Beyond

Beyond combines intaglio and relief printing on a single composition, a hybrid approach Johnson used to create visual tension between incised depth and surface projection. The title suggests spatial or psychological transcendence — forms pressing past a threshold or horizon implied within the pictorial field. The interplay of the two techniques would produce areas where intaglio-printed lines or tonal passages recede into the paper while relief-printed elements sit assertively on the surface, creating a physical as well as illusionistic sense of foreground and depth. Johnson's study of Japanese printmaking traditions, which use raised woodblock surfaces and gradated ink application ([bokashi](/glossary/bokashi)), may inform the relief passages in this work. The combination also allows for contrasts in ink density: intaglio areas tend toward rich, velvety blacks or mid-tones, while relief areas can achieve flatter, more decisive marks. Together, the methods enact visually the movement implied by the title.