Etchings
Below are the etchings that formed my MA degree show. Please click on picture for further details.
Etching
An intaglio technique which uses chemical action to produce incised lines in a metal printing plate. The plate is prepared with an acid-resistant ground. Lines are drawn through the ground, exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid and the exposed metal is 'bitten', producing incised lines. The resist is removed and ink applied to the sunken lines, but wiped from the surface. The plate is then placed against damp paper and passed through an intaglio press with great pressure to transfer the ink from the recessed lines, which also receives the "plate mark" common to all intaglio prints. Sometimes ink may be left on the plate surface to provide a background tone.
Aquatint
This technique is so called because its finished prints often resemble watercolours or wash drawings. It is a favourite method of printmakers to achieve a wide range of tonal values. The technique consists of exposing the plate to acid through a layer (or sometimes successive layers) of resin or sugar. The acid bites the plate only in the spaces between the resin particles, achieving a finely and evenly pitted surface that yields broad areas of tone when the grains are washed off and the plate is inked and printed. A great many tones can be achieved on a single plate by exposing different areas to different acid concentrations or different exposure times. Aquatint techniques are generally used in combination with etching or engraving to achieve linear definition.
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