Palm trees in yellow and green

After folding paper to form 6-pointed snowflakes as masks for gelli printing, my mind was spinning with other ways to fold and cut paper.

I folded the paper in accordion folds to make horizontal repeating designs. I cut some geometric shapes, leaving broad sections of paper between the cutouts. This type of design made bold graphic designs that remind me of woven rugs.

Positive design in black printed over a yellow ghost print

Two designs overlapped

Single layer ghost print

Cutting coneflower stencil

Coneflower stencil cut from folded paper

Coneflower stencil printed over two-tone abstract background

From childhood, I remembered using this type of fold to make a string of paper dolls holding hands. I realized I could use any kind of vertical image that would “hold hands” on the sides to keep the images together. I made designs of coneflowers and palm trees, being careful to keep a connection on the fold of the paper.

Cutting a palm tree design on accordion folded paper

Palm tree mask

Coneflower mask

As I print, I continue to gain more experience with paper and paint in the printing process. These examples show original and ghost printing, and layering of paints.

Yellow and green coneflower stencil printed over magenta coneflower mask