Module 3 Chapter 8

String Prints

We have a large number of maps of varying sorts in the house, partly because I used to subscribe to National Geographic who include maps in their magazines on a regular basis.

The 'Cartographies' is from a museum in Palma, Majorca where there was a fantastic exhibition of old maps. The one to the left of it is called the 'Bawden' map of Scarborough.  It has recently been restored and is on display in the library.

The photography of Yann Arthus Bertrand is fantastic.  I had to choose the first picture of the Hiram Bingham Road at Machu Pichu as I think I have been up and down that road in a coach!

I have used both an ordnance survey map and a street map to make my drawings.

By doing this, you can see clearly how the streets are straighter and in a more rigid format than the country roads in Cumbria.

These are my string prints.  The one on the left is from the map and the one on the right is my own design.

Next are my rubbings done on the blocks.

This is wax crayon with a wash of Koh i Noor on computer paper.  All the prints had washes of Koh i Noor. I have used both stamps here

This is Markel stick on hand made paper.  The paper soaked up the paint and although the Markel stick shows through, it doesn't have the same look as a resist.

 This was two colours of Markel stick without a wash. Overprinted with both stamps.

Both these are Markel stick, one on recyled envelope and the other on brown paper.  I like the brown paper one.  The colour wash ran down the paper and stopped at the edge of the resist.

Printing with the blocks.

Block one on its own and seperated prints.

Block one overlapped.

Block one overlapped and printed randomly. I particularly like the top one.

Block one and block 2 printed together

I think this is block one and two overprinted.  I keep forgetting to write on the back what I have done.

This again is both blocks printed randomly.

I was quite suprised how good the prints were.  The first block taken from the map really made a good repeat pattern.  When time permits I might take this exercise further and try it on fabric, especially some of the new man made ones that can be distressed easily.