The works shown here by Nature Printer Vickie Schumacher were made directly off of the actual subjects. The fish prints were created by inking up a real fish, and gently placing a sheet of paper over the fish, then applying pressure to the back of the paper by pressing and rubbing. The inked impression of the fish is then transferred onto the paper. The eyes are painted in separately. This is a Japanese-inspired art form, called Gyotaku.

The plant prints were made by inking up real plants, carefully placing them onto the paper's surface, then pressing and rubbing those inked plants to create a monoprint of that plant. Vickie uses an oil-base ink, then hand-colors the plants, to make a finely detailed representation of the plant. Often the backgrounds are stained to give the artwork a turn-of-the-century look, as in an antique botanical rendering. Plant printing is nothing new--Leonardo DaVinci experimented with it, and Ben Franklin used a plant print of a sage leaf on his design for currency.

Vickie Schumacher is a working artist in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she lives with her husband Miles, sons (ages 7 & 9), and their Yorkie. You can email Vickie at botanicals@natureprints.net, or visit her website at www.natureprints.net.

All items are available for purchase. For more information on Nature Printing, send inquiries to Sonja Larsen at sonjanps@uslink.net. All the images are copyrighted and can not be reproduced without persmission of the artist, Vickie Schumacher.

 

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