How To Make Stencils for Collagraphs
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- In this video I wanted to show you where I draw inspiration from to make stencils for my collagraphs. I'll look at various materials you can make stencils from and just how many different creative approaches you can apply to use and re-use your stencils and stencil by-products
Learn my tips and tricks for using positive and negative spaces, incorporating oil-paper stencils, and experimenting with patterns using these versatile stencil designs.
Grab your craft knife and let's add texture and depth to our art together!
Link to the video I mention at 9:15
A collage collagraph .... (and no plan)
• A collage collagraph ....
🎬 TIMESTAMPS
0:37 Intro
4:44 Stencil inspiration and using Mylo
6:08 Using Printing paper
7:25 Using Dura-lar
8:57 other stencil ideas and materials
10:48 various ways of using stencils
12:35 Protecting borders with frisket tape
17:12 two tonal stencil on gelli using negative spaces
19:02 mono printing positive spaces on the stencil using printing press
21:06 amazing stencil by products!
22:42 using only part of the stencil with gelli and negative spaces
24:02 using positive stencil imprint from the gelli
25:48 mono printing positive spaces on the stencil using printing press and stencil window
28:15 inking up the stencil directly with the roller and mono printing it using the press
34:22 using stencil by products to mono print with another stencil monoprint on top
🎨 MATERIALS
Orange, opaque white, blue, green, burnt umber by Akua handprinted.co...
Dura - Lar amzn.to/3xThfwp
Mylar/Dura Bar - for making stencils amzn.to/49LjeAg
Paper: Printmaking Paper 300gsm amzn.to/3xUJFGy
sunflower oil
roller
Palette knife amzn.to/4aYOTzu
Frisket film amzn.to/4a3wgsV
Some old collagraph prints
Scissors
Scalpel knife amzn.to/3QdVxts
Gelli plate amzn.to/49OO2jw
Baby wipes
Newsprint Paper amzn.to/3W9W3N4
Old newspaper for wiping etc
Polymetaal Press HS-35 Tabletop Etching Press handprinted.co...
👉 Please subscribe here - / @collagraphprinting
#collagraph
#collagraphprinting
#printmaking
Great video…Very impressed with your stencil cutting such intricate patterns😱 I always end up cutting thru the lines🤪🤣👍🏻
@@renig5059 thank you 🤗oh yes I mess up plenty too 🫣
Wow! Thank you for the best video on stencils! I love how you use every bit of ink and cut outs. I only a home made gelliplate, but will definitely try some of your ideas. I also love to cut my own stencils. Thanks again!
@@amandavdbergh2210 you are very welcome, really glad you enjoyed it 🤗
That was fantastic sharing! Thanks 🙏✅ so much! You saved my 🥓 bacon for an approach to a painting I wanted to begin- all the stencil mediums! 💥
You are so welcome! 🤗 Thank you for sharing
Very nice! Thank you :-)
@@DeborahPreuss you’re welcome 🤗
Very, very, very interesting and captivating techniques! I’m just starting out with collograph and stencil so this was incredibly helpful.
@@laurasapko8424 thank you and really good to hear 🙌🤗
This was sooo interesting. I am late to go out. I could not help myself! Great stuff.
Ha ha great, thank you 😊 If art makes you late, that’s a good late 😉
Oh my!!! Incredible effects on already wonderful prints. That last embossed piece is breathtaking! And I can't get over how beautiful the collagraphy plates are, all on their own. Thank you so much for your shared inspiration!
Thank you so much for your kind words, really glad you enjoyed the videos 🤗
So many great ideas in this one demo! Endless possibilities! Thanks 😊
Thank you and you are welcome 🤗
no graft glue thing in description im hunting for it lol great video x
Oh no sorry, not sure what you mean by graft glue? Do I mention glue anywhere? I think I might have mentioned gluing the collage papers to create collagraph plates to make the prints at the beginning and typically I would use acrylic medium for that.
Awesome video! You showed us so many uses for the stencils as well as several options for making them. And even how to use the cut out pieces! Gorgeous work. Thank you for the video 🤩
@@shaunnalyons4436 you are very welcome and thank you for your kind words 🤗
Thank you for an amazing video! Love to watch you working through the proccess. Do you have a video to show how you did the black and white prints in the beginning?
