A long overdue revisitation

Along A Path, 2011 (intaglio and aquatint)

I’ve just signed up —at long last— for another printmaking class! Difficult to believe it’s been seven years since my scholarship to learn copperplate etching (intaglio) at Manhattan Graphics Center, which was my first and only foray into this fantastic ancient method of picture-making.

The class begins in November, with my same instructor as last time. I’ve still got a huge slab of copper which I didn’t get to last time, and I hope it’s still in good nick. Gotta check out my supplies to see what else I’ll need to resume the practice.

This time, I’m keen to get more exploratory in my work. In 2011 I focused on pieces that were intricately detailed and traditional (as you can see from these two prints). My approach involved a lot of hand work, using a magnifying glass to see as I worked. It was incredibly time-consuming, even before the acid-etching stage— which is where a lot of magic can happen, much like going into the darkroom with one’s negatives.

This time around I want to be more loose, try not to go down these rabbit-holes of squiggly detail so much. Particularly as I’m working full time now, which means less time for those epic sessions compounded over weeks of detail-chasing!

I’m excited to get back to it. It’ll be coming right on the heels of Inktober, so the next couple of months should be much more fruitful  here, artwork-wise. Stay tuned, and follow me if you’re interested.

A Cottage under Snow, 2011 (intaglio and aquatint)

Here is the plate in progress; you can see why I needed a magnifying lens, no?