Etching: Process & Production

Let's go through the stages of altering and printing a copper plate etching, shall we?

Here are the stages the print has already gone through.

plate

Cover areas you do not want etch with hard ground, exposed area will later be burnt by an acid solution

Normally the aquatint process is done by dusting rosin onto a plate and then adhering the particles to the plate with heat. I am using spray paint because I am a schmuck. The distribution of paint particles on the plate will help create tone. The time a plate sits in the acid solution is also a factor.

Place the dried plate in the acid bath, I use Edinburgh etch. This is a mixture of Ferric Chloride and Citric Acid. Notice I am using safety approved gloves.

Rinse Plate thoroughly

Wipe Plate clean with Solvent

Ink the plate!

Wipe the plate! (first with tarleton, a cheesecloth-like material)

Then gently with newsprint

Buff the edges

Place plate on press bed

Get yer paper! This was soaked for 30mins and then placed in a stack with two dry pieces of cotton linter on either side & placed in plastic for a couple of hours before use.

Dampened paper is then placed on press bed accordingly

Blankets then cover plate and paper

Roll'er through the press!

Holla! We have ourselves a print!

final product

Etchings in the hiz-ouse!

So yeah, I'm like makin art n' stuff about the occult, the paranormal and cryptozoology. I don't quite know where it's going yet, but I feel this etching is start of things to come.

"Back From The Party" 2011

copper plate etching created at FreeNorthPress. More to come.....

I think Big Foot is blurry. Heck, I had to.

Been a while, eh?

So....I haven't updated this piece in while. Needless to say, a sh*t ton has happened both personally and professionally since I last considered myself a legitimate "blogger." After a recent purchase at Black's, I bought a new camera with the intent of slightly shifting my art practice and give it a much needed boost on the web. The following photographs are just a few things I had available at home to document. More from the last year to come soon. Hopefully I actually stick to regularly updating this thing now, pray for me.

Masonite cut, work in progress......

Did someone say business cards? Well heck, now I got some.

Translated into English the Latin text reads: Mostly Powerful and Exemplary. My darling wife Clare is the confused Valkyrie.

Masonite cut proofed out at Free North Press on Wallace, now in the very capable hands of Michael Uytenbogaart for a collaboration piece, finished product to come soon!