Introduction:
Practice a type of relief printing that
was developed in Europe during the seventeenth and eighteenth
century to illustrate botanical books. The elements of
shape, color, and pattern are incorporated in this lesson
which will created a detailed print of a leaf.
Materials:
Fresh
leaves, ferns and flowers
Newsprint
paper
Sized
printmaking paper, i.e. Arches Text Wove
Masking
tape
Inking
slab, i.e. 10" x 14" piece of Plexiglas
4" wide
rubber brayer
Black
block printing ink that is water-soluble, i.e. Speedball
ink
Directions:
Scoop or squeeze water soluble ink
out onto the inking slab. Use the brayer to roll the
ink out smoothly on the slab. The ink will make a hissing
noise and will look as if it has scales when it is ready
for printing.
Choose a fresh leaf or flower. Lay it vein side up on some newsprint.
Holding the stem end, roll the inked brayer across the surface of the
leaf or flower. Apply the ink evenly on the leaf.
Transfer the leaf to a clean sheet of newsprint. Place a sheet of sized,
printmaking paper on top of the inked leaf.
Rub your hand on the printing paper over the surface of the leaf. Pick
the paper up carefully to prevent smearing.
You might choose to bind several prints into a nature journal or frame
them separately.
