Lija At Dusk
A typically rustic village scene in rural Malta.
An Etching is a handmade print from an etched metal plate; the artwork/design on the plate having been created and engraved by the artist.
THE NATURE OF HANDMADE PRINTS FROM THE SAME PLATE:
Printmaking is versatile; a print from the same plate can be produced by the artist using a different colour of ink or a blend of coloured inks.
PRINTMAKING: HANDMADE PRINTS:
Printmaking; (not to be confused with Giclee, commercial and affordable, digitally reproduced colour copies of an original painting) is a highly physical, time consuming and industrial process – hence the term, Handmade! Therefore, Each Handmade Print is an original so no 2 pressings from the same plate, no matter how hard one tries, is going to be identical to the other. They are pricier for a reason!
You can place an order on another handmade print, then I can get one pressed for you.
TO ORDER A HANDMADE PRINT WHICH IS OUT OF STOCK, I WILL NEED A DEPOSIT:
In order to prepare and etch a plate, and to use the Print Press, I have to hire Kew Studio for the day so that I can use their equipment. If you’d like a particular handmade print, but it is Out Of Stock, contact me to place an order so that I can book a slot at Kew and get one produced. To do this, I will need a small deposit!
AN IN DEPTH DESCRIPTION:
THE INTAGLIO PRINTMAKING PROCESS:
The opposite of Relief Printing, Intaglio; (of which Etching/Aquatint&Mezzotint) are a part), is an image or design incised or engraved into a metal plate by the artist for the purpose of making handmade prints.
WHAT IS AN ETCHING?:
Etching is part of the Intaglio family and began in the 14th Century as a way of decorating metal, but was only used for printmaking from around the early 16th Century. An Etching is a Handmade Print from an etched metal plate; the artwork/design on the plate having been composed and engraved by the artist.
The plate is prepared with an acid resistant ground. Lines are drawn into the ground exposing the metal. The metal plate is then submerged acid that ‘bites’ into the drawn lines creating incisions. The acid resist is removed and ink is applied to the sunken lines; the excess ink is wiped from the surface of the plate which is then placed against paper and passed through a printing press with great pressure to transfer the ink from the incised lines.
WHAT IS AN AQUATINT?:
Like Etching, the Aquatint is part of the Intaglio Process and began in France during the 1760’s and became popular in Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Unlike Etching which uses lines, Aquatint is tonal. Fine particles of acid resistant rosin (bitumen) are attached to a metal plate by heating. The plate is submerged acid just like Etching. The acid eats into the metal around the particles creating an opaque granular texture which holds the ink to give the effect of an area of wash when inked and printed. Gradations of tone are created by varnishing the areas that you would want to have the least exposure to the acid; in other words, the lighter or white areas.