Screen Printing From Darkness to Light – Experimental Screen Printing

From Darkness to Light, Monochromes and Gloss

I have always enjoyed being experimental in my printmaking and enjoy having the subtle effect of over printing in the same colour; for example, white on white or gloss onto acetate. With pale colours, a shimmer or glowing effect can be achieved and I have always adored this.

This is the first time that I have begun to print with black ink on to black paper. As any printmaker knows the quality of the paper is imperative and quality black paper in a reasonable price bracket can be difficult to source and manipulate. For this reason, I have never experimented with it, but with new contacts made and research done, it is time to start experimenting.

Experimental Screen Printing Monochromes Gloss Rhizome — Developing the printing process, Jane Elizabeth Bennett © 2017 Screen printing.

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24th July 201729th August 2018

A Ph.D. Development Fellowship with UCLan

Outcome, Artlab, PhD Fellowship and AA2A 2017 2018 Exhibition Jane Elizabeth Bennett Screenprint
Outcome, Artlab, PhD Fellowship and AA2A 2017 2018 Exhibition Jane Elizabeth Bennett Close Up Etching
Outcome, Artlab, PhD Fellowship and AA2A 2017 2018 Exhibition Jane Elizabeth Bennett
Outcome Exhibition Banner, PR1 Gallery, PV 19th December 2017
Rhizome Three Point One, Soft Ground Etching on Zinc, 2017, Jane Elizabeth Bennett
Rhizome Three Point Two, Soft Ground Etching on Zinc, 2017, Jane Elizabeth Bennett
Office, Screenprint on South Bank 28 x 38cm Jane E Bennett

I have had a fantastic time during the last year, working hard on my Ph.D. Development Fellowship.

The Artlab Contemporary Printmaking Studios is about to close down for the annual Summer break, and most of the Academic staff have left to take on their own research projects. For me, this means that for me the Ph.D. Development Fellowship has come to a close. Over the last year, I have immersed myself in new texts, written proposals and grown a professional academic network; something that I think would have been difficult to fully commit to without the support and guidance provided during this time.

I’d especially like to thank the staff at the Unversity of Central Lancashire

Dr. Andrew Broadey

Tracy Hill

Magda Stawarska-Beavan

Bev Lamey

All that is left to do now is organize the Ph.D. Development Fellowship, Artlab Fellowship, and AA2A Programme Exhibitions which will take place in the PR1 Gallery between the 16th December 2017 and 11th February 2018. I look forward to showing prints and installed works from my ‘1000 Plateaus’ project.

1000 Plateaus, Jane Elizabeth Bennett, Etching 2017 ©

I’d also like to announce that, due to this fellowship I have exciting new prospects on the horizon! I will be announcing these projects over the coming year.

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21st June 20174th August 2017

Multiplicity, Soft-ground and Stop Start Etching

I am so excited to be experimenting with Multiplicity, Soft-ground and Stop Start Etching.

In my last blog post, I spoke about the difficulties in forming a conversation between the marks that were present on the plate. To me, the etch was shouting over the natural striations and oxidisation that I was encouraging to form. Resolved to take an active approach to mark making. Utilising soft-ground, Lascaux varnish, impure water and a pertinent quotation from A Thousand Plateaus I began to experiment.

soft-ground stop start etching rhizome printmaking — The experimental soft ground on a hand ground zinc plate.

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16th June 20174th August 2017

The Formation of a New Multiplicity

The Multiplicity and Authorship

After taking numerous prints from the secondhand, oxidised impure plates it has become apparent that by forming a new multiplicity authorship has now become a dominant part of the rhizome.

stop start etching intaglio multiplicity, rhizome, soft-ground, authorship — Printing with impurity, the printed Rhizome.

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25th May 20174th August 2017

Printing with Impurity and the Rhizome

As the academic year comes to a close and the printmaking studio empties of frantic students I have found some time to begin experimenting with impurities and the rhizome.

I have been very kindly given a number of large, lightly etched zinc plates. My usual practice is to, grain, aquatint and etch zinc multiple times with a deep bite, so the light etch would not interfere with my work, but as I occasionally laminate plates with photopolymer it is best to start with a neat surface.

Whilst graining the plates by hand, using a medium carborundum, block and sandpaper I removed a substantial layer of the original etch. As hand graining with a block is a laborious process I broke the monotony by periodically inking and printing the plates. I thought that if nothing else I would be left with a series of prints showing the reduction of an etch and the appearance of a ghost like ‘nothingness’.

intaglio, printmaking, etching, impurities, soft-ground experimental — Air dried hand grained zinc plates, UCLAN Printmaking Department

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