Printed Story: workshop

FBAC on-line class The Printed Story taught by Catherine Cross Tsintzos.

In this class we each developed a story, determined a layout and design for a book, created graphics and text for the story, and completed one small accordion or pamphlet book.

Week one we worked on a theme for our story.  We discussed art books and storytelling using images and words.  To help develop the overall layout and design of our book we used storyboards.  The Storyboard was 6-8 squares: two squares for the beginning, 2-4 squares for the middle, and 2 squares for the conclusion.  Each frame included a sketch, text and notes on boarders, colors etc. 

I decided to tell the story of how we created a wildflower garden for my Mother-in-law.   

• It starts with the field and plowing.  
• The middle is about the plants growing.  
• The end is about the butterflies that visit the wildflowers.

Week two we worked on relief printmaking techniques.  Because I had them already, I used Speedball water soluble inks, baren, hard brayer and linoleum cutting set.  We used thin linoleum that can easily be cut into smaller shapes.  

I used photos of the garden, flowers and insects as references for the lino stamps I carved.

Field sketch and cut lineo block

Photo and cut lineo blocks

I did several test prints to learn how to mix the 3 colors of ink to get the color I wanted (light green, oranges, browns, black).  

test printing smal lieno blocks

 

I did test prints to determine if printing the smaller blocks over the full page green field would work (i.e. would the colors show up; would the design work).

test printing flower blocks over printed green field

Week three we worked on printing and assembling the final book.

I created a cover for the pamphlet book, printed one side of the pages and let that dry for a few days, then carefully printed on the other side.  I painted backgrounds on the flowers and butterflies pages.  I added tissue paper between the pages to protect the ink.  

Cover

first and second pages with tissue paper between

Exploring Marbling: Suminaghashi

I enrolled in another FBAC on-line class: Explorations with marbling, taught by Catherine Cross Tsintzos

In this class we learned about Suminaghashi (“floating ink”), the accent art of Japanese marbling. Ink is placed on the surface of a dish of water using pointed brushes (Sumi brushes) such that it floats on the water. A design is created by alternating a ink (traditionally black or indigo ink are used) and non-ink (soapy water). Each new addition pushes early drops out across the surface of the water, creating concentric rings. I used black and other colored inks from a marbling kit.

Suminaghashi setup used

 

Disturbances caused by air (blowing or fanning) or touching the surface (toothpick or tiny brush) can be used to change the concentric pattern into an irregular shape or create a mirror image.

Paper is gently placed on top of the floating ink on the surface of the water to capture the pattern. The choice of paper determines how well the ink is picked up and how durable the print will be. I used Yatsutomo Hosho Rice paper, BlackInk Speedball Fine Printmaking Paper (a mix of mulberry and bamboo fibers), BFK Rives Printmaking Paper (100% cotton), and watercolor paper. I liked the results on the Speedball and BFK papers best. The rice paper was thin and tore easily. The watercolor paper was thick and the ink diffused a little.

Acrylic and oil paints can be used in a similar way to make prints. Additives are used to thin the paint so it will effectively flow on top of the water. Suminaghashi can also be used to create patterns on natural fabrics (raw silk, cotton etc).

I used some of the finished Suminaghashi paper as book covers and signature wraps to make additional Criss cross bound books.

Book spine and covers ready to be bound

Bound book cover

Criss cross binding

 I have wanted to try making a book using the Criss cross binding for some time, so I was excited to see a class being offered at the Frederick Book Arts Center.  This binding is also known as the Secret Belgian binding.  The allure of this book is the signatures are bound to the spine of the book in a way that lets you remove/replace them.  The unique stitching also lets the cover and pages lay flat. 

I preparation for the class we cut and covered board for the front, back and spine of the book.  I used some fancy peacock feather paper for this.  We also folded and pressed 8 signatures.

We punched holed in the covered front and back boards for stitching.  Both the vertical and horizontal spacing of holes can be varied, allowing for endless designs.  I punched 6 holes 1" from the front edge with varied vertical spacing.

The signatures are 1/4" shorter than the boards.  I made a template to punch the signatures that accounted for the difference in hight and matched the vertical spacing of the six holes.

The cover is stitched/woven together first.  We used binder clips to hold the three sections of the cover in place while stitching (blue tape can also be used).  I used 4 ply Irish linen waxed thread, though often thicker thread or ribbon can be used.  

Stating at the top on the inside front cover, go out the top hole leaving a short tail of thread behind, come in from the outside in the gap between the front board and the spine and go back out in the gap between the spine and the back board, then in the top hole on the back cover, wrap around the spine in the opposite direction, tie a square knot with the tail of the thread near the top hole on the front board, continue out the top hole on the front cover, wrap around the spine a third time, go in the top hole of the back cover one last time.  The first station is now complete.  

Go out the second hole on the back cover, wrap around the spine, go out the second hole of the front cover, wrap around the spine in the opposite direction, go in the second hole of the back cover, wrap around the spine a third time, go in the second hole of the front cover one last time.  The second station is now complete.

Repeat the process for the remaining stations and tie off the thread at the end of the sixth station.

We used a sort of running pamphlet stitch to attach the signatures to the threads that wrap around the inside of the spine.  If desired, you could attach each signature independently to the spine using multiple pamphlet stitches.  Cutting the pamphlet stitches allows you to remove the signatures from the book.

I quickly made a second book using some beautiful marbled paper a friend made.  I used a photo of the 2021 Brood X Cicadas for the front and back signature wraps.