etching

DryPoint Printing

The final workshop in the printing workshops was looking at the idea of etching and drypoint printing. This was process was done in uni as the tools needed were very professional and needed to be supervised. However, to start with we had to begin by engraving into the plastic plate using the etching the tool, the idea of doing this is so that ink would soak into the markings and transfer onto the paper. I have done dry point printing in the past and before didn't really like the outcome as i felt there was pressure to stick to a realistic style. However, this time i wanted to focus on my own style with some more simple lines so i could focus on the pattern and line work within the print. I focused on a landscape environment with a very natural feel and a heavier foreground. I really liked the composition of this design and felt it really worked to help create the overall environment i was trying to capture.

Once i had finished my plate i was ready for the actual printing method of the workshop, during this workshop we were shown how it would be done including the process of applying and removing th eink, prepping the paper and then pressing using the large press. It was important during this process that the paper we used was damp, not soaked yet still had moisture so the ink could be absorbed and transferred from the plate. 

Overall I really enjoyed this process and felt the overall look was successful, however if i was to improve i would try and be more tidy within my ink removal as well as maybe experimenting with leaving some to create some depth and highlights within the image.