To Print or not To Print!

‘Bette’ the new printmaking press, ready to greet visitors during the Dulwich Festival Annual Open Studios

Hallo everyone……I thought it would be nice to do a blog post about my printmaking press, affectionately known as ‘Bette’! Yes, taken from that force of nature that was the actress Bette Davis, because I always think of her as strong and tough as nails…..her screen presence anyway!

When I first went part time from full time teaching two and a half years ago, I was using a broken printing press that my lovely art teaching department were happy to loan for awhile. Meanwhile, I set to what seemed a bit of a daunting task, in my exciting journey to a brand new first time ever printmaking press. Initially, my research identified whether or not to go for a ‘direct drive’ or a ‘geared’ press…….this is largely dependent on the types of printmaking you will do. In my work I cover a range so I needed versatility of method and as it would be used for adult workshops too, then flexibility was a vital part of the decision.

Awaiting use in the Dulwich Festival Open Studios in May 2019 along with fellow artist/maker Tomoko Hori - see her work at tomokohori.com

The above picture shows Bette waiting to greet visitors at The Dulwich Festival Open Studio event in May 2019.

I decided to go for a direct drive press as I am familiar with using those in my teaching departments in schools and I am confident altering the pressure as needed. There are lots of choices on the market and I was initially happy to look for an older second hand model. I stumbled across the Rollaco (rollacopresses.co.uk) range of presses after finding an older model on eBay. I also discovered that The National Gallery commissioned a bespoke Rollaco press, in deep forest green and gold……folks it is certainly a thing of beauty! I was sorely tempted by these hand built presses, although as I am currently limited somewhat from working from a home studio setting, then the option of something a bit more modular would suit my needs better. It would be really helpful to be able to remove the bed of the press for alternate storage practicalities; as well as the opportunity to remove the wheel too.

Installed……ready to rock n roll! See how clean the mat is……for how long I wonder!

The subject of size with anything can be a testy issue can’t it! I was working on an A3 model beforehand and it made great prints, although I was really curious for my monoprints to grow in size. To help in narrowing down my choice of company & model, I made a comparison list covering all the necessaries. I did exactly the same when we decided to buy a family tent last summer, in a desperate bid to ‘get away’ from it all including ‘lockdown losing it’ as I am now accustomed to calling it!

Anyhow……the list really helped my tricky decision & I found lots of helpful blog advice and recommendations too. I also took into consideration the overall weight of the press, as we planned on making the trolley for it. I actually came to my decision about the make of the press after bringing to mind some pretty fabulous teaching experiences with a professional printmaker. Some years ago my then art department planned full day printmaking workshops with my A Level artists, learning how to use the etching method. That is how I met Dave Gunning from gunningarts.co.uk. A wonderfully inspiring, warm & humorous artist, who as it turns out, designed & made his own presses.

A blind embossed monoprint with fronds from New Zealand, brought home by the ever fabulous Liz Whitehouse!

The website for the presses is ironbridgeframing.co.uk, although links from the above website direct you there too. The model I plumped for in the end is ‘Etching Printing Press No 2’ and so I can print up to size A2. I vividly remember the day she arrived on a pallet and delivered by a jolly nice man with whom I shared a jolly nice chat on the kerb! Beautifully packaged in just a few component parts, my husband and I set to building her & installing her on the fab wooden trolley in a pic above.

I purchased a separate woollen felt and managed to christen that with a wonderful inky blob on the first go! I am pretty hopeless at clean printmaking, which is actually a contradiction in terms; universal to all printmakers the world over.

I am thrilled with Bette the etching press, who came with 2 separate lots of runners for using with different heights of print blocks and I can say that she is a dream to print with. I have used a myriad of methods, each requiring subtle alterations of height and she continues to make beautiful prints. There is something about the fact that the studio is based in Ironbridge, so a bit of engineering strength nestles in her soul, or so I like to think. I continue to dream of a proper studio, whilst Bette waits patiently for that day too.

You can read my review alongside some more pictures using the button below:

In glorious action!

So, until next time……simple pleasures day by day folks……