Friday, June 8, 2007

pins


monotype with embossment on Somerset printmaking paper, 13" x 21.5", 1998

Some close-ups:



Safety pins were taped onto a clear sheet of acetate, then painted with watercolor (where you see the dotted line running across is where the tape was holding the pins in place).

When the watercolor wash is good and dried, the whole thing (with the pins and all) is then printed on slightly damped printmaking paper (to pick up the watercolor paint) on the etching press. The pressure of the press creates a pretty clear embossment of the safety pins, not sure if you could tell from these images though.

Here is the back of the print, showing the embossment of the pins on the paper a little better:

8 comments

  1. Beautiful. Has a nice whimsey to it.

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  2. Wow, that's really kewl Mieny! Do you have a print press @ home? I still have tools for making prints, just not a press.

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  3. that is really fabulous! Awfully clever, such beautiful results.

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  4. thanks, guys! this is one of my favorite works so i'm happy to get positive feedback on it.

    Grace, i didn't know you make prints! what kind of tools do you have? i love tools. would love to see your prints, too.
    i don't have a press at home. but thinking to get one when i could afford it...

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  5. Well, the only time i made prints was in Printmaking class in H.S. I still have them @ home in a portfolio. The tools... they were for woodcutting and linoleum and etching.
    So you made these prints without a press??

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  6. Gracie, you dear nuthead. These prints were made a long while ago when i was in college using the school's etching presses.

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  7. lol, stop cawlin me nuttay Mienay

    ok, so that makes sense. I shall show u my prints one day.

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  8. hello there 'red red day' or Mieny (which I think's a nice name. Not sure how to pronounce it though?!! but hey....... my name is a funny one..

    When I arrived in Sweden a few weeks ago for this large group exhibition, I was in, all of these people I had been connecting with via email were calling ne Ain Knee (as in rain and knee !!) but it's ON YAH .

    Anyway I have been doing some printmaking today and not had a very inspiring day and feeling absolutely shattereed and a bit yucky (think it was the toxins in the materials !!) anyway I got your flickr email thingy and went to your photos page and hey ..its been a real 'Pick Me UP" ...truly !!!

    thanks for that..

    Looking at your blog ----- and I love it when artists I respect, actually have a blog -- is fun and interesting

    These prints with the pins and the watercolours ..are excellent and soh gentle...mmmmhhh

    So I want to look in the house now and play around with this idea of the objects and the watercolour, bleeding into the thick printmaking paper such as Hahnemuhle, which I love to use. Hope I can get it going at the print workshop tomorrow.

    By the way...nowadays you can get an (A3+) size press for about 400 pounds here in the UK - I don't know about where you are coz you dont have a profile with such info but I am geussing U.S.A. coz you say mom? Maybe you could get one as a christmass present for yourself or as a joint one from your family boyfriend ( people at the bustop ...) just maybe it is possible more than you think

    take care Mieny


    Aine

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