Folia Imprints
Final Year Project (part 1)The current digital image-making tools lack tactile qualities compared to analog processes. Printmaking, especially gel printing, offers a deeper connection through hands-on experience with the subject.
Folia Imprints delves into plants as subjects of visual experimentation using improvised gel printing technique. Embracing trials, errors, and accidents, this research emphasises tangibility through analog processes, fostering a deeper connection with nature. Seeking unique leaf visual language and innovative gel printing technique.
The Outcomes of Folia Imprints consist
of 2 parts. First part, images produced
by gel printing and publication to document creative process of printing.
Second part is exhibition of both exploration and outcomes.
Part 1
Collecting
The leaves for this project are collected around Tiong Bahru neighbourhood area.
These leaves are chosen based on leaf arrangement and not based on texture.
Part 2
Printing Process
Gel printing with leves starts by preparing leaves, paints, gel, paper, and a brayer. Similar to
monoprinting, gel printing requires a gel plate to capture deeper texture. Therefore, it is suitable
for leaf textures.
Part 3
Printing Result
These results are produced using different techniques involved in gel printing. These techniques were developed through exploration, trial and error during the creative process.
Some methods were achieved by modifying steps, such as layering, mirroring, and relief printing, while others involved by skipping important steps, like print without roller. Additionally, experimentation with the subject matter included printing outdoors, printing with images, and adding soap to the paint.
Some methods were achieved by modifying steps, such as layering, mirroring, and relief printing, while others involved by skipping important steps, like print without roller. Additionally, experimentation with the subject matter included printing outdoors, printing with images, and adding soap to the paint.
Part 4
Printing Application
A. Leaf Trace
The images were processed using Adobe Illustrator's image trace tool, which produced two different abstracted elements. This is because image tracing works similarly to the Canny Edge Detector on leaf identification websites, capturing high-resolution leaf textures.
The traced leaf textures were then zoomed in, cropped into squares, and transformed into a seamless pattern with a 5 × 4 tile layout.
B. Foliage Prints
This experiment captures leaf venation in detail by zooming in to enhance clarity.
The leaves were cropped into four parts—petiole, lower left, upper right, and apex.
By rearranging these sections, abstract vein patterns and fractal-like forms were created.