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Visual Artists’ News Sheet | May – June 2024
In Focus
Screenprinting Using Analogue Positives Emily Mc Gardle Black Church Print Studio
Emily Mc Gardle, [L] Laff ‘n’ a Half, 2022, [R] Suckz 2-B-U, 2022, 7 colour screenprint with gloss varnish overlay on paper mounted onto wooden panel; image courtesy of the artist.
I AM A printmaker from County Monaghan. My artistic
practice consists primarily of screen printing and drawing. Using hand-drawn artwork I create multi-layer screen prints which combine humour, satire, and parody. I learned basic screen printing in secondary school, but it was in DIT where I fell in love with the process. After working in commercial screen printing for several years, I studied printmaking at the Royal College of Art in London. Before printing, the artwork for a screen print is broken down into separate colour layers. Each of these layers is called a ‘positive’ which can be created using digital or analogue methods. Positives must be made using opaque materials: a good rule of thumb is to use black ink or paint. Over the past five years I have been experimenting with different analogue materials and mark-making techniques when making positives that introduces depth, texture and distortion to the flat surface of the print. The type of materials I use to create positives depends on what is best suited to each particular colour layer, although there are certain ones I use most often due to their reliability and versatility. There is a large range of transparent acetates/films available in both rolls and sheets. Their smooth surface is perfect for achieving fine, crisp detail. Certain films can be printed onto using a standard laser printer
which gives the option of combining hand-drawn and digital imagery. Rubylith is a type of masking film consisting of two layers: a thin red film adhered to a heavier transparent backing sheet. The red film is cut and peeled away using a scalpel blade. It was commonly used in graphic design and commercial printing but is now somewhat expensive and difficult to find. I use Rubylith for background layers of prints which have intricate cut-outs, while I use paper stencils for simple background layers. TrueGrain is a textured polyester film that reproduces subtle halftones. It works particularly well for emulating the characteristics of lithographs when used with graphite, charcoal, litho crayons, and Indian ink/ tusche washes. Posca markers contain opaque acrylic paint and are available in a wide range of sizes. I use Poscas mainly for lettering. A downside is that they aren’t designed to be refilled, although there are empty markers made by Montana and Molotow which allow you to use your choice of ink or paint. Black acrylic paint can be used with a dry brush to create textured, painterly marks. I use hand-carved rubber stamps and black acrylic paint to create repeat patterns. Zig Opaque Pens contain a red alcohol-based ink, and were originally used for retouching film negatives.
There are several nib sizes available – from 0.05mm to a brush – making them useful for creating a wide variety of marks. Together, with technical drawing tools such as templates, stencils, and French curves, I use these pens to create shapes and patterns. Making positives in this way has helped me to take incremental steps towards a more sustainable practice. When all layers of a screen print have been printed, I strip the pieces of acetate/film used to create the positives, which allows me to reuse them. Washing-up liquid, vinegar, baking soda, and water with a soft toothbrush will remove most drawing materials. I then degrease the acetate/film using vinegar. This is particularly important as any grease on the surface will repel ink/paint. It is for this reason that I often wear cotton gloves when creating positives. Hand-drawn positives can add another element of chance into the screen printing process as there is often a pleasant surprise when a drawing transforms unexpectedly when printed. Emily Mc Gardle lives and works in County Monaghan. She is currently preparing for a solo exhibition in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, Belfast in September 2024.