Through the week,
Susan, Steph,
Barry and I got together at our place to practice the copper sulphate etching on aluminium plates that we had tested out
back in July. All of us are members of Maleny Printmakers and all of us are feeling under the pump with regard to preparing the plates and prints necessary to make it to the exhibition in November!
Making art is often a solitary process; yet I have really found that printmaking is one form that lends itself to being with others as you go along.
Certainly for me, having the others around inspired me, challenged me and encouraged me. We talk about things, chat about life, ask questions about what each other is doing and what we are trying to achieve and look over each other's shoulders as we etch or print, picking up nuggets of gold for next time...
I felt so good at the end of the day - I had reinforced some things about the printing process; had pushed myself into places I didn't originally think I would go - or at least places I had only ever dreamed about going - and had probably three plates I could really work with. Contented sigh.
This is the first proof I made - I have gone on to print ten of these - it is called Secrets
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| ©2013 Fiona Dempster - Secrets, etching proof and plate |
Another one that has gone on to be printed x 10 - called Temple Posts
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| ©2013 Fiona Dempster - Temple Posts, etching plate and proof |
I was really happy with this simple peace symbol. On the back of the plate I have the reverse - with a light symbol coming out of a dark background, very happy! I just keep seeing rainbow colours with this one and haven't yet managed to print any - but they are in my mind's eye!
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| ©2013 Fiona Dempster - Peace etching plate and proof |
And then the cleaned up plates - artworks in their own right...
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| ©2013 Fiona Dempster Temple Posts etching plates |
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| ©2013 Fiona Dempster Secrets etching plate |
A bundle of proofs - proof of a good day in the studio I say!
printmaking is a complete mystery to me..... which might be why I enjoy looking at prints! and how delightful all of these are ---- I think temple gates call to me most.....
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you can look and enjoy Ronnie - I find the whole process quite magical and mystical and look on with awe and wonder nearly every time I pull a print! It is tough for writing tho - all that reversing...
DeleteThese are so clear and simple and lovely and as you say the plates themselves are a work of art.
ReplyDeleteI love the plates Charlton and often want to frame them - but the I couldn't use them again. I was happy with where I got to - I feel like a novice printer so lots of excitement when things work out OK.
Deletebeautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lynn!
DeleteCan I come play? Pam too?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely - we're on again on Thursday!
DeleteI've always loved the plates as much as the prints... the Temple Posts plates are especially beautiful!
ReplyDeleteMe too Valerianna - and I like the temple posts as well - I think they worked!
DeleteHi Fiona! Amazing marks you were able to achieve plus the added bonus of the energy of a group environment. You've inspired me to try the copper sulfate etch. What do you use for stop-out on these plates? Regular stop-out varnish? Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jill - I was intrigued by how well the group thing went! But then again, we're all pretty relaxed, and OK about sharing. We used a variety of stop outs - shellac, bitumen, litho crayon and contact (sticky backed plastic stuff we used to cover books with...) I recall. Hope you have fun!
Deleteso BEAUTIFUL and have to use the word COOL as well!
ReplyDeleteThanks Wanda! Lovely to hear from you.
DeleteThere's something antique looking about those plates. What a productive day you had.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo - they look old and worn already don't they?
DeleteWhat a lovely crisp and clean etch these plates have Fiona. The temple plates are indeed works of art in their own right and the resulting prints make a lovely edition. Interesting means of stopping out in your response to Jill's comment. You make me want to explore this technique again. I did it once and it did not work out well but I have the copper sulphate and lots of aluminium plates so maybe this time..... I'll let you know!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lesley - the whole thing has come together beautifully with the plates and the images. The etch worked well and was fine enough, we did experiment with different amounts of time and so on...I hope you get to have another go; I really found the more I did the better I got at it. Plenty still to learn tho!
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