I have been intrigued by the possibilities of carborundum prints for a while. I learned about them from various art newsletters and thought them beautiful and mysterious. Then I saw an article on an artist named Emily Mason whose abstract paintings resonated with me.. On further research I found a book about her work called A Light in Spring so I ordered it. I was so excited to see her paintings that were vibrant with color and energy. As I perused the book to its end I saw that she was also a printmaker. And then I saw that some of her prints were carborundum prints! Then I knew I had to try making my own.
I researched how to create carborundum prints. They use acrylic gel and carborundum powder, and you simply paint the mixture on a plexiglass plate and print it like any intaglio print. I usually have an idea of shapes and layers but let the plates dictate the final image. I print these like I paint, with a sense of adventure and experimentation.
So I started small with two old plexi plates. Here is one of my first efforts.
I loved what I found here. The subtle layers and color possibilities as well as the loose, abstract look were just what I was looking for. But I wanted to see if I could make them less textured so I turned again to Emily Mason’s books and found she used the gel mixed with alcohol so I tried that and got a much smoother look. Here is one of the next iteration of prints I made, a little larger this time and made with three plates.
I knew I was onto something so I purchased some 12” x 9” plates and began experimenting again.
I want to note here that my images come from things I see and experience, so I have added a personal photo after the images to illustrate what influences them. These are not copied directly from the photos but capture the things I see that make an impression on me.
Jellyfish exhibit, Seattle Aquarium
View from my living room window.
(I see forests of trees everywhere where I live. Walking, driving, sitting…they surround me. So the vertical is one thing I am drawn to. More on that in a future blog post.)
View from a vantage point near where I live. The horizontal is everywhere too but not as common as the vertical.
(The last two images were created vertically (as the tree one is) but then I realized if I turn them 90 degrees you get the inference of a horizon line.)
After all these years as a printmaker I am excited that I can still find new ways of making prints that are intriguing to me. I am not done with making carborundum prints so stay tuned for more…I will put a few on my website eventually.
Cheers for the New Year!