Dry Point Prints and Why I Love Printmaking

For my exhibit "Capturing Spirit"  at Think Round.org, Fine Arts Gallery, I wanted to show how I work with a technique of dry point in a printing process. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drypoint
Because I had a series of prints in the show, I wanted to give my audience a glimpse into how they were created. The Power Point was done from photos taken at
Gruenwald Press in SanFrancisco. http://www.gruenwaldpress.com/html/index.phpoption=com_content&view=article&id=27&Itemid=31

In looking for more information to add to this post, I came across a video of printmaker, Bill Ritchie, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VS6cpqYyEw.
who demonstrates his way to work with this media. He is inspiring me to do my own video for there is a great story to be told around the magic of ink pressed into paper.

Printmaking expresses the spirit of my Spirit Boats in a scaled down and more direct way than my other choices of media.  Working with a diamond point tool directly onto the copper plate puts me back into time, perhaps in a Renaissance art studio. Then there is the luscious ink that I find fragrant and responsive, unlike acrylic paint. The plate needs to be wiped of excess ink and that involves even more subtle techniques. The quality, weave and texture of the paper that holds the ink is important too. The press is a major player and when it does the job right, the ink is perfectly pressed into the paper that is kept damp for the best impression. Each step is a chance to pause, let the muses help co-create the art and celebrate the choices.