Facilities

The print studio offers facilities for printing including copper, zinc, steel and aluminium plate etching, linocuts, woodcuts, screen print, collagraphs, monoprints and can comfortably accommodate 12 – 15 printmakers.

The studios are equipped with 5 presses, including a Rochat Etching Press, with a bed size of 21” x 36”; Littlejohn Graphic Systems Etching Press, with a bed size of 28” x 48”; and a Rollaco Press with a bed size of 28″ x 36″.

Etching

The image is bitten or etched  into a metal plate with acid. The plate is covered with an acid-resistant layer known as a ‘ground’ through which the artist draws, revealing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid which ‘bites’ the drawn marks, leaving hollows which hold the ink.

Etching
Etching process

Linocut

The image is cut away using linoleum as the block. It is then inked, usually with a roller, before being printed,  normally through a press. The soft surface is far easier to work with than wood. Unlike wood, lino traditionally gives a flatter, more homogenous printing surface.

Linocut Process
Linocut

Woodcut

A relief print made from a plank or block of wood sawn along the grain and smoothed. MDF can also be used which is much easier to cut into. The block is then inked and printed. Often the grain of the wood is evident in the final print.

Woodcut
Woodcut Process

Screen Print

A print made either from a series of stencils, one for each colour, printed over each other, gradually building up the image. Or a drawn image or photograph can be exposed onto a UV-sensitive coating on the screen and then printed.

Screen printing process
Screen print

Collagraph

The plate or block is made from a built-up surface of materials, such as organic matter, paper, card, textured papers etc. as a collage. The plate can then be intaglio-inked, inked with a roller or paintbrush or some combination of these.

Collagraph at John Howard Prints Studios
Collagraph Printing

Monotype

A print made from a wet painting on a non-absorbent surface such as glass, perspex or metal, then printed by hand pressure or more usually passed through a press. It is often possible to pull a second or ‘ghost’ print from the plate, which can then be re-worked.

Monotype Process
Monotype

Photo-etching

A photographic or directly drawn image is made as a positive onto acetate. The image is then exposed using a UV lightbox onto a pre-coated or hand-rolled photo-sensitive plate.  The plate is then developed, dried and printed as a conventional intaglio print.

Photo-etching Process
Photo-etching

Editioning

The studio offers an editioning service for etchings, lino and woodcuts and screen prints, allowing for the production of limited editions of hand-pulled prints.

Editioning
Editioning