Experimenting: "Open Bite" Etching

Experimenting: "Open Bite" Etching

I have used aluminium on a number of occasions for dry point etching. It is soft enough to be able to scratch into the surface relatively easily. However, last year, I used aluminium in an experiment for etching and aquatint. The disadvantage is that aluminium does not produce a "white" finish and sometimes has some imperfections. However, I find that images produced from aluminium often have a lot of character.

I was going to repeat this experiment for an image I wanted to create of a creek at South Ferriby, where I had seen some old boats moored up to a rickety set of ancient landing stages, and which were exposed due to low tide. The mud around the boats was also an interesting feature.

However, talking to a colleague I learned that aluminium, can also be used for an "open bite" process, which eliminates the use of the aquatint box process. Tone is produced by "stopping out" the tonal areas, the lightest tone first, by immersing the aluminium plate direct into a bath of copper sulphate to etch direct into the tonal areas. I thought that it would be a good idea to experiment with this process and see what the outcome would be.

Process

I applied a hard ground to my piece of aluminium and then used my dry point tool to scratch my image into the surface. I then plunged the plate into the bath of copper sulphate for 20 minutes for the initial etching. This produced a line drawing, however, the image was very poor, possibly due to my not scratching hard enough into the hard ground, the imperfections of the aluminium, or that I had not left it long enough in the copper sulphate.

 

(1) Initial Line Etching

Anyway, I felt that the image was good enough for me to proceed to the next stage. I considered that I could use the process of adding tone to try and enhance the image.

I used "stop out" varnish to highlight the key areas where the light was falling, and then immersed the plate back in the copper sulphate. I then repeated the process to create a mid tone, and the darkest areas, leaving the plate in to edge for the final time for about 30 minutes.

Outcome

(2) Tone Added using the "Open Bite" method

When I printed the image I was surprised at what a good print I had created using this process. This outcome was especially pleasing considering how "bad" the initial print had turned out. The "open bite" process had successfully added not only tone, but also clarified the image, which had been very poor to begin with.

Future Use

I will use this method again where I want to create tone and character on an aluminium plate. It proved that I do not have to use the aquatint box to do this. The process will be useful to create good tonal effects, and also to help create "mood". It makes a line drawing more interesting and challenging. I will still use zinc for more "formal" or detailed results, and where I want to create really white areas.

Experimenting: Combining Techniques

Experimenting: Combining Techniques

Dry Point Etching and Screen Printing

When I have made my dry point etchings I have often wondered how I could enhance the image by the addition of another technique - for example to add colour or enhance the theme or mood.

I decided to try an experiment with my dry point etching of an old rope and driftwood which I found at
South Ferriby. (see post of 24 January, 2019).

The rope had a natural swing to it and a lot of atmosphere with its tasselled end where the rope had begun to unravel over time. I felt that the image conjured up feelings of the sea, ships, and the passage of time. I wanted to evoke a feeling of days gone by, the English coast,  and the work of mariners who used such ropes in their every day life.

I felt that the addition of some soft blues, yellows and browns would complement the subject - and  thoughts of sand, sea and worn, aged driftwood.

Stage 1

Transferring the image of the dry point etching onto a screen print.

Fortunately the image was sufficiently clear to transfer well onto the screen and I printed a test in black to check the result.

 

Dry print transferred onto a screen print

Stage 2

I selected a number of subtle acrylic screen print inks to reflect my aims of evoking the seashore and boats - soft yellow, pale umber and a sludgy blue.

I placed the image under a blank screen and painted some shapes on the screen to reflect the subject matter below. I then pulled the screen print down a number of times to create different coloured effects and shapes on the paper below, using the "open screen" printing process.

I then placed the screen with the image of the rope and driftwood over the coloured images and used black ink to pull down the image onto the pre-prepared coloured images which I inserted below.

Outcome

The images all came out well and had a feeling of nostalgia of sea, sand and days gone by - feelings of a lost maritime industry which pervades the east coast of England.

 

 

 

I learned a lot during this experiment:

- I can re-use this technique for a number of my other prints where I want to enhance mood or add colour.
-The way that the printing ink is applied freely using the "open screen" process added movement and life to the print.
- The technique allows for different interpretations through the addition of different colours or shapes during the open screen process.
- I will be able to link the effects with my research into landscape and the work of other artists, such as Prunella Clough and Elizabeth Blackadder.

Future use

I feel that the combination of the two processes can enhance my practice, particularly as it allows my hand made images (dry points, drawings etc) to be transposed onto a screen. This means that I can make many copies and then experiment and manipulate them to add background shapes and colour to get different effects. The process also adds an air of life and spontaneity to the images.

Work Planning

Work Planning

 

My Studio

Unfortunately, since January I have been suffering from a number of health issues and ended up in hospital with pneumonia. I am only now just starting to get back to normal -  although I have tried to carry on with my practice as much as possible. Now I am concentrating on making up for lost time and cracking on with the practical side of my practice. I have been thinking of the best way forward, and set out my plan below.

Key points

I intend to really focus on my key theme. Following on from my previous research and ideas, I now  summarise my main area of interest:

Practice Statement (summary)

I am interested in how human activity  relates to and interacts with the natural landscape. Ways of life such industry, housing and leisure impose themselves onto the land, but nature often finds ways of fighting back and surviving. Things left behind get taken over, and plants and trees blend in to soften edges and add comfort to an otherwise hard landscape. It is this concept and process which informs my practice.

