Grant title: Creating an On-line Interactive Database to Aid Research into Historic Printmaking Processes and Techniques

Awarding body: Arts and Humanities Research Council
Awarded to: Dr Paul Thirkell
Researcher participants: Vikki Hill
Project duration: 2007

Project details:
Paul was the principal investigator on the AHRC funded project ‘Creating an On-line Interactive Database to Aid Research into Historic Printmaking Processes and Techniques’ in 2007 in partnership with the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and Bankside Gallery in London. This is the 3rd in a series of CFPR databases that has been produced using data generated by Thirkell‘s research. Previous databases include the collotype database 2003, CFPR web and the Woodburytype Database 2004.

Paul Thirkell and Vikki Hill have documented most of the RE Diploma Collection which is currently stored at the Ashmolean Museum and have created a searchable database of images, technical processes and biographies which quantifies the history of Printmaking within the social context of a Royal Society spanning 125 years. The importance of the collection of the Painter-Printmakers lies in the fact that it contains examples from a very diverse range of printmakers including both established and emerging artists and so gives an accurate representation of the differing technical trends and aesthetics throughout the history of printmaking. It also contains examples of all printing process and prints. The aim of this proposal is to create a valid social and historical context for these prints to be viewed through. The structure of the database will be such that it will provide a context for both the technical aspects of the various printing processes as well as supplying a historical context relating to the issue of whether the work produced by these printmakers was original or reproductive in nature.

Grant title: The fabrication of 3Dimensional art and craft artefacts through virtual digital construction and output (AHRC Large Grant)

Awarding body: Arts and Humanities Research Council
Project Manager: Dr Paul Thirkell
Researcher participants: David Huson, Stephen Hoskins, Dr Peter Walters
Project duration:03.07-12.09

Project details:
3D computer aided design is a relatively new visualisation tool, assisting many aspects of contemporary industry. It has also become increasingly evident that it holds enormous potential as an exciting tool for the creation of artefacts by artists and crafts people. This project addresses the question: Can rapid prototyping be used purely for the fabrication of an actual bespoke artifact rather than its current function for providing an intermediary prototype to assist the cycle of mass production?

Grant title: Methodologies for the integration of fine art practice and wide format digital printing (AHRC Large Grant)

Awarding body: Arts and Humanities Research Council
Project leader: Dr Paul Thirkell
Researcher participants: Carinna Parraman, Paul Laidler
Project duration: 10.03-03.07

Project details:
For the fine artist, wide format digital printing promises new potential for the creation of print based artwork. However, although some common ground exists between the industry led function of this technology and aesthetic concerns of the printmaker, to date little has been done to define how it may be effectively employed to incorporate qualities which have become unique to the domain of fine art print. This project seeks to quantify existing methods of processing digital images and develop imaging and colour systems which may assist in broadening the current scope of digitally based printing from a fine art perspective.

AHRC research dissemination grant – (Methodologies for the integration of fine art practice and wide format digital printing)

Project leader: Dr Paul Thirkell

Project details:Curation of additional exhibition demonstrating the integration of digital wide format within mainstream art practice, with seminar and public lectures and residency programme to disseminate findings of wide format project.