By Abi Bates
LEEDS CORN Exchange hosted the city’s annual Print Fair for the third year in a row at the weekend.
The event hosted 50 stalls showing the public different printing techniques.
Visitors could buy pieces of art, find out in more detail about the individual artists and have a go at printing something themselves.
The first Leeds Print Fair took place in 2014 and was created to showcase talent within the area, and after its success came back each year.
Organiser of the fair, Talia Russell said: “Print is becoming more popular, people have a perception that photography is more popular but print requires just as much skill and is still collectable.”
Many students took part in the print fair as a way to show their work to the public.
Leeds Beckett University graphic art student, Josh Roberts, 20, wants to be a print maker in the future and describes
his style as “rough around the edges and very colorful”.
It was Josh’s first time at the fair. He said: “I’m here as a part of a live brief which requires me to take my work into the public domain and out of the university.”
Josh, who has been producing art since high school, said: “I like the way art looks, I like the process of producing something start to finish that people will look at and think is nice.”
Each artist had a station that showed their work and the different styles and techniques they use to create their art.
Leeds College of Art textiles student, Millie Empson, 20, said: “I work quite graphically so I’m inspired by bold colours, shape, screen print and colour separation.
“Art is definitely becoming more popular with young people, I think traditional print is coming back as well as screen print.”
The fair showed a variety of different printmaking techniques including screen prints, collagraphs and textiles.
Illustrator and pattern designer, Nicola Hanrahan, 29, started her work in art full time around two years ago.
She now designs all her pieces herself, selling them on the Etsy website and does custom wedding collections.
Nicola said: “People love the quirkiness of things, and when things are handmade I think all ages appreciate art.
“Everything I make starts off as illustrations, so a design can start off as a drawing and then I’ve turned it into a pattern, got it printed and then had to teach myself how to sew the products as well. It’s a labour of love.”