Printmaking: Drypool Bridge (1) and (2)

Printmaking: Drypool Bridge (1) and (2)

 

Drypool Bridge (1)

 

Etching, nitric acid on zinc with aquatint

 

 

Drypool Bridge (2)

 

Etching, copper sulphate on aluminium with aquatint

 

Introduction

I decided that it would be a good idea to make some prints on the same subject matter as my paintings. Doing so will give me the opportunity to really get to know my subject better. I can look at the compositions from different angles and the printmaking side of my practice will help inform my painting and vice versa.

Drypool Bridge was a good place to start.

Methodology

Drypool Bridge (1)

I took a small piece of zinc and decided to make a print from a similar viewpoint as my painting. This process helped both in getting to know the subject matter better and with the conceptualisation of the painting.

As the structure of the bridge necessitates the use of a lot of straight lines, I used a ruler to guide me. However, the use of the ruler created a number of scratches on the surface of the hard ground medium which then etched into the plate. I learnt from this, either to not use a ruler, to be more careful in the use of a ruler, or to buy a cork-backed ruler, which a fellow artist recommended to me.

In spite of the scratches, the print came out quite well and I can live with the outcome.

Drypool Bridge (2)

This time I used a larger (A4) piece of aluminium to create a similar image, but from a different viewpoint.

I used a soft ground and etched the plate with copper sulphate.

The results were most disappointing. The plate was in the copper sulphate for a very long time, but did not etch well at all. The proof print resulted in just a series of deeply etched dots and the image could scarcely be made out.

To try and rescue something from the print, I then put an aquatint onto the plate and painted stop out varnish where the image was missing and etched it again in stages.

At the inking stage I really had to press hard to get the ink into all of the deeply etched dots (otherwise it resulted in a series of white dots where the ink had failed to penetrate).

Despite the initial failure, the aquatint saved the situation from disaster and the final print has a lot of atmosphere.

Overview

The general idea of making prints of similar themes and images as my painting is a good one. It enables me to really explore and get to know the topic better, sometimes from different view points.

I learnt to be careful with the use of a ruler and how to deal with the situation in the future (cork-backed ruler if use is necessary).

The problem with the etching of the second print and the use of the copper sulphate remains a mystery. I have not encountered this problem before. It was suggested to me that the cause may have been the temperature of the copper sulphate solution (too cold).

The problem has made me hesitant to use aluminium and copper sulphate again in the near future and I will probably concentrate on zinc and nitric acid which is less temperamental.