Book Review: Print With Collage and Stitch
April 21st, 2013 by Morna
Print with Collage and Stitch: Techniques for Mixed-Media Printmaking
Val Holmes
Interweave; $26.95
I loved my printmaking class in college and still have the plates I made. They were all relief printing. In this book well-known teacher and embroiderer Val Holmes shares everything you need to know to use collagraphy in your textile work. Collagraphy uses a plate for printing, only elements are added to the plate rather than taken away yielding exciting and unexpected results. She goes into great depth about how to make a plate and add elements, including stitching, to it. Once you’ve created the plate, you need to make the print, and you aren’t limited to a traditional press. She discusses burnishing, printing with a roller or a flower press, even using your car tires as a press. I found her summary of materials table of what can be added to a plate and how it can be printed useful. And, if you want to use a simple press, Val gives you outlines for building a flower press, a screw-down hand press and an etching press. I found this book to be filled with exciting possibilities.
Look for the book at your favorite quilt or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.
