Collagraph prints are usually made on thick paper which is dampened so it is soft and flexible to mould round the contours of the plate as it is squeezed against it in the press. The finished surface is more like velvet than satin, and this is one of the things collagraph printmakers love.

But why not have velvet AND satin?

In this blog post I describe a method that enables you to create matt and glossy ink surfaces, introducing light reflecting areas to contrast with the familiar deeply textured indentations that hold the rich colours of ink in a collagraph print.

Creating a matt or glossy finish

A while ago I called in on Hawthorn Printmakers to quizz Barry about how to get their metallic inks really shiny, as in collagraphs they often appear rather matt.

He explained about the structure of the inks which contain tiny flakes of reflective brass (no gold in there!) that look shiny when on a smooth flat surface, but the rough collagraph paper jumbles the flakes up so they don’t reflect the light so well, reducing the brilliance.

He suggested using a glaze under the ink, and gave me a pot of one he had made to have a go with. It has taken me a while but I finally got round to making some test prints and wanted to share them with you in this blog post.

Create ‘secret’ images with matt and glossy inks

This technique works with all the Hawthorn etching inks, not just metallics. It produces subtle glossy areas that look ‘normal’ from head on but reveal alternative images when the light and viewing angle is right, enabling you to create a secret image embedded within the one seen at first glance. The image above shows the same print in different angled lighting, one has no circle showing, the second shows the glossy surface revealing the circle.

The best bit is you don’t need to buy more inks – the ones you already have can appear either matt or glossy.

I haven’t tried this with other brands of ink, but I am guessing they will behave in a similar way. (Please let me know if you try other brands)

Glossy prints need glossy paper

It is not about the ink; the key is the paper! The secret is to alter the surface of the printmaking paper to create smooth glossy areas where the ink will dry to a shine rather than sink in to the damp paper as usual. Nb printmaking ink can take a while to dry properly when it is on a non absorbent surface, so don’t rush it.

Start by preparing your printmaking paper

This feels like a different approach as we usually start with making a plate, but for this technique the paper needs special consideration.

Begin with dry paper.

Water-proof acrylic gels

As we will be soaking the paper before printing it is important to use acrylic gels that dry waterproof. You will find loads of different gels in art suppliers, common brands are Golden or Galleria. They come with different consistencies from very runny (gloss medium) to thick and buttery. For these experiments I used clear levelling gel, I like this one as it is quite runny but has body so you can put it on thick or thin.

Stencils, block prints, or brushes?

If you are experimenting as I was, I suggest trying out a few different methods of applying the gel to test out what happens. Remember this is about contrasting matt and glossy ink so leave some areas of paper untreated, these will be the matt areas. Wherever the gel goes the ink will appear glossy. The smoother the gel surface the shinier the ink will be.

I used frisket – a good material for stencils as it sticks down, but not so well that it tears the paper on removal. You can also re-use the stencils if you want to make a series of prints with similar designs.

Smoothing the gel on with a palette knife meant I got a good even layer on the paper. Simple shapes work well so don’t get too intricate with the gel designs at this stage.

You could also block print designs, perhaps lettering – no need to reverse the letters!

Paint with brushes, flick and spatter the gel on – just have a play with it. Try it thick or thin, runny or stiff.

Once you have the hang of it you may want to prepare the paper to fit with a particular plate; for example it could be a good way of creating a glossy reflective surface for a still pool in an image.

Soak the papers

Once the gel is really dry, ideally leave overnight, soak the papers in water for 5 minutes, drain and stack them up between blotting paper with a heavy board on top. Within an hour or so they will be lovely and soft, hopefully with no wet patches, and ready for printing on.

The paper may cockle a bit as the gel prevents it wetting so much but don’t worry, after its been through the press it will be fine. dry the pritns flat with a weight to help remove any cockles.

Try a variety of printing plates

I rifled through my drawer of old plates and picked a couple with good deep texture. I also used a plain sheet of acetate to see the effect with no other images on it, as well as some worktop samples which had an all over design on. (we are currently installing a new kitchen!)

And a variety of inking methods

As described in the previous post link in an experimental session it is good to try a range of different methods. For these test prints I inked the collagraph and acetate plates as relief, intaglio and both together.

Be prepared for surprises

I found that some colours appeared lighter on the gels, especially relief inked ones, whereas with darker intaglio inked plates the gelled area was invisible until the light and angle of viewing was right when it showed as a shiny area.

Mutable prints

I am interested in prints that alter in relation to the viewer, and always keen to explore techniques that enable the prints to have a mutable quality, altering according to the angle of light and position of the observer.

I have experimented with optical illusions, mobile prints and other 3d structures, and applying reflective metal leaf and foil as well as mica to create dynamic effects.

This gel technique adds another interesting option and I am looking forward to extending these initial experiments further.

Please let me know if you have a go with it and share your discoveries.