Bad news, Great news. For the Bad News, this past week I have been struggling with how I might incorporate my Chinese chop (stamp) into my Artist Special Edition. To be able to bring together the underlying Mandarin phrase, Liu Guan Lue, Yin, that inspired this project was vexing. As I mentioned in an earlier article, this might be really the only occasion to use this chop in a meaningful way.
The Chinese red chop ink just does not set-up and dry (cure) on the Red River Baryta inkjet paper no matter what tricks I tried. It would just never dry and I would always get an ink smear with a resulting red ink mess what ever I touched. So yesterday, I gave up. No chop. Done. I give up! So I started the production of the Artist Special Edition without the inclusion of this chop. sigh.
Great news (& never say Done!) I woke up this morning with an idea from something that Donna Bassin had posted on my Facebook shout-out about my ongoing ink issues; “use rice paper” (or my case: equivalent)!
My work around: I had a couple of sample packs of Awagami Factory papers (Japan) and I chose one that was light weight (42 gms), has some translucency and I though would quickly absorb the Chinese ink, which could function as a top protective sheet laid over my limited edition print. Bingo!
The Kozo paper I selected, Awagami Murakumo Kozo Select, is more a ‘neutral’ white versus the much warmer ‘natural’ options and translucent enough to see that sometime is positioned underneath. The Kozo paper took the chop ink very well, drying down quickly without a need to blot it, and once set, did not transfer any ink to a blot paper nor did it smear when rubbed. The red ink’s color intensity is a bit more subdued than when applied to the Red River Baryta, but this combination works. Yes!
Then it was a matter where to place the chop on the paper and then evaluating a couple of locations. Having it centered overtop the underlying photographic image seemed to slightly increase the visual intensity of the color and pattern and then the added touch of adding the edition number under the chop to bring this all together. Another nice attribute of the Awagami Murakumo Kozo Select is the ability to add the edition number in pencil (graphite).
This Murakumo Kozo Select at 42 gms is thin enough that it seems to easily go into the same corners holding the underlying limited edition print as seen in the photo above. Now to order a couple packs of the Murakumo Kozo Select from Freestyle in L.A. (hoping that its in stock), then later next week I can start working again on finishing the Artist Special Edition. An easy fix for the Editions that I have already assembled and stitch together. Cool!
A slight delay in the publication of this Edition, but I think really worth it. Happy artist!
Cheers & make every day an Earth Day
Doug
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The Flow of Light Brushes the Shadow, an artist book from Singular Images Press, Fall 2022 release, $60.00 (plus CA sales tax for those residing in the USA plus shipping expenses). Message me douglas.stockdale.artist@gmail.com or singularimagespress@gmail for shipping details and PayPal invoice.
Note: The Artist Special Edition (book + extra print) is Sold Out.
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Book workshop:
Southeast Center for Photography (SEC4P): Creative PhotoBook workshop (Sold Out), a virtual event on Zoom; November 5 & 6 and 12 & 13, 2022, 10am – 1pm, EST (3 hour session each day, with a week between the weekend sessions to work your book-dummy). Wait list available for sign-up.
Singular Images 