Printmaking strategies in block printing

In my master’s thesis, I focus on explore block-printing strategies. In the theoretical part, I focus on defining the fields of printmaking (both industrial and art printmaking). The special focus is on artworks, which effectively connects/integrates both previously mentioned fields with the postmodernist method of appropriation or the method of intervention. I pay special attention to my own approach (strategy), ‘occupying’ in nature, and resulting interactions, which may be accidental or planned. With the method of occupation, I raise questions about the authorship of artworks, ethics in art and what are the limits of ability, as well as the potential of interactions between industrial and art printmaking. The process is appropriate for self-expression, but at the same time sufficiently challenging for examining these contents on students of different ages. For this purpose, I aim attention at researching a new alternative printmaking technique, which I have named extruded polystyrene foam printing. The printmaking technique with extruded polystyrene foam is developed and introduced by prof. mag. Črtomir Frelih. He presented it in lectures on printmaking in the masterclass Experimental Printmaking. In my thesis, I present technically experimental procedures, preparation and application of paint on the (printmaking) matrix, as well as manual printing, in the condition when there is no access to a graphic studio. In my master’s thesis I will try to answer on the following questions: Is drawing on polystyrene panels technically appropriate for different generations of students? Then, I will focus on how much reproducibility does styrography allow and does hand-printing produce artistically appropriate results. Next, I will explore the awareness of the authorial value of printmaking strategies presented to a large extent in contemporary creativity. I will also answer on the following two questions: What types of graphic pre-printed surfaces may be used and what type of relationships may occur between an author’s artwork and the graphic pre-printed surface. I will conclude on ethical questions, which introduce the applied printmaking strategies