Marja-Leena Rathje
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Fragments V



FRAGMENTS-V.jpg

FRAGMENTS V
archival inkjet on Hahnemuhle Wm.Turner paper
61.5 x 82.5 cm. (24.25" x 32.5")

Last week I showed you a sneak preview of the latest print that I have been working on. Today I printed out a couple and must say I'm very pleased how this turned out. I plan to finish editioning these tomorrow...

Marja-Leena | 17/11/2011 | 9 comments
themes: Digital printmaking, Fragments, Printworks


9 comments

I know there are tricks and techniques I'd never understand but I'm very impressed with the clarity and intense colours you achieved in these prints.

This one is very beautiful. I think it's very brave of you to choose the kinds of forms you do. There's an essential elegance in the series that captures the best of what it means to be human. If I had to pick a favorite I'd have to close my eyes and choose at random either IV or this one.

Susan, you are so kind, thank you so much. Much of the clarity comes from using images that were scanned at a high resolution as opposed to standard digital photos that are low resolution (at least with my cameras). The fantastic new printer we have in the studio produces brilliant colour especially the red, as I think I may have mentioned previously. As you know, I'm sure, most printers have only CMYK, so the magenta is the closest to red but just does not work so well. The first three in the series, done with the previous well-loved printer, now seem very dull to me though I loved them when I first made them. Brave? Well, I know my work is strange, as I suppose I am too... so I'm very happy you like this series.

I like that you have kept rope as one element of these works. Why? It works. I would not know much of anything of printing, I doubt that we have any real good printer in Vaasa in any public printing place, but I'm pretty sure that there are people already turning to this direction also here.

Nice stuff!

I do like the look of this series, so bold and vibrant somehow.

Ripsa, kiitos, thanks! When I scanned those bits of twine a little while back, I did not yet know if they would emerge again in my printworks or how well they would work. It's so thrilling when all the elements fall into place as if meant to be.

I would think that at least some printers would offer professional artist quality printing. HP printers seem to be the best to my knowledge. Does your artist husband do any digital printing? Perhaps the printmakers society in Vaasa has acquired an inkjet printer?

At home, I replaced a very old 13" width desktop printer this year, and am very pleased how much better the new one is (both HPs). The technology keeps improving. I'm now working on my Christmas cards with pleasure, instead of frustration!

Lucy, thanks, I'm pleased that these satisfy your artistic eye.

Christmas cards? With that brilliant red, should be potent.

These have a rather earth-air-fire-water look. The metal being both fire and water...

Marly, I love what you say about this piece, thank you.

As for the Christmas card, since I'm using the home printer which does not have a red ink cartridge, it will not be such a potent red. The test print is not too bad though.

I am most interest in the effect this print has on me. I feel as if I am looking up at it from below - as if it were horizontally above me. I feel that the top metal horizontals have a tremendous weight compared with the hand print and the twine. Fascinating.

Olga, interesting observations, as always. Yes, I feel that weight too, and decided I like that tension.