Collagraph is one of the print media I use in my work.

Updated April 2024

You will find the collagraph basics here. All printmakers have their individual approaches to the medium. These are mine. Nothing replaces the workshop situation where you can pick up hints and tips in real-time.

What is a Collagraph?

A collagraph is a unique printmaking technique that uses textured materials to create a printing plate. This plate is then inked and used to produce beautiful prints with a rich variety of textures and depths.

Creating a Collagraph Plate

To make a collagraph, start with a sturdy, flat base like mountboard, thin perspex or steel plate. Then, unleash your creativity! You can attach various textured materials to the surface using a variety of wet media including glue, gel mediu, gesso or household decorating products. Here are some ideas of the kinds of textures you can use to get you started:

• Fabrics like lace, gauze, or burlap

• Natural elements like leaves, sand, or string

• Papers with different textures

• Found objects with interesting patterns

When using found objects, watch out for their thickness. For instance, if materials like rice are too thick, they can create issues during inking or printing. Certain objects could harm your paper or press blankets.

Once you're happy with your collage, allow everything to dry completely.

Sealing the Plate

To protect your collagraph and prepare it for printing, you can seal it with a varnish, waterproof PVA (wood glue) or acrylic medium. Here are some popular options, each with its own characteristics:

• Water-based varnish or waterproof PVA: This dries clear and is relatively fast-drying.

• Golden GAC 900: This clear acrylic medium provides a durable and flexible seal.

• Shellac: This dries very quickly and allows you to control the ink absorption by applying more or less coats. However, multiple coats are needed for a strong seal.

Experiment and Have Fun!

The beauty of collagraphs lies in their endless possibilities. Don't be afraid to experiment with different materials and techniques to create unique and expressive prints.

Additional Tips:

• Consider how the textures you choose will translate into the final print. Raised surfaces will hold less ink and create lighter areas, while recessed areas will hold more ink and create darker areas.

• You can also add drawn or painted elements to your collagraph for even more visual interest.

The reasons for sealing the plate:

• To extend the life of the plate

• To protect the surface and prevent ink from soaking into the substrate.

• To control the levels of tone in the image.

• To prevent the paper from sticking to the plate when it goes through the press. This is a possibility if you use a sealant that is not waterproof.

What does the term 'Intaglio' mean?

When you ink up a plate Intaglio, you push the ink into the grooves on the plate. You do this by applying the ink using card offcuts or a stiff bristle brush, e.g., hog hair. You then wipe away the excess ink using scrim. I use scrap cotton sheeting. I find it is absorbent and has less of a tendency to get caught in the rough surface of the plate or to leave fluff behind. The ink in the lower reaches of the plate is released under pressure of the etching press onto the paper. The raised areas print lighter.

What about relief printmaking?

You can also ink up a collagraph plate for relief printing. In this instance, you apply the ink to the surfaces that stand proud of the plate surface. You can achieve some interesting results when you use both inking methods together. Even more interesting results come from working with inks of differing viscosities.

What Does "Intaglio" Mean?

Intaglio refers to a family of printmaking techniques where the design is created by making depressions or grooves on a metal or collagraph plate. These grooves, as opposed to raised surfaces in relief printing, hold the ink. This creates a rich, textural quality in the final print.

Inking an Intaglio Plate

The inking process for intaglio is unique. Here's a breakdown:

1. Applying Ink: A thick, viscous ink is applied to the entire plate surface using stiff brushes or card offcuts.

2. Wiping the Plate: Excess ink is then carefully wiped away with a material called scrim. This can be specialized fabric, but scrap cotton sheeting is a good alternative. The key is to use a material that's absorbent and won't leave lint behind in the grooves.

3. Printing Magic: During printing, the plate goes under high pressure in an etching press. This pressure forces the ink trapped in the grooves onto the dampened paper, creating the image. The raised areas of the plate, with less ink, translate to lighter areas in the print.

Intaglio vs. Relief Printing

This explanation clarifies the key difference between Intaglio and relief printing:

• Intaglio: Ink resides in recessed areas and creates darker tones.

