Some ongoing experiments

A new species of physalis fruit

Laser cutting seaweed and rice paper

I have been using the laser cutter to engrave and cut seaweed and rice paper. I scanned the prints that I made on white paper, and then did some editing in Photoshop to create the file for the laser cutter.

My initial experiment was to engrave seaweed, which had the affect of creating what seemed like a lighter tone of green in the places where the laser had engraved it. It wasn't as I had imagined, and smelled horrid!

I then learned how to turn my tonal scans into line drawings using the laser cutting software, and then laser cut a few different patterns from seaweed.

I also tried laser cutting the same design into rice paper.

When the rice paper is laser cut, one can see the slightly browned edges of the cut from the heat of the laser. This helps frame the little shapes on this translucent and subtle material.

I really enjoy the delicacy of the laser cut seaweed. I could display them amongst the printed seaweed.

Wednesday's prints

After another day in the print room I have now printed onto over 121 pieces of seaweed, and therefore have enough to form a grid on the large piece of fabric that I have.  It may be that I do not attach the seaweed to the fabric, but may pin the sheets directly onto the wall or lay them on the floor, but now I think I have enough to test out the options with.

I am now going to try to laser cut seaweed and engrave different surfaces with the patterns from the prints on seaweed.

Tuesday's prints

I've had another productive and fun day in the inking up etching room printing onto seaweed with liquorice allsorts.

Here are a selection of the prints I made today.

I've done a few prints onto white paper because I want to try engraving the patterns onto seaweed and other materials. In order to use the laser cutter to do this, I need to prepare the files correctly, and so will scan the prints on white paper and then work with them in Photoshop before they can be used by the laser cutter.

Filling the seaweed grid with prints

Shades of grey

I am continuing to print on pieces of nori, with my intention being to cover a whole sheet with a grid of printed nori. I have no set composition at this stage, but am focusing on individual elements which will later be shifted about in order to create a whole. 

The patterns on the nori vary from piece to piece, sometimes using a range of  shape of stamps on one sheet, and at other times using just one stamp.

In order to add a bit of variety to the prints, I am using a range of light / medium greys. 

Seaweed and sweets