Slow progress

In case you think I've given up painting for full time printmaking... I have been working on these four pieces quite a bit. Unfortunately, they are quite big, and any progress is best seen close up. Top to bottom, approximate dimensions are 28"x50", 35"x60", 40"x52", and 35"x60". I hope to have them finished for open studios in April.

Variations

Land and sea monotypes

Portraits

The bottom image is my grandmother. All monotypes.

Yellow

These two prints grew from the same yellow plate. They both involve experiments using paper stencils to mask off portions of the plate so that the brayer can be used to roll ink on in specific shapes.

Landscape experiments

Ghost prints and dry paper

Here are some experiments with printing on dry paper and then, without inking the plate again, printing on wet paper. Reprinting the plate without re-inking results in a "ghost" print, a faint copy of the original. Since it is so faint, I have been printing the ghost image, putting more ink on the plate to add detail, and printing that on top of the ghost. This results in the softer background tones with darker accents. The first image is a ghost print with a few added details. The next print was made on dry paper. The one following is its ghost. The two horse prints started as ghosts. The bottom print was done on dry paper.

Some figures

Lots of experimentation with the press. Every print is a learning experience at this point, and it is so much fun. The leopard is silver and went through the press many times. In fact, it seemed like a failed experiment until the very last layer. The bottom image is my mom. I made it by inking the whole plate and using turpenoid to subtract the areas of the figure. This print led to the top two. This is an image of my friend Ursula's grandmother, who travelled with and performed in the circus. All are monotypes, as are the sea and landscapes below.

Some Landscapes

Seascapes

Still painting

In addition to all the printmaking, I have been painting lots of new things. All still very much in process, especially the three large ones in the top image.