Tag: print

Print Exchange

Hydrangea – water-based woodblock print (mokuhanga)

I am participating in a print exchange at the Remarque Print Workshop in Albuquerque New Mexico. Each participant has created an edition of 11 prints on 8 x 10 paper. In return, each will receive 10 randomly selected prints from other participants sometime this month. I can’t wait to see these prints! This is a great way to share work and to collect the work of other artists, as well as supporting an arts organization or cause.

I created the above print, “Hydrangea,” for the exchange. The image size is 7 x 8.5″. (Mokuhanga -Japanese water-based woodblock- 5 colors, 10 impressions, Bamboo Select 170 gsm paper from Awagami Paper Factory)

The print show is now open online, and features 80 printmakers employing a wide variety methods and media. Each print is available for sale at $75. Half of all proceeds will go to the gallery’s education fund. You can read more about the gallery, see the prints, and buy one here:

https://www.remarqueprintshop.com/print-exchange-2021.html

2011 Lunar Calendar giveaway: katazome on kozo

I rinsed my 2011 lunar calendar today. Not-hurrying gave the colors a chance to cure. Not hurrying is always a wise approach.
To rinse these, I floated them in  shallow water in the bathtub, front-side down (just 2 at a time). After about an hour, I drained the water, and then gently placed them face-up in the tub. I poured water from a pitcher over the top surface to rinse all the rice paste residue away. I did not touch the paper with anything other than the water. Finally, I placed them face-up on a towel to air-dry. The operative word here is GENTLY.

Here are the results:

Below is a close-up of the bottom portion (a wee bit darker image). The ampersand in July is my way of calling attention to the extra NEW moon that month (formerly I said blue, I meant NEW.)

cucalendar

Layers explained:

  1. Paper: handmade Japanese Hosokawa kozo, from Wet Paint Art in St. Paul. Final size of print: approx. 9×22″
  2. Rice paste for the letters, numbers and moon grid – one stencil.
  3. Light blue for the background (e.g. behind the rabbit). Colors consist of watercolor paints thinned with soy milk, rolled on a gelatin plate and transferred to the paper by placing the paper on top of the plate, and gently rubbing with my hand to ensure contact.
  4. Rice paste for the image of the rabbit.
  5. Three more layers of dark blue.
  6. Some hand painted highlights.
  7. Layer of burnt sienna on rabbit, from a cutaway of the original gelatin plate.
  8. Two gentle mistings of soy milk, drying in between (not sure this was necessary).

To enter the giveaway, please post a comment below, consisting of three words or phrases that best express your intentions for the new year. I will choose one winner at noon CST on Valentine’s Day and add a comment to congratulate the winner. The rest of the prints (9 of them) will be added to my shop over the weekend.

Here are my three for year of the rabbit: take notice, explore playfully, loosen my grip …

Good luck!