Had some interest in my printing adventures on another page so thought you all may be interested in it too... So I missed a few photo steps but you will get the jist here is the very basic version of how I made my etching plate. Plus I should premise that toxic hazardous materials are used in these processes and should be carried out in a well prepared, suitable workspace with people who are trained in printmaking and etching... {LtoR} 1. Find inspiration and sketch onto tracing paper 2. Prepare metal plate (supposed to file edges etc) heat plate, roll on either soft or hard ground which is a tar-like wax substance resistant to acid, wait to cool then start drawing image onto plate with a sharp etching tool. The one I used has a small sphere on the end as I used soft ground. 3. Lift tracing paper carefully to check correct pressure being used. 4. When drawing is complete remove racing paper. 5. Carefully place plate in acid bath. 6. Leave for desired time (minutes) and feather to remove tiny bubbles forming in etching lines to keep the acid biting evenly into the metal. 7. Remove plate and wash in water then clean ground off plate with solvent and paper towel. 8. Plate is clean and ready to ink up. 9. Mix printing ink with some extended to make smooth and apply to plate then using gauze rub softly into the grooves of the drawing. Clean off the plate with a flat piece of newspaper to desired amount and your ready to print. 10-13. Ink up plate and wipe off surface to leave ink in the etched lines while paper is soaking, dry off paper with towel. 14. Lay metal plate (ink up) on printing press, place damp paper on top. 15. Place mats down and roll through the press. 16. With clean hands lift up paper carefully to check pressure. 17. Print is hung or flat to dry. 18. Preparing to do aquatint and layers of rosin for shading, depth and delicate texture. Applied rosin in aquatint box carefully removed and did not inhale toxic dust, heated plate to desired amount then let cooled to set. Finally applied stop out to areas I want to keep white/light. Tomorrow will acid bath to etch and repeat rosin process a couple more times to get the gradients. Plate will then be ready for printing. Hope this was interesting for you all.
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 10:17:41 +0000