@@amandavdbergh2210 thank you 🤗. They are actually just photos I took of rocks in Portugal and printed them on a printer in black and white.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful video. I have been struggling with stencils and you have solved some problems for me
That’s great to hear, you are welcome 🤗
I came across your channel and I am hooked, power watching your videos! I don’t know where to begin, how to start yet…but for now, question on the subject of making stencils, do you ever use a cutting machine?
Hi there 👋, thank you for watching and really glad you are enjoying the videos. I don’t use cutting machine I quite like to cut them out myself, very therapeutic! But I am thinking about getting one. Do you use it?
@@CollagraphPrinting I just bought one, haven’t used it yet. When I saw this I thought it could be a good tool to try. Any tips on where to start or essentials to grab first for collagraph printing. I am new to it all. Have only dabbled in watercolour and a few other arts.
@@dawnabbott3783 it’s best to start with my base plate, lines and brush strokes tutorials to get you going.
The paper stencil is a good idea that I will try. Thanks.
Hope it works out! Sunflower oil seems to do the trick quite nicely 👍
Marta, thank you so much for creating and sharing your wonderful videos. I get so much stimulation and enjoyment from them
You are very welcome and thank you for watching 🤗
You are soooo much fun to watch and listen to! Thank you!
You are welcome 🤗
Thanks again for a phenomenal, and inspiring learning video. Regarding stencils, I have used this to make monotopies on Gel plates since 2018. Have tried many materials as a lot of plastic is difficult to cut. Found out that a paper material called Tyvek is easy to cut in, and very durable. It is the paper that is used in envelopes that can withstand a lot of beating through the mail sorting. Just a tip in case you haven't heard of it before. All the best, Anne
Thank you Anne, that’s an amazing tip I will try it out!
Such a delight! Thank you
@@melstampz you are welcome 🤗
Brilliant video Marta! I love how you make use of the staying power of Akua inks to use the stencils in so many ways on gelli plates and your press. And creating cool bits with your border protectors, very nice! I haven’t been in the studio for a while, but this is going to force me back in I think.
Thanks for another inspirational offering.
You are welcome Bob and get back to your studio as soon as you can 😀💪👌
One of your best videos. Thanks for sharing, Kathy
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it 🤗
This is so georgeous Marta! Stencils are so much fun…and yours are beautiful and inspiring. Keep up the good work! 🙋🏻♀😍
Thank you Tina! 🤗🥰
This was very interesting 👍🏼
Thank you 🤩
Just so beautiful!!!
Thank you 🤗
Thank you, the tips are genius ❤
You are welcome! Love your UA-cam alias 😁
All of them were exciting to me, thank you, thank you :)
You are welcome and thank you for watching 🤗
Thank you …so inspiring x
You are welcome and thank you to you too 🤗
Thank you for all the inspiration!
You are welcome 🤗
Wonderful Marta - thankyou so much for sharing! 😄
You are welcome 🤗
Hello Marta...Ive been binge watching your videos...your art work is incredibly awesome! Question...would you consider doing a video on how you store all of your stencils, prints, scraps, etc...how do you store your stencils so you can find them again easily? Thanks so much😊
Thank you so much April, really happy you are enjoying the videos! I would love to do the video about the storing of scraps and stencils what a great idea! Thank you 👌
Thankyou for that amazing lesson. Very inspiring use of stencils. Susan
@@iwilso01 you are very welcome 🤗
The organic rocks stencil is beautiful!. I dont have a lasar printer nor a cutting machine, but i have Tyvek envelopes, blank stencil material and an electric stencil burning tool . (and a craft knife) Subscribed.
