Description
'Tomatoes' - 2 plate Colour Etching on Somerset Paper Number 13 of a limited run of 35 Deep Blue & Red Print size 9.5" x 12" ( 24cm x 30cm ) Paper size 14" x 16" ( 36cm x 40cm ) UNFRAMED FREE SHIPPING All etchings are hand inked & pulled by me using traditional printmaking techniques. Etching The term etching can cover a variety of techniques, but usually refers to the corrosion of a metal plate using acid to produce a line. My etchings follow a very traditional method. Preparing the plates. For this print i have made two plates.I clean my two zinc plates using ammonia & whiting to remove all the grease, i then paint sugar lift on to each plate to create the images i want to etch. A liquid varnish is then poured over the designs & once that has set, i rub away the sugar lift solution. I am then left with the line i have created with the sugar lift. I am then ready to aquatint my plates. Aquatint. Here i am using the aquatint to create my etching. I apply a fine dust called rosin made traditionally from pine resin to each plate. A cloud of rosin is created in a large box using a paddle, then as the fine dust falls I put in my plates. Like snow, the rosin settles on to the zinc & without disturbing the dust the plates are removed from the box. Using a blow torch to heat the under side of the metal, the rosin is melted onto each plate. When the plates are placed in the acid bath, the unprotected zinc is eaten away, leaving the tiny protected dots of the aquatint untouched. The longer the plate is left in the acid, the darker the tint. Taking the print. I then work ink into the grooves left on the plates by the etching process. I ink my first plate in red & the second in blue. With a muslin cloth the excess ink is wiped off, leaving the ink only in the grooves. Placing the inked zinc plate face up on the printing press, pre dampened paper is carefully laid on top then layers of felt. This sandwich is then forced between two steel rollers. The paper is pushed in to the grooves at such a force it pulls out all the ink. After the first plate has been pressed the second plate is carefully laid on top of the first print, making sure the edges are lined up with it. Again the print is rolled through the press creating a two colour print. There is nothing better than revealing the finished print. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, i'd love to hear from you. I have sold my work to clients in America, Canada, Australia & throughout Europe. To visit my shop, please go to https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EllaCarty You can also see what else i have been up to on my blog: www.ellacarty.com Red & Blue Abstract Art Print "Tomatoes'