• Relief Printing: Ink sits on raised surfaces and creates the printed image.

Combining Techniques and Experimenting

The text concludes by highlighting the exciting possibilities:

• You can ink a collagraph plate to print both intaglio and relief at the same time, using the raised textures to hold contrasting colour inks.

• Experimenting with different inking methods, like using collagraph and intaglio techniques together, or inks with varying viscosities, can yield unique and interesting results.

Printing the plate

• Place the plate on a flatbed intaglio press, cover it in damp paper and run it through the press.

• The materials you use, influence how many prints you can achieve from a collagraph plate.

• You can play with overprinting many plates, one on top of the other, one colour at a time to get different results.

• The effect can give the print a lot of depth, in particular when you use a lot of transparency in the ink.

• Each plate has a different design. The colour from each previous plate builds to give you a multi-coloured result.

The Collagraph Plate Construction:

The DOs

You can use

• .8mm wood ply. The advantages are not only the robust nature of wood ply, you also pick up the wood grain texture.

• Mount board. Your local framer may let you have their offcuts for nothing. My framer chucks out his scrap in the skip. I came to an arrangement that is a win win for us both. I get free mount board. He doesn't have to pay to put it in landfill. Mount board comes with smooth or textured surfaces that print very well.

• Mylar, like steel or aluminium, polishes back for great smooth surfaces. You can also scratch that surface (drypoint) to produce fine lines.

• Sheet metal like steel or aluminium.

Depending on the ‘matrix’ you use, you can also cut, carve and scratch into the surface of the plate.

The DON’Ts

• Avoid using the coloured side of the mount board. You will create difficulties for yourself when you ink up. The coloured surface will stop you from being able to see what you are doing.

• Use card or wood ply that is less than 5mm thick. It causes problems if it's thicker once you add your textured materials.

• Avoid applying the collaged materials too thickly to the surface. Also avoid sharp materials with high edges. Do you want to damage the paper and/or press blankets? That could be costly, especially if the press is not yours!

• The variety of different effects and variation in texture is infinite. It depends entirely on what materials you use. The materials you apply to the plate will determine the tone and strength of the ink.

You might have to ink up and print a plate several times when you use very absorbent materials. For example, if you use textiles or carborundum. It can take a couple of goes before the full impression comes through. The sealant you use and the number of coats you apply can also determine the tone and strength of the ink. If you add more than one coat of sealant in specific places, you can bring out more contrast in texture and tones on the plate.

Textured material examples:

• You can rip, cut, scrunch, or glue tissue, crepe paper, or Japanese paper for example, or press it into wet materials like texture paste.

• You can incise mount board lifting off the top layer (do not cut too deep). For a rough edge nick the surface and pull off a layer.

• You can glue lace, cotton, canvas, or any textured fabric or wallpaper to the surface. The trick is not to leave folds that can move and allow ink to get trapped underneath. Everything must end up in contact with the surface of the plate. Splodges will result otherwise.

• Acrylic paints and acrylic textures. Glosspaint and varnish. Different brush strokes will create a variation of texture. You can also use palette knives and sponges.

• Texture paste, tile grout, etc., hold the marks of brushes or palette knives etc. You can also press leaves or grasses or fabric into them. Try leaving them there or lifting them to see what kind of impression they leave behind. That is something I have experimented with. I found wetting the item in advance or using a damp sponge so the item does not stick to the surface very successful. Texture paste is excellent for this. There are cheaper alternatives. They all have their own characteristics.

• Carborundum is a good choice if you would like to print deep dark matt colours.

• Other materials include string, thread, leaves, maskingtape, and parcel tape.

• My final tip! It comes with a health & safety warning. I sometimes take a blow torch - like the small kitchen ones you use for caramelising the sugar. You can burn the plate edges and surfaces. Please take great care if you are going to do this. I work outdoors with fire bricks to support the plate. I use heavy-duty gloves to hold it; a mask to avoid breathing in potentially harmful fumes. You achieve fabulous textures by burning texture paste and PVA glue while they are still wet. They bubble up and do strange things.

Further examples of collagraph prints available to purchase in the Print Shop