Black and White

. . . and shades of gray.

I'm finding printmaking processes very compelling, and I anticipate a long stay in this medium. As I write many ideas are rumbling around in my head. It feels like I've jumped off a tall building, eyes wide open into a new world, and I like it.

Here are two first proofs I completed yesterday. If I decided to edition either print, there would be more copies of these with slight variations. I could even add color in a number of ways if I want.

703 Reference  6"x8" carborundum drypoint on plexiglass  1/

Corner Hupman  9"x12" carborundum drypoint on acrylic  1/

A couple of Intaglio subset techniques I tried in these first efforts are.

Carborundum: A rock hard mineral ground down to various grits (fine, medium, course) used to achieve texture, detail, and darker darks. The tiny spaces between pieces of the grit hold onto ink and create darker textured areas. I've used here fine grade marble powder as an alternative because it is what I had in the studio. I mixed the powder with a PVA glue and diluted the mix slightly with water to ease the flow onto my acrylic plate in one case and plexiglass in the case of my smaller print, 703 Reference.

Drypoint: A method of Intaglio printing where lines are scribed with cutting tools into metal, plexi, or other surfaces (even mat board), creating gullies with furrows where ink rests and is subsequently pressed into paper with hand tools or by using an etching press. Scribing lines can be seen more readily in 703 Reference in the house roof and in various other clearly lined areas.

Let me step back a moment for anyone who does not know or has forgotten. There are basically two printmaking systems, RELIEF and INTAGLIO (pronounced intalio, tal like pal). A relief print receives the ink placed on a raised surface of a plate, as in a woodblock print. An Intaglio print receives the ink from the carved out areas, recessed areas, or etched areas. That said it is not entirely that simple, and a combination of methods can be applied to a print.

More to come from my new home print shop in the coming days.

Shifting Seats

First of all . . . happy news for me. My two entries into the BSSS Juried Exhibition: Interiors and Still Lifes were accepted--both of them. That show will take place in mid September, and I will post more information and photos on that event when it takes place. You can see my two entries if you take a look at my last post, Love is Blind.

Shifting Seats  6" x 8"  drypoint and pastel on BFK Rives 

I'm teaching myself printmaking, specifically, Intaglio drypoint, using a water based Akua Intaglio ink and Akua plexiglass printmaking plates. I have a small etching press I purchased from Dick Blick and a couple of scribing tools. And off I go into a whole other world of image making. Like so many art forms or life's ventures in general, there's more to it and more to know than is initially apparent. It's safe to say I'm working my way along a huge learning curve. But I have wanted to learn printmaking for some time and there have been no classes available locally. A first effort, above, marks a start. Technically this is a mixed media work as it includes both a print and soft pastels applied over the print.

As a general aside, history has taught me beyond a doubt that when I want to learn to do something bad enough, I can and I do--especially these days with internet and YouTube it gets easier and easier. Never short change yourself or your ability to accomplish a difficult task. In my life it's been raising dairy goats and other livestock, hand spinning yarn from my own sheep and llamas, building fences and pergolas, growing lettuce hydroponically (and this from a then 50+ year old city girl.)

I could go on and on with more examples of nailing that learning curve, but for now I have much more to learn and do in printmaking before I can produce satisfactory work.