How the Blue Unicorn Came to Be

I started on a new image and thought I would share another one my processes. This time a Drypoint. It's an "old school" printing method that I use with some modern touches. I started with my own snap shots and lucky for me, and you, my friend was with me the day I printed to document the printing process. So here goes...
Started with a sketch.


I attach the drawing to the back of a piece of plexi glass and tediously scratch away. Driving my husband crazy in the evening while we are watching tv. Oh, but sometimes, the sound is drowned out by the motor noise of the younger boy and his matchbox drag races.


When plate is ready, I prep the ink with my secret recipe. For my cousin, that is rum in the glass ;) I'm using a Daniel Smith etching ink for this one. Then start frosting the plate, squishing it into the lines. The plexi plate is on one of my high dollar/high tech pieces of equipment, a hot plate. It warms the ink and makes it easier to squish into the grooves and whipping off the ink you don't want.


A tarlatan ( basically a stiffened cheesecloth) is used to work the ink into the grooves more and then to wipe off the surface ink.


Before the ink was prepped, the paper was torn to sizes I needed and put in it's cold bath of water. Soaking while I was playing with ink it's ready to go for printing. I use another of my high-tech system for blotting the paper.


Crank it through the press and wallah ...

This one is embellished with iridescent watercolors