Painting;starting the process of self portraits on Gum Arabic prints

For this project, (and continuing to work on the idea of 'lights and darks'), we are asked to choose one of our distorted Self portraits from the Print module, and turn it into a  print on watercolour paper, using Gum Arabic and Oil paints.

So, to that end, I chose the image of moi looking through a magnifying glass, which has produced some interesting reflections.

I am intrigued by the white smoke like effect on the left hand side of my face; where did that come from?!

The technique is explained in my Print post, but a quick run through here may be useful.

A black and white photocopy of the image is produced at A4 size,  

then diluted Gum Arabic is puddled across the surface 

of the page (also below it).  This makes it very very wet and very very fragile!

It is then very carefully lifted to a different part of the work station and gently rolled with 

a red oil paint; this adheres to the black parts of the photocopy (assuming it hasn't rolled itself into

little bits around the roller as it is prone to doing)

It is lifted onto some sheets of cheap paper (newsprint I think) and the watercolour paper (I forgot to mention this, but beautiful thick watercolour paper should have 

been soaking in water for 15 minutes) is gently placed on top of it.

Some more cheap paper is laid on top of this and the entire 'sandwich' is brought to the roller.

A sheet of cardboard is laid on top of it and also a layer of thick felty stuff.... 

then off she goes!

Out the far side; one image sucessfully printed!

(my hand is holding the water colour paper with the image now printed on it)

I should also have mentioned that the final image needed to be at A2 size, so the process had to be repeated in total 4 times and the final prints joined up, as you can see above.

Above; the 4 original bits of my image on photocopy paper.

The drying area; some big thick sheets of cardboard with wet prints between each.