Some New Prints

Touch, ink on Gampi Smooth paper; image size 11 x 16 1/2, paper size 20 x 25 1/2 in; ed. 3

I made such a huge mistake when making this print; some little ones too, but a really inattentive big one: I forgot to reverse the drawing when I traced it onto the cardboard. Lesson number one in printmaking: the image comes out backwards from how it is on the plate. But you know what? it turned out really well. I ended up liking the backwards image better than the original sketch, once I turned it upside down.

Touch original thumbnail sketch

Here the half circle is balanced on the rectangle, but I like the energy of the rectangle balancing on the half circle; it feels more lively to me. So I suppose a happy error now and then is a very good thing. 

Touch detail

Here's a detail of the print that I photographed primarily to give a sense of the texture of the paper, which is quite beautiful. If you click to enlarge, perhaps you'll get a better idea of it. I really enjoy all the papers I'm working with and their subtleties are lost in photos.

Untitled 42, ink on Twinrocker paper, 14 x 10 1/2 in.

After printing Touch, I did several potato prints, with triangles featuring in a couple of them.

Untitled 43, ink on Twinrocker paper, 7 3/8 x 7 1/2 in.

This small print kept reminding me of an insect.

Untitled 44, ink on Nishinouchi paper, 15 x 14 in.

More triangles balanced or tipping, touching or overlapping, maybe held up by the small red triangle.

Untitled 45, ink on Twinrocker paper, 2 panels each 15 x 7 1/4 in.

I enjoy making diptychs, seeing how shapes react to each other across a gap.

Untitled 46, ink on Twinrocker paper, 7 1/4 x 7 1/2 in.

The regularity of this small piece is broken by the splashes of ink that contrary to expectation spill upward.

Untitled 47, ink on Gampi Smooth paper, 9 3/4 x 25 in. 

It's a challenge to make a composition across a long narrow surface, though easier with a landscape. I'm not sure I succeeded here, but what I was trying to do was have the eye bounce across the surface following the green forms, punctuated by black dots and the finality of dot and square. Finding the balance between form and emptiness continues to intrigue me with these potato prints.