Aido Hwedo: African Dragon, framed and matted – 6 color Letterpress Print on Handmade Denim Paper (Item no. 196.36)

Category: Prints, Etchings & Lithographs

Title: Aido Hwedo: African Dragon, framed and matted – 6 color Letterpress Print on Handmade Denim Paper (Item no. 196.36)

Description: Many African dragons are described as large serpents or giant snakes, with no legs or two legs. These stories are found in various parts of Africa and Egypt. The story of Aido Hwedo comes from the Fon People of West Africa (Benin and southwest Nigeria). I printed the story of this dragon around the image, circling it like a snake. I used three design patterns in my image. These were inspired by African textile designs. Letterpress printing is a form of relief printing which uses a printing press. For Aido Hwedo, I start by creating a watercolor painting. I scan and digitally separate the painting into a series of overlapping colors. In this case I used six different colors. I create polymer plates from my digital files. These plates are locked onto the bed of a Vandercook press, inked, and transferred onto paper through the application of pressure. The cotton fiber used in this paper was made from recycled denim jeans. Don Widmer created the paper at Zenith Art Studio in River Forest, then printed the image on a Vandercook press at Spudnik Press in Chicago. The print comes signed and numbered (no. 36 in an edition of 38) with a one-page description of the process. The simple wood frame is light blue with a distressed finish. The artwork is floated on top of an archival dark blue mat which highlights the paper's deckle edges. Non-glare and UV resistant museum quality glass highlights the depth of the relief print process. Created in Chicago, Illinois. Artwork Size: 12 x 18 inches (approximate); 30.5 x 45.7 cm. Frame Size: 17.875 x 23.875 inches; 45.5 x 60.5 cm. Package weight = 7 lb.; 3.2 kg.; shipping/handling includes packaging cost and insurance.

Theme: Fantasy

Color: Earth Tones

Texture: Flat

Finish: Art Only

Edition: Unique

Style: Letterpress

Dimensions: 24 inches wide, 18 inches tall, 1 inch as its depth

Shipping: $50.00

Price: $375.00