New Prints, Cardboard and Potato

Contained Triangles, ink on Akatosashi paper; paper size 22 x 22, image size 12 x 12 in.; ed. 3

My two most recent cardboard prints had images that broke the rectangle (see here and here), so I thought it'd be fun to stay inside the box this time. I had the idea to use triangles that would touch the edges of a square and did lots of thumbnail sketches and color studies until I came up with this composition.

Contained Triangles image

Each triangle touches the edge with two of its points, and they have a feeling of spinning around a center. I chose to print with a dark reddish color on a dark paper; looking at the print now, I think that if I'd used a light, bright color the mood would be very different, less weighty and more buoyant; but there's an edginess to the dark that I like. 

Untitled 48, ink on Gampi smooth paper, 12 1/2 x 11 in.

After finishing the cardboard prints I made some potato prints, as I usually do. It's a good way to use leftover ink and paper. Often before starting to work on these, I feel less than enthusiastic, wondering if I should continue with the series. I think I don't have anything new or interesting to say with them, but....I give myself a little push and start working and soon get into the swing of it. I guess it's the improvisational aspects of these prints that makes me nervous.

Untitled 49, ink on Twinrocker paper, 2 panels each 15 x 6 1/2 in. 

I have no plan, though I do cut the potatoes in a few shapes that I will use for that session. The day I worked on these prints, I tried out my new set of round biscuit cutters in different sizes.

Untitled 50, ink on Twinrocker paper, 7 x 7 1/2 in.

Untitled 51, ink on Twinrocker paper, 7 1/4 x 7 1/2 in.

So the theme of the day was circles.

Untitled 52, ink on Gampi smooth paper, 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 in. 

Maybe I was thinking about spring?

Untitled 53, ink on Gampi smooth paper, 2 panels each 12 1/5 x 10 3/4 in.

For this final piece I worked with small rectangles. I did one panel at first, but wasn't satisfied with it so tried again with a similar composition. Then I thought that maybe the variation on a theme works as a diptych, musical notes across the pages. There are aspects of form, and their relation to empty space, that I explore only while making potato prints, so perhaps that it enough to keep doing them.