Print, is it dead? I guess not.

I have always fathomed of trying out printmaking back when I was in Singapore. There weren't any facilities provided and I wasn't taught about it. Digital printing was just the go-to.

I knew about different types of printmaking such as screenprinting, risograph printing, lithography, etching, etc. when I started seeing some of the artists that I admire used these printing methods in their works. I was fascinated by the effect that it produced after the whole process was done. The beauty behind using all these physical tools to produce one colour and putting it on paper kind of reminds me how film photography is coming back. As much as we are in the digital age right now, people always go back to nostalgia and find ways to mimic the past.


Our relief prints

This was an induction to the printmaking facilities that LCC provides, however, I would consider this as the first real class that I had in uni.

We did relief printing where we had to roll out the paint ink on to pattern-shaped glass blocks. We then proceed to place it on a press and that's where we get the ink on paper. Overall, the whole experience was tiring (I mean printmaking like this, in general, is tiring) but I enjoyed seeing how the colours turn out after pressing it on to the piece of paper. The colours were really pretty and I was in awe. 

Figure 1. My relief print

Sadly, I realised there was a small mark on my print as I did not clean my glass block properly before pressing the ink on to the paper (see Figure 1). Still, I think it was a fun experience.

Screen printing was something that I was looking forward to as I have done it before in Singapore. I attended a very small screen printing workshop held by Tell Your Children, a Singapore illustration and graphic design studio. Ever since then, I loved the process. In fact, I prefer it over relief and offset mono printing.

Accuracy was key in this process and that was something I had to learn during this workshop.

Final screen printed results