The Making of the Octapus plate

À la poupée (literally, "with the doll") describes a method of inking intaglio prints in which two or more inks of different colors are selectively applied to different parts of a single copperplate. The inked plate is then printed in a single pass through the press. The method takes its name from the poupée (doll), the small ball-shaped wad of fabric that is used to ink the plate.

Instead of a paper doll I use some modern acrylic brushes which are best when they are well worn and form a little mushroom head.