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Starting Third Year

During the summer holidays I visited several exhibitions, galleries and museums and I became increasingly interested in hand block printing.  The hands on process really appeals to me and the challenge of learning this new technique.  The detailed woodcut prints by Albrecht Durer in the Whitworth are extremely impressive; it is hard to believe that he could achieve such detail.  I saw Merlyn Chesterman demonstrating how she made her large lime wood prints at art in Action in Oxfordshire, and later I saw the same print at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition along with several other block print artists; this gave me the confidence to believe I had found something I could feel passionate about doing.   I visited New Designers in London and realised how much digital work was on show and this made me even more determined to pursue a hand process.   As I have previously focused more on embroidery my knowledge of printing is limited so I started to look at different prints both traditional and modern.  The idea of doing something original in print is very daunting because everything seems to have been done already. I want to be open-minded at this stage and not restrict myself. 

Aims

My aim at this stage is to design and make a portfolio of bespoke hand block printed wallpaper samples.  I want to develop the techniques I began to explore during the summer holidays and I want to pursue my passion for being hands on with my work rather than using digital processes.  My aim is for an interior context and my target market is people looking to own pieces that are individual and unique; something they could not find in a local high street shop.  My audience is someone who desires to own something different that has been hand-made and they can be proud to display.

I will be exploring a variety of ways to construct a printed piece using carved wood blocks.  I will experiment with size and proportion and a number of different design layouts.  I will research older methods of wood block printing and carving as well as more modern techniques. Finding the best tools and wood to use, the correct printing inks, and suitable papers will be important.  

my photos of inspiration from summer holidays

Albrect Durer in the Whitworth
& John Bryce at the Royal Accademy Summer Exhibition

Mokhlesur Rahman large prints on silk scarves at Venice Biennale
& Japanese wood block prints at Ashmolean Museum Oxford

Merlyn Chesterman at Art in Action, Waterperry, Oxfordshire

Hand Block printed French wallpaper c.1760 & c.1790
Whitworth Gallery