Neoprene Printing Experiments

Neoprene Printing Experiments. 
Leading up to the UWE summer school class, Oversized Neoprene Foam Printing, I experimented with a variety of techniques, inks and foam sizes.

A2 jigsaw Neoprene foam print, created by oil-based inks, paper stencils and a sprinkling of table salt ( this gives the sparkling white dotted texture) I found A2 neoprene sheets in the euro stores of Barcelona - they were ever so cheap!



To begin to understand how this particular process works I made this two colour monkey print. Neoprene printing is unlike most relief printing such woodcut, linocut and rubber stamp, in fact you can't really describe it as a relief printing process, it's more like a papercut, in that it doesn't have a structure beneath to hold the elements together. 

   

This was made with 2 sheets of neoprene foam, Caligo CMYK Process inks, and a wooden spoon.

Foam bigger than A2 in the UK is rather pricey. However, a far cheaper option is buying the material in large long rolls. 

Excellent Women, an A4 one-sheet book inspired by the Barbara Pym novel. 

Silhouette drawings created using a variety of mark-making tools. 

Caligo process black ink was used, this is easy to clean, all you need is liquid soap and water. It's far easier to clean than any oil-based inks, and unlike most waterbased printing inks, it does cling to the foam, and prints just as effectively as traditional printing inks. 

Together with the excellent women one-page book, I made this two-clour portrait of this character below. Inspired by African fabrics, I cut, carved and made lots of expressive lines and marks with tools and scalpels. I think the two layers play well together, so this will be something to develop further. 

BOUND TO BRISTOL - Pop Up Exhibition U.W.E

Both my 'Cosmic Forces' and a pop-up rubber stamp workshop book, were featured in Bound to Bristol, a pop up 2 day exhibtion at the University of the West of England's Bower Ashton Campus.

Bound to Bristol is delighted to present a pop-up two-day exhibition, showcasing a collection of artists’ books.

This exhibition is inspired by and sourced from the personal collection of Sarah Bodman, senior research fellow in Artists’ Books at the Centre for Fine Print Research, at UWE Bristol.

Produced by four MA/MFA Curating students from the university, the exhibition aims to present a diverse range of works produced by artists, whose practices are either based in Bristol, or influenced by the city. The extensive range of books, brought together in this way, will map out connections between the objects and their authors, and celebrate the work’s intrinsic diversity.

The exhibition will encourage visitors to pick up and flick through the books on display. Visitors are also invited to contribute to The Bristol Reading List during the show – please feel free to record the title of your favourite book, or a book that everyone should read.

The show is curated in conjunction with two artists’ books workshops, which will be drop-in and free to attend for all. The workshops will allow the public to take inspiration from the exhibition, and to try their hands at creating their own Artists’ Books. The next will take place at Hamilton House on the 17th March, in the Community Arts Space, between 11am and 2pm.

Exhibiting artists: Craig Atkinson, Guy Begbie, Angie Butler, Sarah Bodman, Chrystal Chernwichan, Paul Cooke, Anwyl Cooper-Willis, Lisa Davies, Helena de la Guardia, Jeremy Dixon, Andrew Eason, Bernard Fairhurst, Kate Farley, Fluxus Lab, Stephen Fowler, Hazel Grainger, Charlotte Hall, Gen Harrison, Nadine James, Éilis Kirby, Cecilia Mandrile, Imi Maufe, Natalie McGrorty, Jon McNaught, Kar Mern Tan, Jonathan Monk, Linda Parr, Carinna Parraman, Paul Salt, Ruth Sidgwick, Tom Sowden, Cathey Webb, Rebecca Weeks, Corinne Welch, and Philippa Wood.

F-block gallery, UWE Bristol, City Campus at Bower Ashton, Kennel Lodge Road, Bristol BS3 2JT.

to download an exhibition catalogue follow this link - http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/bound/

Roller Printing with the Multi-Disciplinary Printmaking MA Students UWE, Bristol.

Last year I was asked to run a roller printing workshop, alongside Angie Butler, for the University of the West of England's Multi-Disciplinary Printmaking MA 1st year Students. 
This was the third time I've worked with the Course, and the students response was particularly excellent this time round.
I'll back again this coming May. 

https://courses.uwe.ac.uk/WW1212/multi-disciplinary-printmaking

31st UWE Annual Miniature Print Exhibition

I was invited to take part in the 31st Annual Miniature Print Exhibition at Bristol's Arnolfini.
Its organised by the brilliant Sarah Bodman; bookartist and course leader for MA Multidisciplinary Printmaking at the University of the West of England. 
  
 

Here are a few examples. 

And this is the print I exhibited. 

Rubber Stamp Workshops - Spring/Summer

Since my last post, I've been organising and preparing with several institutions a number of Rubber Stamp Workshops for the spring and summer months. 

