PRINTS

Print making is what Nicky does exceptionally, whether it be etching, lino printing, woodblock printing or mono-type printing

The print making process produces a series of unique prints known as a edition. Each original print has it’s own characteristic tones depending upon the preparation of the plate, lino, woodblock or glass plate (mono-type). Each original print is individually numbered as part of the edition. There are a limited number of prints done in each edition and once that number is produced the plate/lino/woodblock/glass plate is destroyed or no longer used.  

Nicky uses a range of materials for his Etching plates including copper, zinc, aluminium and plastic plates. Lines are engraved or etched into the plate, ink is applied and the plate is wiped back until the desired effect is achieved. The plate is rolled through an etching press. A second colour can be introduced to the image with another plate. The background colour is printed first. While the ink is still wet the second plate image is printed over the top. This method creates secondary tones as the colours blend. This entire process is repeated in full for each original print in the edition. As you can imagine all of this in it’s entirety is very time consuming.

Lino or woodblocks are painstakingly carved and once completed the ink is carefully rolled onto the relief parts of the lino or block. The print is created using the printing press. Again each original print involves a repetition of the inking and printing process to create a unique print as part of the edition

Mono-type prints are created by rolling ink onto a glass plate, then placing paper on the plate and drawing on the back of the paper so that the lines are “taken up” on the paper, which is then peeled away from the ink. In doing this an original and unique print is created