A Print For Your Thoughts?

Dear Readers, I apologise for my sudden AWOL, I have had exams and crazy deadlines for the last few weeks and as a result I haven't had much time to dedicate to a set blog post. But I have returned now... And I actually have some new work to share!

So, at the University of Witwatersrand (In Johannesburg, South Africa, for those of you abroad), I am currently doing a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts as a second year student. For the practical elements of the course (where you should hypothetically make stuff), we have two "classes". The first one is FINE ARTS and the second one is DESIGN AND DRAWING.  So for the second half of this semester, we did Printmaking and Sculpture,,, Let's just say it was a messy and time consuming... And exhausting...

But now at the end of it I have new skills and new work to share... So enjoy dear readers!

PRINTMAKING

INTAGLIO ETCHING

So this was the first technique we learnt: Drypoint etching
In a nutshell, you use a sharp metal instrument, like a nail, to scratch lines into a metal sheet like copper or zinc, you then put ink on the plate so it goes into all the lines you've carved into the metal, and you wipe off the rest of the ink. You print the plate and voila! 

Hardground Etching
So this is a technique I preferred to drypoint. So basically, you put a layer of this stuff called Hardground onto your metal plate. It is acid-resistant and water-proof. Using a sharp metal implement, you draw your image into the plate. The areas where you scratch the hardground reveal the metal underneath. Once you're done drawing, you submerge the plate into a bath of acid, which etches (or digs) into the metal plate. You take off the hardground layer, clean your plate and ink up.

Aquatint 
This was by far my favourite technique and is quite like painting in its final effect. You put a light layer of aquatint, which is made up of either rosin particles (or spray-paint for us art students) onto your metal plate. This layer resists the acid for an amount of time and allows you to work in layers. Using what is called stop-out, you cover up areas of tone on your plate, one tone at a time. For example, all the areas you want to stay white will be covered first. Then you etch the plate. Then you put another layer of stop-out, then you etch again... building up the tones with each layer. 

Combination Print: Aquatint and hardground
By far the most successful print, this was completed mostly in aquatint with some refined detail added in hardground.

So dear readers, those were the outcomes of my printmaking course. I will share my sculpture work soon, I just need to sort out all of the imagery.

Until we meet again

Talia