The Puzzle Piece

I've been busy on PrintAustin, folks, so I've been neglecting this blog a bit. Life will one day return to normal (?). 

I did print today (hurrah!). I pulled out a print that I made eons ago but never editioned--yes, same story, different day. It was lucky enough to be chosen as the image for Uchi's recent gift card campaign, so I thought I'd have some in my studio during EAST (East Austin Studio Tour).

This collagraph, 9 x 11" I think, is a puzzle so I can print multiple colors on one run. I first printed the background a solid orange using a piece of thin plexi, then inked up my puzzle pieces and put them on the press bed. (Here's a tip for you. If using mat board as your matrix, choose the side that's white so you can see the ink. This matrix is a dark grey and I'm basically guessing when wiping.)

Here's the print. It looks different from the gift card above because I still need to add some hand coloring with pencils. 

I realize it's hard to make out the puzzle pieces on the image above, so here you go. 

I used Akua Intaglio on Rives lightweight. I really, really, really didn't feel like spritzing my paper, so I used tight pressure and it printed just as well had the paper been damp. I did have some wrinkling in the corners, so guess what, I ended up spritzing my paper anyway. 

I laid my print out on tissue paper, ink side down, and lightly misted the paper on the back, covered it with another sheet of tissue, and then sandwiched it between two pieces of drywall. That wrinkle will come right out, as will the bevel mark which kinda sucks because I like that. Oh well. Wrinkle be gone!

I have a great mister, which is kinda cut off in this pic. I keep it hidden in the studio so others don't mess with it. A good mister is hard to find! :)