a sky you can’t see:
printmaking . a process
I spent the first half of the year working at Studio Two Three in Richmond—everyone’s favorite community print studio—where I reimmersed myself in both the risograph and etching processes. It was a time of play, experimentation and process.
Here’s how it went:
Riso
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I sketch out all of my work— it helps me make decisions around shape, color and material. When I reached the final iteration of these drawings, it was clear they wanted to exist in their own world—beyond just being plans for future sculptures.
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I approached this portion of the project with the plan to print zines as take-aways for my research presentation, however the format of a zine didn’t feel as full and intentional as I’d hoped.
What I wanted for these prints, was to feel like an offering, a gift. An object that would house all the information swarming around in my brain, that led me to what these sculptures would become.
So I made a book.
100 books were created and distributed for free during my research presentation at the ICA at VCU.
Etching.
The etching process was a bit more challenging than I expected. When I set out to reintroduce myself to intaglio printing, I knew I wanted to incorporate Chine-collé - the printmaking process that involves bonding thin layers of paper during the printing process - as a way of giving the figures their assigned colors and patterns. What I didn’t plan for were the number of variables that would affect the success of these prints. From determining the best adhesives for Chine-collé, selecting the correct tissue paper type and layering method, nailing down the soak time for my custom paper, controlling glue application near the tissue paper edges, evaluating material pink vs inked pink backgrounds, to refining the best registration approach—there were many technical considerations to navigate. I realized, I’ve never gone through so many tests for a project in my life.
With the help of two really great studio assistants — Justin and Anquavis— we were able to troubleshoot all the issues thrown our way and produced a lovely edition of 16 intaglio prints. Of course, we printed just over 60 pieces, including all the tests, before arriving at that final number.
Despite all the trial and error, I’m extremely happy with the result
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At the end of this process, I was left with a bulk of test and sample prints from both the Riso and Etching projects. Each piece, although not what I was going for, offered its own uniqueness that I could have never planned for.
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As part of a Flat File Print Sale, I’ve released a batch of test prints, introducing a different way to collect and engage with my work.