More Digital!
The above digital pieces are derived from very different sources:
- the figure is a photo of a new resin cast made from my paperclay original, posed in a layered arrangement,
- the two leaf foil variations are based on an outdoor photograph, taken in a parking lot,
- the foil “waves” are from a scanned evening pencil drawing, and
- the glorious “burning bush” is based on a photo of part of my engraved steel “Dancer in the Trees” panel, also used as a plate to make hand-rubbed prints (two so far).
Everything I make must serve multiple purposes!
Guerilla Game Pieces
Working the Print
I am a mixed media artist, and so not a printmaker! Having put the time & energy into this large “proof” print, I need to make it a finished piece. There are so many other tools of the trade! So far, a bit of watercolor, soft pastels, and colored pencil… I think the key is shading, especially to “flesh out” the dancer. I am rather liking this now, with the work so far:
The paper, at 22″ x 30″, is slightly smaller than the plate so the edges are cut off. The full print above is a photo; I have only scanned the shaded figure, and that still took multiple scans. Wish I had a professional large scanner, but the cost would be prohibitive.
Dancer Print
Here I decided to use my rotary tool engraved steel panel as a printing plate. The piece is experimental; more of a sampler of textures than a finished art piece. But I am sufficiently amused by the results!
At 24 7/8″ by 30 3/8″, this panel/plate is far too big for my 18″ wide press bed, so I hand rubbed this first proof. Also I don’t have paper soaking trays, and my paper was spritzed and put in plastic, but not for long enough. The paper was much too dry, so I spritzed it during the inking in order to get something I could see (no release agent at hand).
I inked the plate “a la poupee”, unfortunately rather unevenly, using a tightly rolled & taped sock as my dauber. Then I wiped rather badly also… It was a case of “inking after drinking” a couple of glasses of wine with dinner!
So the proof print is light, uneven, and speckled! Oh well! At this point, I am not sure if I will work the plate a bit more to try for a decent print. I am not sure how much I will like the result, even with a good print.
