Artist/Printmaker-Debra James Percival

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Artist Printmaker Inking Reporting

I have had two wonderful days printing in the Print Studio. I am feeling very grateful the Nepean Creative Art Centre was allowed to reopen. Before lockdown I was working on an etching and had only proofed it before everything closed. So I pulled it out of my map drawer and started playing. Even before Covid -19, I needed my artwork to be of a light hearted subject matter. And so here is “All In A Days Work”. But first my Muse 🙂

This is Perpetua, I call her Pet. She is not my cat.
But I get to cat sit when my daughter goes away for a few days.

Below are photos of my etched plate and Print States. I love the process, got too in order to love printmaking. (Just my Opinion )

A close up of the plate before it was etched in the Edinburgh Etch solution. I put a watered down wash of Black Graphic Chemical W/S Block Print Ink on the copper plate. Let it dry and painted on the plate with Speedball Screen Filler, Golden Stop-out Varnish for intaglio Printmakers and drizzled some Graphic Chemical Peacock Blue water based ink on the plate too. Just because I had the can out 🙂 It also works as a great hardground, but I like the black best for washes.

This is the Stencil I made with yarn coated in Screen Filler

I am still playing with possible ideas for printing this plate. More color, maybe add some texture…….FUN

The original image had a cat face in a big moon. It looked sinister, so I turned it into a ball of yarn. Love the image now:)

Turtally Fun! For Sure:)

Way back in 2024 I had an idea for two scrape peices of copper hanging around since the 90ˋs

Turtally Fun all started with a peice of bristle board and lots of screenfiller.

I love the Printmaking process. Down below I will show you some photos -but first here are a couple of fun finished prints. There are four finished with backgrounds. The other three are waiting for an idea.

The Ottawa/Gatineau Printmakers Connective did a show called OUR FUTURE. The 2 turtle prints are how I responded.

It is 2525 and the human race has evolved to Frog People. After decades of misuse and pollution by humanity, Earth is covered in polluted water. And the Turtle is the supreme majestic caegiver of the Frog People.

Now for the process photos ……

The Plate all inked up.

Screenfiller has so many uses in my studio

Finally my Print hanging at the show OUR FUTURE

Happy Printing Everyone.

Empowerment & I Don’t Need A Prince

This was a fun plate to work on.

ˋEmpowerment`
is an aluminum etched plate.
I used Skylight photo ploymer film tho make the image.

There are 9 varied `Empowerment`prints editioned and one `I Don’t Need a Princeˋ

And the one and only…………. full page print that I liked enough to keep.

Too be a Printmaker you really need to love the process!!! Here are a few photos of the process for I Dont Need A Prince.

If you go to my TikTok@debrajamespercival page you can find the video of my very bad day in the studio. I destroyed the other print that was supposed to be the 2nd ˋI Don’t Need A Prince`. That happends! for sure.

Here Come The Ladies “2025

I really like working on this series. It is A fun mixed media print seris playing with fabric & photo polymer stencils & copper plates and more.

Here are some photos to tell a story.

“Old Hags celebrate” the figures are a colagraph made with cheesecloth & string shaped on a peice of floor linoleum and cut out.

the collagraph inked up for another print

I used the polymer stincils in this print & callagraph on the top print. “Got This Lady Stuff Down” and there are five in the edition.

The above print is one of my favorites from last year

The copper relief etching used in “We Won’t Let You Crake”

“So Grasping, Desperate” zoom up on the frog. I love the frog.

And that is what I was Doing when I made “Play” Here are some phtos of the process.

Since you actually came to the end of this blog * please take a little more time and ZOOM on the prints to see the details and tecxures.

Tortured Soul Print

Way back in the 80’s I was really into woodblock printmaking. Over the years I have moved a lot and discarded a lot of my wood blocks. But Tortured Soul survived. I like hanging it in my studio spaces.

I am having fun working on a series of prints “Then and Now”. The next two photos are Tortured Soul in the 80’s and Tortured Soul 2026.

Tortured Soul from the 80’s a combination of Mono-print background and woodblock’s

Tortured Soul 2026 combination of printmaking techniques: background is a peice of fabric inked up with lots of ink:) the dancing bear,rabbit and female figure are stencils.

I love layering ink on top of ink! The wolf eyes in the 80’s print from what I remember about what was happening with me then – were a warning to be cautious . Today in 2026 it is all about reflecting. Life has been and is a circus of good, bad and silly. Lots of ups and downs.

I gave up my little studio space in Stratford. Things never did get settled there. Looking for another small space. But I am still printing at the Print Studio run by the Ottawa-Gatineau Printmakers Connective .

One year at the Stratford Studio.

It has been a year at my Cozy Studio. We just had an open house and art show. Here are a few videos I took of the space.

I am in the middle of editions. When an edition is completed, I will post the full edition. When I edition, they are all varied. I like to play with ideas. Especially enjoying working on “Here Come The Ladies. The “Then and Now” series is working its way into the “Here Come The Ladies ” series.

This is an example of what I mean by blending the two series. I finished working on this print this week. The copper plate in the middle is my very first hardgound with future floor polish way back in the 80’s early 90’s. A long time ago! There is no set title yet . Something to do with home & joy.

It took a long time to clean up the studio!

Happy Printing 😀

New Beginnings

September always feels like a good time to start something new. Last winter, unfortunately, there were not good working conditions in my studio. Now I’m looking forward to a better winter.

In the Print Studio and my Cosy Studio, there’s are a number of editions happening . The “Then & Now” series, the “Here come the Ladies” series, and the Turtles edition.

I am having a lot of fun in the Print Studio run by the Ottawa/Gatineau Printmakers Connective . It is a lucky thing that at the Nepean Creative Arts Center is where my Cozy Studio and the Print Studio is.

Here are a few pictures of work in progress.

How to explain how/what printmaking method I am using right now. I would say I am painting/printmaking with stuff.

If you would like to see some finished prints, there are some on my Instagram page. @debrajamespercival

Happy Printing:)

Printmaking New Studio

Cozy Studio

New beginnings for an oldish Printmaker. Because life is a series of twists and turns. I have not had a workspace to set up and make intaglio type plates for a few years. August 1, I started moving into a lovely cozy studio space. I am so excited to re-explore photopolymer film and image making in my coxy studio at the Stratford Studios, Nepean Creative Arts Centre. Big plus it is next door, just across the parking lot from the Ottawa/Gatineau Print Studio. So Happy!

Spirit Dove

Finally the first 2 prints of 4 are finished. Just short a month less then a year when I started. It was June 15, 2022 when I blogged about the Copper Dove: Blog – “Going with the Spirit “

Looking forward to starting the next two prints.

Happy Printmaker 😊

Tin Foil Mono-print

I tried this this technique years and years ago. The prints were interesting. An American printmaker David Curles presented the technique at one of Keith Howard’s workshops back in 1997.

I was initially disappointed with my attempt again last week. But it has a lot of fun potential. Definitely going to play with the idea some more. It felt really good to be back in the Print Studio.

My results for last week’s attempt at Ink Foil Mono-print.

Colour Changes Everything

If you are in Ottawa, stop by the Alta Vista Library.

Watched great Printmaking shows being hung on the Alta Vista Library walls today. (The Printmakers hung more then one show) I helped a little bit. It was a lovely morning with a great group of artists.

Happy Printmaking!