Etching and aquatint on paper, 30.2 x 20.2 cm, private collection Etching begins by scratching an image with a burin through a protective coating into a thin metal plate. The velvety darks are created by the effect of the burred-edged lines.įrancisco Goya, Corrección, 1799. A fine example of dry point is seen in Rembrandt’s Clump of Trees with a Vista. Characteristically these prints have strong line quality and exhibit a slightly blurred edge to the line as the result of burrs created in the process of incising the plate, similar to clumps of soil laid to the edge of a furrowed trench. In dry point, the artist creates an image by scratching the burin directly into a metal plate (usually copper), without etching the plate before printing. Paper is laid over the plate and put through a press under high pressure, forcing the ink to be transferred to the paper.Įxamples of the intaglio process include etching and dry point. Drypoint on paper, 12.4 x 21.1 cm, British Museum, London Intaglio prints such as etchings, are made by incising channels into a copper or metal plate with a sharp instrument called a burin to create the image, inking the entire plate, then wiping the ink from the surface of the plate, leaving ink only in the incised channels below the surface. I suppose that, as a beginner, I am trying to get the most out of materials that are inexpensive and easy to work (and making mistakes is easier to learn from without too many tears!).Rembrandt, Clump of Trees with a Vista, 1652. I have started adding monoprint to the process to develop a more expressive range of texture and hue. I had earlier tried getting fine lines in relief but with lino the remaining material is too weak to hold the pressure during printing and the lino crushes enfeebling the line! It means I have to rethink the laying etc but provides a strong contrast, if required, again the areas of relief.
It worked beautifully and has the advantage for me, if I get the registration right (something I am still refining) of ‘keying in’ the rest of the relief process. I used a fine “V” cutter so the ink wouldn’t be pulled out during the wiping off of excess ink. I read that one of my favorite artists, Eric Gill, had used woodcuts as an intaglio process and discussed this with my teacher she seemed a/be-mused to start with but we used a standard moistened paper with oil-based ink with additional pressure on the press. I recently began printmaking starting with (mostly) linocuts and drypoint. Good luck to anyone who wants to give it a go. I make allowances to fit the weather on the day (today was showery, but breezy) and go by ”feel”. Sounds easy,but, as we well know, it takes practice. Hot off the press! Lifting the print from the plateĭi, this is the basics. Add a little more pressure to the press to pick up the intaglio colours. Rolling the top colour Roll relief colour onto the surface. Polishing the plate, keeping the hand as flat as possibleĪfter a second polishing with newsprint The plate now ready for a top roll of the final colour Inking Place colour into the incisions using a stippling brush, soft spatula, or with fingers.Īny surface colour can be blotted with newsprint
Seasoning the plate “Season” the lino block by wiping over with a linseed oiled cloth. Intaglio colours need to be thinner than the relief colour. Lino cut must not be deep or you will risk “bleeding” of ink under pressure. Putting colour into a relief print in one easy technique for lino printing. (with encouragement from Tammy and Vincent) ( We have assumed some knowledge of printmaking terminology.)Ī guest post, written and demonstrated by Heather Walker.
My friend, Heather, who taught me lino printing, agreed to demonstrate her method while I flashed the Fuji. It would certainly be a good test of my wonky arm!
But I’d like to try this by hand, using something like rice paper. Access to a press is certainly preferable, if not essential, mainly because we use heavy paper. I had my two penn’orth, saying that colourful intaglio prints could be produced from lino blocks, a medium usually regarded as relief. Vivien and Robyn asked me to explain a method I had been shown.Īnd did being a novice stop me from wading in? No! Of course not. There has recently been some discussion on several blogs of different techniques used by printmakers.