The Collagraph Technique by Grace Bentley-Scheck

Collagraph Technique By Grace Bentley Scheck 

Grace Bentley-Scheck brings a distinctive sensibility to the collagraph printmaking technique, combining layered materials, hand-applied ink, texture, and embossment to create limited edition prints with a strong sense of depth and physical presence. 

A collagraph begins with a plate constructed as a collage of paper, fabric, and other materials. Once assembled and sealed with acrylic medium, the plate can be inked much like a traditional metal etching plate. Because the surface is built at different levels, it can hold varied colors and textures, giving the resulting print remarkable visual depth. 

The printing process adds another dimension. Dampened all-rag paper is placed over the inked plate and passed through a printing press. Under pressure, the paper is pushed into the crevices and textures of the plate, transferring the ink while creating an embossed impression in the paper itself. 

The same plate can be printed repeatedly until the edition is complete. Because each plate is inked by hand, subtle variations appear from one impression to the next. These differences are part of the appeal of the process, giving every print its own character. 

Grace Bentley-Scheck’s Approach to Collagraph 

Bentley-Scheck builds her plates in layers, reflecting the way she approaches the subjects that inspire her. Her work is particularly focused on urban spaces and the evidence of change left behind by time, weather, and human intervention. 

The three-dimensional geometry of a place often provides the starting point for her compositions. Buildings, surfaces, architectural forms, and other structural elements come together within the plate, gradually developing through its layers. 

The relationship between the physical construction of the plate and the changing nature of her subjects is central to Bentley-Scheck's work. The layers within the plate echo the layers of time, history, and human activity she observes in the environments around her. 

This gives her use of collagraph a strong connection to place. The plate is not simply a surface on which an image is reproduced; it becomes an essential part of the artwork itself. 

Layers, Texture, and Depth 

The physical construction of a collagraph plate is one of the qualities that make the technique so distinctive. Paper, fabric, and other materials can be built across the surface to create different levels and textures. 

When the plate is inked and placed under pressure, these variations affect the way the image is transferred to the paper. The finished print, therefore, combines the visual character of ink with the physical impression created by the plate. 

Bentley-Scheck extends this process by incorporating additional layers into collage printmaking plates. Through her choice of materials and carefully constructed surfaces, she explores shifts in light and darkness, texture, and form. The finished print carries not only an image, but also a physical record of the plate from which it was created. 

Silk Organza and Acrylic Medium 

As part of her process, Bentley-Scheck incorporates silk organza into the completed collagraph plate and paints it over with an acrylic medium to create values. This adds further tonal qualities to the finished work. The fine weave of the silk becomes part of the plate surface, introducing another layer of texture while influencing the way the image is transferred during printing. 

The use of silk organza reflects Bentley-Scheck's broader approach to constructing her plates through layers. Materials are carefully selected and positioned because of their contribution to the final image, rather than simply as decorative elements. Through this process, texture and tonal value become closely connected to the physical structure of the plate. 

Limited Edition Prints 

Bentley-Scheck's collagraphs are produced as limited edition prints. Once a plate has been completed, it can be printed repeatedly until the edition is finished. 

Although every impression comes from the same plate, the prints are not mechanically identical. Because the ink is applied by hand, subtle differences naturally emerge from one impression to another. 

The printing press also creates an embossment in the paper, pressing the sheet into the textures and recessed areas of the plate. That physical quality remains after the ink has dried and becomes an integral part of the finished work. 

These characteristics set collagraph printing apart from commercial reproduction and contribute to the individuality of each impression. 

Grace Bentley-Scheck Artist 

Born in Troy, New York, Grace Bentley-Scheck spent her last years in Narragansett, Rhode Island. She studied at Alfred University, where she received both a BFA and an MFA. 

Bentley-Scheck exhibited widely throughout the United States and internationally. Her exhibitions have included a one-person exhibition at the Newport Art Museum, along with exhibitions in Europe and Japan. 

Her work has also appeared in international print exhibitions, including the International Print Triennial in Cracow, Poland, as well as exhibitions in Nuremberg, Germany, and other locations in Poland. 

Her prints are held in public and private collections, including the Newport Art Museum in Rhode Island, the Knoxville Museum of Art in Kentucky, and the Portland Art Museum in Oregon. 

Explore Grace Bentley-Scheck's Work 

Grace Bentley-Scheck's approach to collagraph brings together materials, structure, texture, and the history of the places that inspire her. 

Her layered plates reflect her interest in urban environments shaped by time, weather, and human activity. The resulting prints preserve those observations through a process that gives equal importance to the construction of the plate and the impression it ultimately produces. 

Explore Grace Bentley-Scheck's work and discover how layered materials and observations of place can be transformed through the collagraph technique into distinctive, limited-edition prints. 

Discover Our Printmaking at Idaherma 

Our collection brings together artists working across a range of printmaking techniques and artistic approaches. Grace Bentley-Scheck's work offers one example of how printmakers can combine materials, processes, and personal perspectives to develop distinctive bodies of work.  

Explore our invited artists to discover more about the techniques, careers, and creative practices represented within the Idaherma Museum of Art Foundation.