Resingrave print by Dale DeArmond;
Overlay by Mary Sarvela
Open Edition
Paper type: handmade, from wood pulp, abaca, cedar bark or other natural fibers
Print size (including overlay): 8 ½" x 11"
Print size: 4" x 5 ½"
Image size: 2 ½" x 3 ¾"
Editor's note: the title of "Mermaid" is assumed; the example print shown is not titled, numbered or dated. This was a collaborative effort by DeArmond and fellow Sitkan artist Mary Sarvela, who owned and operated Alaska Beach Treasures. Dale created the image (the mermaid and her baby), while Mary contributed the overlay, which included molded paper objects, natural seaweed and shells. It's not known how many of these were produced. Also shown: the original carved resingrave block by Dale, showing its many layers.
What is resingrave? It is a relatively new printmaking material, invented as an alternative to boxwood hardwood, an endangered species. It consists of an epoxy resin surface, which is bonded onto a wood block or masonite. It is difficult to carve, but it yields a lovely embossed surface on the paper and it offers the opportunity for fine detail. – Source: Adventures in Printmaking, Resingrave Etching.