Colored Inks

Observance  9"x12" mixed media

I set out today to create a 9"x12" multi-colored print. There are some beautiful examples out there in Google-land to drool over, and I thought I'd give it a try.

In the first pass I applied raw umber to the plate in an all-over application, wiping out all but what was captured in the drypoint scribes and that held throughout over carborundum areas which I painted on with a thin mix of fine pumice powder and pva glue. So far, so good.

I then did a second pass through the press with other colors applied to the same plate: a blended blood red, a dulled-down yellow ochre, and a mossy gray-green, each color in its selected area.

The result wasn't what I hoped for--weak coloration, patchy colored areas. I wasn't happy, and I ended up completing the piece with soft pastels on top of the print. I'm new to printmaking. I have a lot of techniques to try and a long way to go, but at least I'm enjoying the ride.