Congo Dress in the Jungle #7 out of 15, 11x15in Alumigraph
Congo Dress in the Jungle #7 out of 15, 11x15in Alumigraph
Title: Congo Dress in the Jungle #7 out of 15
About the Work:
Each image explores the tension of being both inside and outside of a society in the Congo where I grew up.
My childhood dress was fluffy and fun expressing the simplicity and innocence of childhood, in contrast with the danger, fear and uncertainty that marked my survival as a little girl during an escape from an uprising in the Congo.
This original alumigraph, is from a varied edition of fifteen, this piece is #7 out of 15, on 100% Somerset rag printmaking paper. It is 11x15in with the image bleeding off all four edges.
About the Alumigraph Printmaking Technique:
The alumigraph is made from a collagraph that is built up with various materials on a solid backing board. A thin sheet of aluminum is configured to the surface of the collagraph creating an alumigraph that is inked with black etching ink. The colour is Japanese paper integrated into the image using the chine-colle technique.
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Karen Cornelius holds the Copyright on all her artwork. No image may be reproduced for any reason without the consent of the artist.
Preparing the alumigraph plate by wiping the surface clean with paper.
How It Was Made:
The alumigraph is a collagraphic process, where the plate is built upon a strong support surface rather than etched into the metal. Textured material such as sandpaper and lace can be incorporated into the image. Once an image is created, heavy-duty aluminum foil is adhered to the surface using acrylic gel medium. The plate is then inked intaglio, which means that the ink is rubbed into the lines and texture of the plate and removed from the surface of the plate. The colour layers were achieved in numerous ways using reduction relief, mono printing and the chine-colle techniques. Damp paper is laid on the surface of the plate, and the plate and paper are run through a hand-operated traditional etching press which transfers the image from the plate to the paper.
