100 Days of Printmaking—a recap

72 hand carved stamps. 3 sketchbooks. 100 days of hand stamping patterns and textures.
This is the result of my 100 Days of Printmaking with Mixed Media, 2022.

100 Days of Printmaking: First print (left) and 100th print (right).

Stamp improv in the sketchbook

This printmaking project started with some ink pads from previous projects and a few stamps. With ideas gleaned from Instagram and Pinterest posts, I began to broaden my stamp carving and printing designs by doing a daily page or two of "stamp play" or "improv stamping" in the sketchbook. One experiment definitely leads to another... and before you know it, it's down the proverbial rabbit hole.

Experiments and play in the sketchbook.

Exploring stamp and color combinations. 

Repeats, patterns and textures

My initial thought at the beginning of this 100 Day Project was to create overall textures with the stamps. Sometimes I added another color or two while making the repeats. There is a mindfulness when creating a page full of repeats. 

Repeat patterns with hand carved stamps.

Symmetry and rotation

Making repeats led to carving stamps that, when rotated, would create a secondary design. Squares, half or quarter circles, and 45-45-90 degree triangles worked well for this.

Triangle stamps with rotation.

The compositions started to look like quilt blocks and patchwork quilts. My stamp carving got more detailed.

Using symmetry and rotation.

Triangle stamps using symmetry.

Ghost prints

Printing with the stamp and following up with a second print without re-inking the stamp is a ghost print. The second print is a lighter version of the original image and sometimes can even look like a different color of ink.

Ghost prints.

Medallions

On Days 53 and 54 I started to combine stamps and print them in a medallion format. Sometimes I would use multiple ink colors. This got to be a lot of fun.

Medallion format.

Nature inspired

The stamps lended themselves to nature inspired prints. Here are a few.

Nature inspired compositions.

Making trees.

Abstract landscapes.

Stamping and Slow Drawing

As time went on, the compositions became more intricate, detailed and interesting. I added slow drawing and sometimes watercolor to the stamped compositions.

Stamping, rotation symmetry, and slow drawing.

Medallion, nature inspired, and slow drawing.

Circular stamp with slow drawing.

Medallion with slow drawing.

Stamping, watercolor painting, and slow drawing.

Learning and improving by working the 100 Day process

My primary goal for doing a printmaking 100 Day Project was to learn more about working with hand-carved stamps and improve my skills in this activity. In looking at my compositions over the course of 100 days, I can see improvement and a higher level of exploration.

I discovered new-to-me materials—round stamp blanks, acrylic mounts, and VersaFine Clair ink pads—and other artists using this medium. Other revelations are listed on the Day 50 blog post.

My collection of hand-carved rubber stamps has exploded: 72 stamps with 3 that I use both sides. 

Hand carved rubber stamps.

I have three sketchbooks from this 100 Days of Printmaking project. I've continued to use my stamps to make new compositions, although without a daily commitment. I know I would not have done this and experimented with this printmaking technique without making it a 100 Day Project.

Three sketchbooks for printmaking from The 100 Day Project.

Do the 100 Day Project!