First up, Rubber Stamp Artistamps at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Saturday, 10 June; 10:30 – 16:30
£92/£74

Explore the possibilities of rubber stamping techniques in this one day workshop led by Stephen Fowler. Taking inspiration from the V&A collections, students will learn how to carve and print their own rubber stamps to be used to create an edition of artist postage stamp sheets to share and take away.
Suitable for beginners, all materials provided

https://www.vam.ac.uk/shop/whatson/index/view/id/4845/event/Rubber-Stamps-and-Artist-Stamps/dt/2017-06-10/eType/1/free/2

Next: the Idler Academy,  
Sunday 18th June
The Idler Academy at Great Western Studios, 65 Alfred Road, London W2 5EU
1:30pm – 6pm
£75

Over the course of this one-day workshop, you will realise the creative potential of D.I.Y rubber stamp printing. You will be taught how to carve rubber stamps from erasers, make single colour and multi-colour stamp prints, and to bind a limited editioned pamphlet book to house the group’s stamp impressions, as a keepsake for the day. All materials will be provided, and the price includes a Hendrick’s gin & tonic at the end of the session. We are offering a special Father’s Day gift discount: buy two tickets for only £100 (instead of £150) and invite your father, or someone special, along to spend a lovely Sunday afternoon creating your own rubber stamping pamphlet. 
Just call 0203 176 7907 or email mail@idler.co.uk to take advantage of this offer.

And finally;
University of the West of England, Bristol.
Tuesday 8th - Thursday 10th August 2017 at the Bower Ashton Studios, UWE Bristol, UK BS3 2JT. £200/£160
All materials, teas/coffees and lunch are included in the price

Another chance to catch my Artistamp Workshop, this is a more extensive workshop spread over 3 days. 


Artiststamps, or artists’ stamps, are closely associated with mail art; they reflect its spirit of marrying art and the everyday. Stamps signify payment, and mail artists test and tease the postal system with their playful appropriation of this official form of evidence.

Create an array of stamps during this workshop by learning how to carve rubber stamps from erasers and a number of DIY perforation techniques. 

The famous CFPR perforating machine will be available to use and Stephen will teach you how to create single and multiple-coloured stamp impressions, and mask and position rubber stamps accurately.You will be encouraged to send your results through the post to a national and international networks of mail artists.


http://store.uwe.ac.uk/product-catalogue/short-courses/faculty-of-arts-creative-industries-and-education/cpd-courses/centre-for-fine-print-research-cpd-courses/artistamps-full-price

Mail Art Envelopes.

How did the UWE summer school Artistamps get to their destinations ? 
I sent them off in these rubber stamped envelopes. 

Mail Art isn't just a thing,its a process as well. 
Being the recipient can be an euphoric experience,and the posting can be a magical as well. 
If you're lucky, post office clerks will join in, and collaborate with you, taking time (much to the annoyance to the remaining queue) to select colour, or theme related commemorative postage stamps for your mail.

Artistamps from UWE summer school

During one the summer months I ran a summer school at the Centre for Fine Print Research, part of University of the West of England. The focus was Artistamps, participants made sheets of postage stamps out of carved erasers and perforated paper. Using a variety of methods they made the classic perforated marks; adapted sowing machines, roulette leather tools (with funky foam underneath when piercing paper), and the department's victorian perforating machine, were all employed

" Snail Mail " stamps by Charlotte Hall.

Craig Atkinson stamps

" Obsolete " stamps by Jane

Space Race themed Artistamps by Steve Tarry.

" Secret " Stamps by Chloe Alexander

" Donkey " & Ice "Scream" stamps by Rebecca Weeks
" Cats " by Jen Goldsworthy

Receive Artistamps Through The Post !

Hello everyone,

I'm going to be running a (Rubber Stamp) Artistamps workshop from 20th July to the 22 July at the University of the West of England, Bristol. 
The participants and I are very keen to, and interested in sending these faux stamps out into the world. 
If anyone would like to receive some of the Artistamps please send Mail Art envelopes or post cards to my address before the workshop date, and we'll return your Mail covered with our stamps.
Please email me to obtain the  address. 

Hope this finds you well. 

What is an Artistamp ? 

Artiststamps, or artists’ stamps, are closely associated with mail art; they reflect its spirit of marrying art and the everyday. Stamps signify payment, and mail artists test and tease the postal system with their playful appropriation of this official form of evidence.

WLD ART STAMPS by ARTUROA

Master Class in Primitive Printmaking - University of the West of England

Back for its 3rd year, it’s the Primitive Print summer school at UWE,

it'll be great if you can make it,

here are all the details. 

Primitive Print in the City 3

LED BY: STEPHEN FOWLER

DATES: 26-27 JULY 2016

TIMES:9.30AM - 4.30PM

PRICE:£170 FULL PRICE OR £136 CONCESSIONARY RATE

INCLUDES: MATERIALS AND CATERING.

BOOK ONLINE NOW: THE ONLINE STORE

This is the third year for the primitive print summer workshop, this time we will be printing exclusively in the field, we will visit the city’s parks, riverside, streets, market, galleries and museums to collect raw materials and make prints over the two days.


This experiential course, takes Bristol as its starting point to explore a variety of ‘primitive print’ approaches, including; carved rubber stamp, root vegetable printmaking (such as yams & potatoes), clay block printing (utilising reliefs created by clay impressions of objects and surfaces), plaster printing (from hand engraved blocks of plaster) and found objects printing