This exciting printmaking technique was inspired by friend and colleague Julia Santos Solomon and her master printer, Julio Valdez, who work with a process called silk aquatint. The technique described here is a variation, more similar to a collagraph. Gels and pastes are applied to a surface to create a “printing plate,” enabling transfer of an image to canvas or paper. Tonal effects and vibrant colors are obtained creating Julio Valdez’s phrase “painterly graphics.”
Paint
A variety of modern colors (see Section 1)
Substrate
One rigid support, such as wood or panel; one flexible unprimed absorbent surface, such as paper, canvas or fabric, slightly larger in size than the rigid support (if using raw canvas you may need to pre-wash it to remove any coatings)
Tools
Painting knife and other application and textural tools, a few favorite paintbrushes, pencil, spray bottle
Products
An absorbent acrylic gel or paste, a non-absorbent acrylic gel or paste
Other
Paper towels or rag, water, water container
STEP 1 Create a Printing Plate
Draw out a design using pencil or marker on a rigid support. Apply an absorbent product over the surface that dries to a matte finish or is textural, such as the Fine Pumice Gel used here. Over this surface, either wet or dry, brush or knife apply a generous amount of nonabsorbent product for the main forms so they are higher in relief than the background. Here Molding Paste and Regular Gel Gloss were used for the vase. Add as many different products as you like anywhere on the surface, such as Glass Bead Gel used in the foreground. Let this dry fully. Note the white areas shown here will dry clear.
STEP 2 Add Paint
Using modern colors for best results, add about 10% water to several fluid modern paint colors. Use more water for heavy-bodied paint. Brush apply the colors onto the printing plate. Use a rag to wipe away paint to create any highlights for the transferred image.
STEP 3 Transfer the Image
Lightly dampen the transfer surface with water from a spray bottle. Place damp side down over the printing plate still wet with paint colors. Using firm pressure, rub your hand over the back of the transfer surface to allow the paint color to transfer. A brayer or other pressing tool may be used. After a minute of rubbing, gently peel the transfer surface off the plate and set down to dry. Rinse the plate with water to reuse.
Finished Example
Interesting tonal areas are created in these two paintings using silk aquatint, a process similar to the technique demonstrated here.
CARIBBEAN TROUT
Julia Santos Solomon
Silk aquatint on paper
15" × 22" (38cm × 56cm)
PROFILE WITH THORNS
Julio Valdez
Silk aquatint on paper (Edition of 10)
31" × 25" (79cm × 63cm)