Experimenting with metallic dust

©2020 Barry Smith - Wood type, teal colour and gold dusting powder - excess gold dust powder is to be brushed off when the ink is totally dry

I asked Fiona to make up a batch of teal coloured ink as I wanted to print a few postcards on grey paper (Colorplan Smoke 270gsm). I thought the teal would contrast well with the smoke grey.

©2020 Barry Smith - Fiona's teal mix - beautiful blue-green

We have some metallic dusting powder (gold and copper) in our ink draw; so I thought I'd experiment with adding a bit of that to the teal lettering to give the postcards an extra design element and highlight.

I decided to use 2.5cm wood type - we have three slightly different versions of this size wood type - photo of one version of the wood type we have.

©2020 Barry Smith - Wood type - 2.5cm tall

Dusting needs to be done on each print as soon as it comes off the press.

©2020 Barry Smith - Adding a bit of copper dust to hope print

I had intended to print two words - hope and peace; but in the end I enjoyed myself so much and I think improved my technique so I went on to do four postcards - adding in joy and love.

©2020 Barry Smith - Proofs - I love the teal colour on black as well!!!

©2020 Barry Smith - Joy with copper dust - brushed through

©2020 Barry Smith - Hope dusted with copper but brushed upwards

©2020 Barry Smith - Peace with gold - dusted upwards - excess to be brushed off

©2020 Barry Smith - Four postcards - teal and metallic dust on grey paper

I enjoyed this experimentation - particularly like the combination of the teal colour and the dusting powder.