I like using ghost prints. I often made a ghost print back in my printmaking days, unless I was printing an edition. And that was infrequent as I preferred the variety of unique prints.

A ghost print is the second or even third image pulled from the plate without re-inking. Sometimes, very occasionally, a ghost print will be spectacular; better than the first, intentional print. But more often the ghost print will be pale and a bit lackluster, but still with some value.

Ghost prints can be excellent backgrounds for additional work. An intricate ghost print provides a fine start for abstract doodling with colored pencil, pen, or even paint. I cleaned out some flat file drawers and found a few ghost prints to work on. The blue ghost print at left has colored pencil, a bit of marker pen, and an added circle applied. It may be something of an aerial view.

I transformed the orange ghost print on the right using watercolor paint. It now an abstracted landscape to my eyes, and I rather like it. These two pieces are fun examples of using ghost prints.