet of paper.
• Learn how to create books with just a few folds and cuts.
• Make your own sketchbooks in ten minutes.
• Create your own hardback casebound journals.
• Fill and decorate your books with simple printmaking techniques.
• Explore the mysteries of books that move and twist.

You’re welcome to bring any photos or drawings that you’d like to include in your books, and plain or decorated papers for covering the books.

Fee: £120 for two days tuition, including materials, refreshments, and light lunches.

To book a place, or find out more, please contact the South East School of Art.

  

The new printmaking class that I'm teaching at the South East School of Art got off to a flying start this evening. Concentrating on techniques and methods that are easy and safe to reproduce at home, the students learnt how to create prints from one of the simplest yet most surprising materials: styrofoam. Manipulating the block in different ways quickly leads to piles of colourful prints that have a special effect that's unique to the medium.

We proved that you can "have your pizza, and print it".


Carol's strong graphic image of flowers had a Japanese feel to it.



Louise's confident use of colour enhanced her image of King Arthur's face on the Holy Grail.



Jennifer's strong leaf image explored different ways of making marks and textures with the medium.



Bill's abstracted landscape showed a good sense of design.