The early bird gets the print?

There is definitely something special about waking up at 5 in the morning to work in the printmaking labs. By special, I mean the lab is empty because no one in the right mind gets up that early to work on printmaking. I did though and it was really nice. I didn't have anyone looking over my shoulder and I had so much space to work!

This morning I had a great idea to make my elephant print a little more interesting. It's a technique called chine collé. Chine collé is a french term that translates tissue paste. That almost sums the technique up in the simplest of terms. I cut out a piece of tissue paper to block out a certain color in my print. I then mix wheat paste and apply it to the side that will paste to my print paper. After I ink up my plate, I carefully lay the small pieces of tissue on my plate. Then I arrange my paper on top of the plate and send it through the press.