- Feb 23, 2022

PRINTMAKING | Etching

Dodecahedron Beetle | Copper | Etching With Burnished Aquatint

Printmaking & Intaglio Artwork Icon 1 | Punctured Artefact

| Intaglio describes any printmaking technique in which the image is produced by incising into the printing plate – the incised line or area holds the ink and creates the image |

Printmaking & Intaglio Artwork Icon 2 | Punctured Artefact

|| Adventures In Printmaking ||

I am currently started to produce etchings. This is a little plate, from the geometric beetle series.

It is only 10 x 7 cm, so there is a lot of detail on this little plate.

It features a beetle within a dodecahedron. It combines geometry & nature.

Full Process Video

|| From Drawing to Print ||

Printmaking & Intaglio Artwork Icon 3 | Punctured Artefact

Process;

1. Digital Design

2. File & prepare the plate.

3. Draw onto plate

4. Etch the lines in stages (timing each weight of line)

5. Add more drawing details

6. Etch the details in stages (covering up the areas you don’t want etched )

7. Add the aquatint

8. Etch the aquatint in stages (covering up the areas you don’t want etched )

9. Clean the plate

10. Burnish the aquatint (to add highlights & lift the tone)

11. Prepare the ink, paper & etching press

12. Print!

• Created @spikeprintstudio

Tracing > Drawing > Aquatint Cleaning > Result

The plate printed a little too dark, as the aquatint came out very heavy. So, I decided to burnish the design. I used tools to reduce the tooth on the aquatint. This then created a range of lighter tones.

To do this, I used sandpaper & jewellers rouge across the whole design. I then shaved selected areas with a scraper. Finishing by polishing it with burnishers.

Here is a before & after

Tools

Before Burnishing After Burnishing

I think i still need to lift the tone here & there, before I print it , but that is for another day!

LINKS

SHOP

I am planning to release limited edition prints over 2022. The shop is set up. I just need to create the prints!

STUDIO

Heres a little look at my workspace, as you can see it is rather tiny & I have to do my leather art, digital art, tattoo design & printing in the same space, So I have to be quite methodical!