Printing workshop week four; Collagraph prints

Fine art Evaluation.

Fine Art Evaluation.

Over the past eight weeks we have been in the Fine Art workshops and have studied three areas, these areas being Still Life, Landscapes and Portraits. Starting with Still life, we did observational drawing and studied an artist, my choice being Marc Chagall. We then went onto Landscapes and did some artist study (Mine being John Constable and Svetoslav Stoyanov) and some studies of various art movements (Cubism, Fauvism, Surrealism and Japanese Woodcuts). Finally we studied Portraits where we did some self-portrait work, and also studied another artist (Edvard Munch) and I added onto this by drawing a portrait in the style of his work.
For Primary research, I began by collecting photographs of landscapes which I had taken on a recent walk around my local town. I also did some sketches of these photographs, and did some sketches of some still life objects, in various different Medias. I had photographs from Landscapes and Portraits however no Still life photos, something I could work on. Nevertheless I did have objects to study so I did have primary research for all three areas.

For Secondary research, I studied four artists (as mentioned), and did some studies of their work. I also expanded on this by creating a portrait in the style of my chosen portraiture artist. I also studied four art movements, and went on to create a landscape based on one of those movements, from a primary sourced image. Also as an expansion on Cubism, I did a self-portrait based on that movement when in the Fine Art workshop.For the workshops, we studied some new techniques including printmaking, Collagraph relief prints, Lino printing and etching. I enjoyed this as I enjoy learning new techniques, which will definitely help me in future projects. Other than the workshops we learnt how to use the Grid Method, which will come in handy when scaling up large drawings. Techniques I used that I was already aware about were Stretching and preparing paper for drawing on, using the inks and bleach, which I learned in the last project, and various drawing techniques which I gained from the Observational Drawing project. I used a range of media, from paints to pencils, (learning how to use Gouache, something I hadn't done before) inks and bleach, and oil pastels and Scraffito. As the project was mainly using drawing and painting techniques, we didn't really use any collage materials.
I have used my blog well in this project, adding in weekly updates for my time in the workshops, and also some Health and Safety information for future reference. As for time management, I think I kept it well, making sure I had everything in for the deadline. I went ahead and did some extra work on producing my own work with inspiration from other artists.
Overall, I think I worked quite well, and really enjoyed using drawing skills in the project, taking ideas form other artists work and examining how and why they did the things they did. I learnt about some art movements I was unfamiliar of, and grew my Contextual Studies knowledge. 

Print making Health and safety and preparation.

Fine art Workshops Health and Safety.

Over the past eight weeks we have been in the Fine Art and printing workshops ( as shown in previous posts). However, there are some Health and Safety aspects that come into working in them.


Fine Art;

-Setups
-Using craft knifes
-Smashed mirrors
-Printmaking tools
-Paint inhalation

• When being around and putting together setups to work from, depending on the objects used, you must be careful especially if some of the objects are sharp; falling objects can cause injury, also if they are heavy. To prevent this, stay away from the objects and refrain from touching them, or if you have set them up, make sure the heavier items are on the bottom as a weight, and everything is placed correctly to avoid anything falling and/or breaking.
•  At some points we had used craft knifes and scissors to cut out our work from the boards, as we used the stretched paper method. If used incorrectly, craft knifes can be a huge risk, especially if not stored away properly. Make sure to use a ruler, so the line are straight and controlled, be slow with your movements and make sure to put the lid on or slide down AFTER use so we they do not cut anything when not in use or laying around. If using craft knifes to cut paper use a cutting mat to prevent surfaces and fingers from being damaged.
• In the fourth week we used mirrors which had been smashed and then reattached onto card to make ourselves look distorted. Edges of mirror are incredibly sharp as it is glass, so make sure to hold the mirrors from the corners only, and if a piece were to fall off, put into the bin immediately to prevent any minor injuries. After use store them away sufficiently, for example a draw or cupboard to prevent any other injuries.
• depending on what printmaking tools you used, anything metal based can be dangerous, if sharp or if it got warm due to sun exposure, can result in burns. Make sure to use safer plastic based materials as you are only printing with acrylic paints. Also store away after use, as any lying on the floor could be slipped on, resulting in injury.
• If paint is consumed it can be poisonous, so make sure to wash hands after use.
• As we were working in a busy studio, make sure chairs are pushed under to prevent anybody from tripping or falling.
• When washing out paint brushes, the water in the studios can be extremely hot, which if under for too long can result in burns. To prevent this try using the cold tap, or mix the two together in the sink with the plug in.

Printing Workshop;

-Scribes and craft knives
-Using harsh chemicals (In this case NaO3)
-Cleaning products and oils
-Using the printing bed
-Stains
-Filing
-Using the hot plates
-using the printing bed

• In the printing workshop we use a lot of different chemicals and processes, which, if not done correctly can be dangerous. One of these being using the scribes and craft knives. Although we are only cutting out card for the Collagraph relief prints, Craft knives can be very dangerous. For the same reason as in the fine art workshops, ensure that you use a cutting mat and ruler, and store away properly after use.
• When creating the etching in the Zinc plates, we used a chemical called Nitric Acid, or NaO3 for short. It is used to eat away at the zinc, leaving an etched remain. As it is an acid, it can be very dangerous if in contact with the skin, specifically burns and irritation, so definitely make sure that you use gloves when moving the places in and out, and goggles to protect the eyes I any splashes. A safer option is to keep the acid in a fume cupboard, so all the fumes can be extracted from human extraction. Make sure you wash hands afterwards in case any happened to get onto the skin.
• After using paints to print, they are much harder to remove than acrylic paint, so we have to use cleaning products to remove them. The ones we used contained bleach, so ensure they are diluted, and to wash hands straight after use, so none is left on the skin, with a chance of possible consumption. We also used oil paints, so needed vegetable oil to remove the paint, as water and oils do not mix so water cannot remove it. Vegetable oil is very greasy, so make sure it is cleaned from everything, so you reduce the risk of peers slipping onto it.
• Make sure all surfaces are cleaned efficiently, from all chemicals and paint.
• We filed our zinc plates before using them so than the edges would be blunt to stop any injury. Make sure to file AWAY from you, in single motions, and holding onto your plate tightly so that you do not sand your fingertips. To be extra cautious wear thick gloves for protection.
• The paints used also stain, so make sure to wear an apron, or old clothes so nothing is ruined.
• Being called a 'hot plate' tells us the plates are hot, as they are used to melt substances onto things. To prevent it burning you keep away from the plate to stop your stomach form being burned, and make sure to have paper underneath your work to grab onto and lift.
• The printing bed is a heavy machine which your work goes through and is pressed at different pressures to print the work evenly and sufficiently. As they are heavy, there is a possible chance of bystanders being hurt, so ensure to turn the wheel after they have gone, and DO NOT turn if an others hands or fingers are nearby. Make sure to remove your print before the bottom plate is pressed all the way to the end, so it does not fall off with the possible chance of it braking or landing on a peer or yourself.