Double Drop Canopies (Set of Four) — Jenny Mason-Gunning

Double Drop Canopies (Set of Four) — Jenny Mason-GunningDouble Drop Canopies is a striking set of four prints combining relief colour printing with intaglio depth. Each piece features a bold silhouetted tree canopy printed over a richly coloured background, created using a double-drop printing process.The prints begin with the background, inked first in relief using a rainbow roll. This layer introduces atmosphere and colour variation across the surface — soft shifts of tone that feel like sky, weather, or fading light. Once printed, the intaglio plate is then inked separately and printed directly on top, dropping the dark canopy into the image with dramatic clarity.The result is immediate and powerful: strong black tree silhouettes held against luminous colour fields. The branches cut sharply through the background, creating a graphic structure that feels both natural and architectural. Each print balances simplicity and intensity — reduced to contrast, shape, and presence.Made using steel plates enriched with aquatint, the blacks are velvety and dense, giving the canopies weight and depth. Printed under heavy pressure, the plates leave a beautiful embossed plate mark in the paper, reinforcing the tactile quality of the process.This set was a joy to make — playful, physical, and full of surprise as each colour layer met the dark intaglio silhouette. While these four form a cohesive group, they are part of a wider collection, many of which sold immediately upon printing.Double Drop Canopies captures what printmaking does best: layering technique, colour, and form into something bold, atmospheric, and unforgettable.