Thank you 🙏 I heard of Tyrek, I also have an electric burning tool, but found that with a soft enough plastic you can easily use a knife. I find it quite therapeutic to do them, so don’t mind spending some time cutting them out
...In Photoshop, I find when making stencils that the filter/stylize/outline option often produces incredible and instant results; note that for stencils and transfers for relief I often simplify the image but in Photoshop; you can do it with third party applications that use the interface of photoshop - but I find that Vector Magic works incredibly well and tyou can determine exactly the simplification and the number of colours and where they appear. It's also free. The Prima Cartoonizers are also incredible. I'm still grinding away the transferred image with a dremel tool or a cutting knife - but you're gradually convincing me to try it. What I'm still doing is like your stencils but as if the stencil is stuck to an oil cloth or a placemat. Thanks again for a fascinating film. By the way, I'm able to print directly onto transparncy sheets in my laser printer. I wonder how different this plastic is to 'milo'.
I think it's mylar
Thank you that’s very interesting I will try the photoshop add ons! Printing directly on the sheet is very helpful for sure and laser printer tends to work with most things. I normally use image as a guide only though so prefer to draw on top. Thank you for your really helpful information 🙏
@@annadean8210 Of course, you're right! Why didn't I realize that straight away?! I heard people talking about making engravings on mylar sheets... then I received 'mylar' sheets with the new embossing device i bought. And it is virtually the same as the large box of a4 transparency sheets I'd purchased seperately in an effort to imitate 'mylar'. I've got hundreds of them1 I've made successful engravings on these sheets to make intaglio prints and it works fine. that means I could make stencils out of them too!
Your prints remind me of Escher 😊
Thank you I love Escher! 🤗
Very inspiring! I love the way you experiment with your prints your very creative! Thank you!
Thank you Diane, you are welcome 🤗
Absolutely love your videos, I've learned so much already as I'm just getting into making collagraph plates. I thought I'd mention Yupo Paper, I use it for making stencils as you can wash the paint/ink off after use if you are careful and they can last quite a while, the ink or paint will leave a stain but that's not a problem as the stain does not transfer. I love the fact that Yupo Paper is so thin yet quite durable and love using it with Gelli plates, I've also made some stencils for screenprinting which worked well. I had some Yupo Paper that I used with alcohol inks (didn't like the outcome) and I cleaned it off with Isopropyl/Isopropanol so I've been able to use the paper to make stencils rather than throw it in the bin. I may try it on collagraph plates as well as it's super smooth and might give a great effect. Some experimenting to come. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful videos with us :)
So glad you are enjoying the videos. I must try Yupo paper, sounds like a very versatile alternative, thank you for the tip
Great! Thanks for the useful explanation and i love your examples of the inspiration of your stencils.
You are welcome 🤗
Fascinating process... thx for sharing the opportunities are endless, will try using my die cutting machine as a press and see what I come up with. Your stencils are pristinely cut and very intricate WOW 😲 🎉
Thank you Reni. Those die cutting machines are great for printmaking! I do spend a lot of time on my stencils, but find making them really therapeutic 😊
captivating and really inspiring…..👍thanks
You are welcome and thank you 🙏
What is another name for mylo, I can find it online
Hi there, it’s spelled Mylar 👍
Votre travail est super intéressant ; votre créativité est enthousiasmant.
Pourrais je avoir une réponse à ma question ?
Avec quelle substance nettoyez vous votre plaque de colla graphie entre chaque encrage sans endommager les collages ?
Merci beaucoup
Anhoug
@@Mauricette-d7d thank you 🙏
I clean them with a cloth that has a little bit of baby oil on it. That works quite well
Thank's à lot . Do you use always oil ink or sometimes water ink ?
@@Mauricette-d7d I mainly use oil ink
Your practice is really a Good and Nice bénéfit. Thank's for your answer.
Anhoug
@ you are welcome 🤗
I learned a lot from this video. Thank you. I am m trying to make a stencil using glycerin. I didn't listen carefully enough, and I am I actually left it to soak in a pan, what's the glycerine. I'll check in the morning and we'll see what it looks like. I really enjoyed this video. The the collograph stencils are plates that those prints were made from. I was trying to find the video you referenced. I couldn't without actually opening each and every color graph video. I'll look at the timestamp to see where it shows up... it was at the 9:15.
