Institute for Art & Life, Denver
In conjunction with Denver’s Month Of Printmaking, we hosted a seed-head printmaking workshop using seeds affixed to cardstock so that when run through the press, it printed with an embossed texture and fine details of the plants. The first session was dedicated to making the plates, and the second was for printing both fixed plates and monoprints using loose plants.
After some experimentation, we found it essential to have a spray bottle to wet the dried seedheads so they did not crack apart or crumble when being affixed. For plants that spread in every direction, pressing them while fresh, even if very lightly, helps affix them to the plates. After affixing the plant, we used gloss gel medium to fill in the gaps. A very thin layer over the plant material allowed for the transfer of incredibly details of fine lines on the print. We inked them like an etching, rubbing the top layer off, to attain this level of detail.
It is very important to note the care we took in feeling our way around the seed heads to be sure there were no hard joints or large seeds that would damage the press. The plants attained a flexible, plasticized quality when infused with the gel medium, so they were flexible enough to respond to the pressure of the wheel without denting the surface. Extra blankets are a smart precaution.
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