Etchings
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Arrangement in Black & White - edition of 25
6h x 10w - matted to 11x14 $75 |
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Etchings are printed from metal plates which have had the image cut into them using acid. A zinc or copper plate is coated with an acid-resistant ground, then the image is drawn through the ground using a pointy scribe to expose the metal. The plate is submerged in an acid bath, and the exposed areas will bite, causing lines to appear on the plate. The length of time in the bath, and the strength of the acid determine the darkness of the lines bitten. Other textures and grey areas can be accomplished with other acid-resistant grounds such as aquatint or soft-ground.
Etchings are printed intaglio. Oil-based ink is forced into the low areas of the plate, and the top surface is wiped clean.
The finished, inked plate is passed through an etching press with a sheet of dampened paper to transfer the image. The damp paper is soft enough to press into the low areas of the plate and pick up the ink.
Because an etching plate is a fixed matrix, the plate can be re-inked, and an edition of identical prints can be made. My editions are usually limited to 25 or fewer, and numbered as such.