Repetition and Variety in Printmaking

Composition is important to the success of a piece of artwork. And yet sometimes the concept seems so hard to get a handle on. It is abstract and subjective.

Collage is one way that I create pleasing compositions from less than perfect prints.

Today, I am working with soft block plates. I pieced together some soft block relief prints and thought about the principles of repetition and variety. I put together several pieces of some original prints to make one pleasing relief print.

A couple of ways that I embrace the ideas of repetition and variety are:

• I allow myself to use simple circular shapes that I like
• I play with making those shapes with different tools
• I make a lot of prints and that way the elements reveal themselves

For example:

I like circles, so I use wire, caps, pencils and other tools to make circles with different quality of line. This way I repeat the simple shape and create variety by the different types of lines. This helps compose a pleasing print. It helps bring it together and make sense.

Want to learn more?

Explore the soft block relief printing method with us, so you can develop your compositional skills and make beautiful prints. Class starts July 11th. Check out the details and register today on the printmaking workshop page.

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from Linda Germain http://www.lindagermain.com/2016/07/repetition-variety-printmaking/

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