Workshop with Hester Cox

 

Hester Cox (left)

Textilia 3 artists like to learn new skills and this month we were fortunate to welcome the super-talented Hester Cox to guide us through collagraphic print making.  Hester's work is largely inspired by the natural world around her and with deceptive ease, she builds intricate print block depicting birds and flowers.  

Examples of Hester's blocks and prints

After a whistle-stop introduction to printing techniques, we made our own collagraphic blocks using fragments of textured paper, pressed leaves and carved boards.  From each block that we had prepared we were able to take a relief print and then its negative using the intaglio method.

Preparing the printing blocks

Inking up the blocks is a messy business!

But the final prints gave some interesting results