OOLOOSIE SAILA ISLAND LANDSCAPES

These three very unique and striking images by Ooloosie Saila were produced using a combination of sugar lift and white ground etching techniques

Traditional sugar lift consists of a liquid sugar, gum Arabic and black ink or gouache. The medium is usually brushed onto the plate to create a painterly effect and then the image is allowed to dry. It is then overlaid with varnish and submerged in a bath of hot water. The sugar based medium dissolves, exposing the painted areas that can then be etched.

In place of the traditional sugar lift medium the printmakers at Studio PM introduced an acrylic block out and combined this method with a white ground resist. In these three etchings, Ooloosie has applied the faux sugar lift solution on to the plate by squeezing the medium through a plastic bottle to create lyrical, free flow lines. She then applied the white ground, a mixture of soap flakes, linseed oil and water using a variety of methods – brushes, sticks, even her fingers. The result is a trio of etchings with many variations of lines, textures and tones giving these landscapes tremendous impact and energy.