Nature prints

Nature prints

Nature prints are hand pressed Botanical Prints, most usually featuring insects in their composition. They would most likely be considered Monoprints, as not only is each print an original individual image, it cannot be editioned like an etching or lithograph. The paper used is typically heavyweight Etching paper, “antiqued” by staining with coffee, with various botanicals inked and hand printed onto the paper.  The insect wings are then also inked and hand pressed to create a print of their delicate pattern, the insect body is added, and the botanicals are hand tinted with wash, as is the background. Because they are closely related to the concept of direct printed Gyotaku, the artist will  tend to sign these with the Kanji for his Japanese artist name, Mutsugoroh, and add the red seal or chop, as is done on Gyotaku , or fish prints.