Introduction Part 3: Step-by-Step Projects

Pendants
Part 1: Printmaking Without a Press
Silhouettes
Chapter one: Calendar
Screen printmaking
Fabric Book
Chapter two: Flag Book
Collgraph printmaking without a press
Mixed-Media Collage
Chapter three: Wall Hanging
Monoprinting without a press
Assemblage
Chapter four:
Accordian Book
Sun printmaking

Part 4: Gallery
Part 2: Combining Printmaking and
Mixed-Media Techniques
Resources

Chapter five: Index

Playing with fabric and fiber, stitching

Chapter six:
Combining materials and printmaking
techniques

Chapter seven:
3-D mixed media

printmaking + mixed media dorit elisha 3

printmaking: an introduction

I discovered printmaking about

eighteen years ago, while taking graphic
design classes at a local community college. I was
introduced to several techniques, but the part I en-
joyed the most was when the instructor assigned
us a project of printing on “found papers.” So not
on the specialized fine art papers but on anything
else we could find around us. At the time I hap-
pened to have some small Japanese papers that
I decided to collage over larger textured papers.
This collage became my substrate for printing. I
screen printed different Asian motifs and some
vintage portraits of women. To add texture to the
mix, I machine stitched over the collaged print
and added some lace and bits of fabric. This was
the beginning of my love for mixed-media print­
making, and I have been mixing papers, fibers, and
techniques ever since.
 A fine art student or artist will probably use
only specialized expensive papers to print on and
in most cases will use a press for the act of print-
ing. He or she will treat the finished print as a
precious, fragile work of art, will handle the print
with gloved hands and will store it in a protective
drawer. My approach to the finished prints is quite
different. First, I prefer to work with printmaking
techniques that do not require a press or special-
ized papers so I can save space and money. Second,
when my print is done, rather than treating it as a
fragile piece, I may cut it, tear it, glue it, stitch it, or
paint over it. I may even print over it again or use it
as a background for another work of art. And last
but not least, I enjoy using my mixed-media
prints in different art forms: collage, bookmaking,
3-dimensional art, and with fiber art.
In this book, I will review the “press-less” tech-
niques for creating prints, as well as several ways
printmaking +
of using the finished prints in mixed-media art,
while showcasing some examples for inspiration.
What I would like to emphasize in this book is
that printmaking can be a fun and non-threaten-
ing art form that can add content, color, texture,
and interest to your art. Don’t shy away from using
prints or sections of prints in your art. Even the
unsuccessful or imperfect prints can be used to
enhance your art!
Having said that, I am sure there will be many
prints that you would want to keep untouched, but
open your eyes and keep reading about many pos-
sibilities of creating mixed-media art with prints. I
hope you will be inspired to see some of the differ-
ent sides of printmaking.
---------Dorit Elisha
mixed media dorit elisha 5
gallery
printmaking + mixed media dorit elisha 7
 incorporate easy printmaking
techniques into mixed-media art
Learn simple printmaking techniques and incorporate printed images into mixed-media
artwork on paper and fabric with Printmaking + Mixed Media. No printing presses or spe-
cial papers are required! From screen printing, collagraph, monoprinting, and sun print-
ing, these printmaking techniques are especially affordable and accessible to any artist,
from beginner to advanced.

Inside readers will learn:

• E
 ach approach is shown step-by-step on both paper and fabric, plus how to combine
different printmaking and mixed-media techniques.
• A variety of projects including a fabric artist book, a hand-printed calendar, wall art
collage, an apron, a holiday book, greeting cards, and more. Stitch, cut, glue, layer,
paint, and embellish printed layers to use in fine art or collage, book arts, fabric arts,
fiber arts, or assemblage.
• A gallery of mixed-media samples from the author and various artists shows even
more ways to include printmaking in your artwork.

Printmaking + Mixed Media is a great resource for mixed-media artists looking to expand
their skills and printmakers interested in reinterpreting traditional methods.

Dorit Elisha is a mixed-media artist, printmaker, book artist and fiber artist. She has a degree
in art history and also studied graphic design. After working as a graphic designer for a few years,
she has spent the last eighteen years as an art teacher in an elementary school as well as an art
instructor for adults, where she teaches printmaking and related mixed-media art. Her work has
been published in books and magazines including Cloth Paper Scissors, Quilting Arts, Somerset Studio,
and Legacy, plus she has exhibited her work in galleries.

Paperbound, 8½ × 10¼, 128 pages

250 photographs
ISBN 978-1-59668-095-1
$22.95
June 2009