I am so sorry I forgot to include the link in the video, thank you for pointing it out. It’s the video:
A collage collagraph .... (and no plan)
ua-cam.com/video/ptBENiO7ScY/v-deo.html
Enjoy 🤗
Thank you so much,
You are welcome 🤗
Thank you for a very informative video, lots of ideas to be used in different ways. Loved it
Thank you and really glad you found it useful 🤗
Very interesting, but I can’t understand the material for the stencil, is it: Milo? can you tell me again, please, thankyou 😊
Thank you. You can use plastic sheets like Dura-lar or Mylar
Very cool. I love the two last ones in that kind of rust colour. You said it is orange? From Akua? I think they could count as done or almost done.
Thank you, the background is orange and the foreground with the stencils was burnt sienna, both akua. Maybe they are finished 🤔. Sometimes you just have to know when to stop…
Very nice work, as usual! The last print reminds me of 'pochoir' print technique. While there is some debate on definitions of pochoir, one variation is essentially what you were doing; setting up a background and printing residuals using cut out stencil/stamps and applying them to successive states for varied effects. If you don't mind, I suggest Karen-Daye Hutchinson's video demo on the 'pochoir' I'm referring to. I really like the effect it produces as the plates and stamps are printed over and over. I really like your b/w collagraphs but also look forward to the developments you impart on them. Could you suggest a suitable paper for collagraph? Also, if a person were to 'only' print in black ink, what sort of ink would you suggest? I've just started using oil-based etching ink but have also used Akua water soluble. I like the etching ink better but don't even know if that's a preferred ink for collagraph really. It works for what I'm doing, so I guess that's what matters so far. I will often use oil paint too but find it's trickier as prints can be a bit uneven and light in areas probably because oil is removed easier thank ink. Last question, do you ever find the need to amend your inks...either to thin or stiffen them? I've found that many will use mag carbonate when doing intaglio but will thin if doing something like trace monotypes from glass or plastic plates. So, any reason to amend for collagraphs you've found? Sorry for all the Qs. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome work and knowledge. Greatly appreciated!!!
Thank you for the video suggestion I will check it out, sounds very interesting!
The best paper for collagraph is 300gsm watercolour paper. It can be textured or hard pressed it depends what you want the end result to look like
Ink is really down to preference, I use akua because it is so much easier to clean, but akua inks do differ in consistency, I bought a big pot of black and had to thin it down with blending media, which I don't mind as the pot will last a lot longer! I find oil based inks annoying to clean up after. Magnesium Carbonate is great for stiffening the ink and you can play about with inks if you want some cool viscocity effects.
You can use acrylic paint with longer drying times like golden open and stiffen them with magnesium carbonate too for collagraphs. Hope this helps and thank you for watching! 🤗
@@CollagraphPrinting Thanks a lot for the suggestions. Never thought of using wc paper.
What kind of ink/paint are you using and why does it stay usable for so long without drying up?
Hello! I am using Akua, which only dries when absorbed so stays wet on plastic surfaces
Hi Marta have you discovered or been tempted to buy the gyro pro cutter yet which is a tiny blade that works like drawing with a pen making cutting stencils sooooo easy. I haven't got one yet but am close to doing so. Bx
My husband bought me one but I’ve never really had much joy using it…. Maybe I am not doing it right 🤷♀️ I will search on YT to see if anyone made a video
@@CollagraphPrinting interesting. I've been holding off based on the theory it looks tooooo easy. But it really does and it would be a dream to work with if it worked that way. Bx
@@CollagraphPrinting was it specifically one of those. The gyro cut cos I got something similar the year before that came out which said it would do the same but I was never happy with it. 🙄
@@bixnash1 I think so, I didn’t realise it was for stencils so I completely missed the point of what it was for. It o looked it up on YT and I see how it works now!
Oooooo update us when you can. Ill get it if you validate it. Bx
Do you have a link please for the Mylo sheets I can’t find it
Hi there an example here on Amazon:
amzn.eu/d/dA4yEEb
I’m also curious if on the one that has the gorgeous embossing if the embossed areas will flatten with multiple passes in the press and you lose the embossed pattern?
If you print over it, for sure it will loose the embossing, so you have to watch out for it
how complicated. This type of videos do all the opposite to what I intent to get from producing art. Sorry its stressing
Definitely don’t do it if it’s stressy 🫣