Kiki Smith accepted an invitation to make prints at Crown Point Press because of her interest in exploring color aquatint, a printing technique that uses acid to create tonal effects. Guided by photographs of her own bare legs, Smith prepared the black-and-white section of the image using etching and aquatint techniques. Then, preparing separate plates to print color, Smith experimented with color aquatint in an organic manner, by pouring it over the plate in order to mimic an oil slick. She remained dissatisfied with the results, however, until printer Emily York suggested inking the back sides of the plates, which had become scratched and distorted by acid that had pooled beneath the metal. Smith’s delicate, diaphanous color complements the figure’s corporeal presence.