drypoint – Sheetar.com

I had SO much fun with the original Open Press Project Print Exchange that when they opened it up for round 2, I immediately jumped on board. The idea is you send in ten prints made with an Open Press Project mini printing press – one stays with the project and gets sent out on exhibitions, and you receive nine random prints in return.

Inspired by this past year’s holiday card, I did another drypoint etching on a plastic plate. Go with what you know, right? The deadline to be received in Germany was February 1, so I had them out mid January which was a bit of a list minute rush after a busy holiday season, and partly why I went a little easier on myself with this one instead of trying something new. Still, I’m REALLY happy with how it came out and can’t wait to see the nine prints I receive in return! To see all the prints from both exchanges, check out their openprintexchange.com website.

Print Details:
Backer #536
Drypoint Etching on plastic plate
Speedball Akua Ink in Mars Black
Printed on Legion Stonehenge paper in Steel Grey

Update 1/24/2024 – Exchange prints have been received and that post is at the following link – https://www.sheetar.com/2024/01/24/open-print-exchange-2-prints-received/

A few years ago, I started taking printmaking classes with a local artist at our community art center to give me something to do and dig back into a creative groove. Printmaking was something I’d always wanted to try and this class gave us a great overview of the basics of a few different printmaking methods. I later took more classes with the same teacher and really found a love for all the possibilities in printmaking. There’s also something neat about the history of the craft. Anyway, making prints without a press can be a bit limiting since some of the methods involve consistent pressure that can’t really be achieved by hand, so when I saw the Open Press Project on Kickstarter, I jumped on it. My little blue press arrived and I went to town playing with drypoint etching on plastic plates. It’s a very small format since the bed is only about 3×5.5 inches in size, but that also makes it portable and takes up less space which isn’t a bad thing.

At the end of 2021, the team that created the little press put out a call for artists to join a global art swap using the press to create a small series of 10 prints. For mine, I used a subject that’s gone around a few times in various printmaking iterations from a screen print to a stencil, solar print, and probably eventually a linocut. It’s my grandpa’s old Polaroid SX-70, and my love of photography bleeding into my newfound love of printmaking is something that should shock absolutely no one!

Here’s my whole series of ten – one will stay with the Open Press Project folks and be part of a catalog and future show, and in return, I’ll receive 9 different prints from artists around the world. Can’t wait to see the catalog and online archive with all the prints as well, and I’ll add a new post once I’ve received my 9 prints in the mail, hopefully this summer.

Print Details:
Backer #53
Drypoint Etching on plastic plate
Speedball Akua Ink in Mars Black
Printed on Legion Stonehenge paper in Steel Grey

UPDATE: March 2023 – Prints were received in May 2022 and I finally posted about them! Here’s the link – https://www.sheetar.com/2023/03/29/open-print-exchange-prints-received/

Tag: drypoint

Open Print Exchange – Take 2

Open Print Exchange