Collagraph prints

Collagraph is a technique based on using cardboard plates where different textures are adhered. It can be wet acrylic based textures like gesso or carborundum gel (used in acrylic painting) or dry textures like paper, strings, wallpaper, aluminum-foil etc. Different textures take up the ink in different ways. After creating the picture with different textures the plate is sealed with a varnish. Then the ready plate is inked and printed on graphic printmaking paper. Very fun and interesting technique - that is both environmentally healthy as long as textures and varnishes are water solvable as well as low priced. Collagraph technique can be combined with traditional copper plate etching and drypoint as well as with photo polymer technique in the print stadium.