Way forward

- To explore exciting and interesting themes from the ideas based on my practice statement

- To seek out and identify examples of the complementary and survival process of nature

- To use site specific examples to hone in on the theme (currently South Ferriby)

- To experiment and play with painting, drawing, and printmaking, using a range of processes and media

- To continue to research and learn from other practitioners in my field.

Specifics

Drawing

- To create a number of pen and ink drawings on the theme, ranging in content, format and size. Possibly making larger drawings to cover a wall to emphasise the way nature takes over, or to create a scroll, which unwinds to depict the local flat landscape.

Painting

- To paint a series of works using a limited palette, to play with colour and stimulate my ability, knowledge and expertise in this area. I shall experiment with oil paints due to their flexibility, working on canvas or board.

Print Making

Printmaking is very technical. I aim to concentrate on experimenting in the following areas;
- dry point etching
- etching with acid on hard and soft grounds
- aquatint (process to add tone)
- screen printing, concentrating on exploring the best use of my drawing and painting skills
- adding colour through various methods
- possibly aiming to create an artist's book from some of my works

Change and Development

As I move forward with my practice, it is probable that my ideas and expertise will develop further and change and grow.

My blog will follow my progress.

Experimenting with chine collé

Chine Collé

I want to do some experiments which add colour to my prints. Chine collé is a technique where thin coloured paper is adhered to the printing paper during the printing process. Sometimes thin  coloured Japanese paper is used, but for these experiments I just used coloured tissue paper which one can buy from a stationer or art shop.

I decided to use the print of the heron I had previously done, which is a dry point etching. The heron is standing in water, and so I thought that I could try and get the effect of water by using the coloured tissue. A print of the heron is shown below, which I had simply printed in black ink.

For my experiments with Chine collé I inked up the plate as normal with black ink. I then used different pieces of tissue, cut or torn into different shapes, for a number of prints, to see which worked the best. I placed the tissue on top of the inked plate and then applied a thin layer of glue (pritt stick, with water) to the tissue paper. I then laid the plate on the printing press with the glued tissue paper uppermost, placing the printing paper on top. I then rolled the plate through the press. The pressure of the printing press adheres the glued side of the tissue to the paper. The results are shown below.

 

 

 

 

Conclusions

 

I started with a piece of tissue which covered the whole of the printing paper and then gradually reduced the amount of tissue I applied, to obtain different effects and depths of water. I felt that the shade of blue which I used for the two first prints was too bright, so I changed to the lighter shade for the rest of the experiment. I think that this is an improvement as the colour is more natural. I concluded that the last two prints (shown above) have come out the best. The colour is more natural and the shapes are discreet and blend in with the ripples of the water. I will definitely use this process again as I believe that the results are subtle, but effective. Next time, I would like to experiment with Japanese paper (if I can get hold of some), as I believe that the colours do not fade over time (which may happen to the tissue).

 

Recent work: the Cement Works, South Ferriby

The Cement Works, South Ferriby

Screen prints

After my research on the screen printing process and the work of Andy Warhol, I worked on a photographic screen print of the Cement Works at South Ferriby, which forms a dominant feature on the banks of the river Ancholme, at the outlet to the Humber. I learned the photographic screen print process and how to use the equipment.  I experimented using black and then different colours. The results were quite effective (see below).

I then decided that I wanted to experiment with the same subject matter, but using a different printing medium which would require the use of further skills. I also felt that the factory was very tonal, and so thought about how best to achieve that result.

Etching and Aquatint

The factory sits in a prominent site and can be clearly  seen from both banks of the Humber. Sometimes the tall chimney emits smoke which mingles with the light effects of the sky, especially interesting on a cloudy day. Its reflections play on the water beneath. I wanted to capture the sheer size of the cement works, its dominant silhouette against the skyline, reflections in the river beneath, and dramatic light within a cloudy sky. I wanted to contrast a different technique to the screen print to achieve this outcome.

Stage 1: Etching on a hard ground using a zinc plate

I thought that I could bring out more detail of the structure of the factory by drawing direct with an etching needle. The outline was very important, together with the shapes of the separate parts of the building. I also wanted to capture the overhead conveyor belt, with the light coming through the structure. These factors pointed to me using a hard ground on a zinc plate into which I could scratch the required details. I made a print which illustrates the outcome of this first stage (below).

I was reasonably satisfied with the outcome, as it achieved the dominant effect of the factory which I was looking for, and incorporated the required detail. There is less detail in places where I wanted to create tone, which I left blank to work on during Stage 2. However, there were some scratch marks which appeared on the production of the print, which I was disappointed with. I wondered whether the plate had got scratched while I transported it, but I had carefully wrapped it up. Talking to others, including the printing technician, I think that the cause was more likely to do with the initial cleaning of the plate and the product I used - the technician had had a similar problem recently. So, in the future, I will have to be more careful what products I use to avoid creating any scratch marks.

Stage 2 : Aquatint using Nitric Acid

To create tone, I applied a "stopping out agent" - straw hat varnish - using a paint brush in five separate processes. Using the paint brush, freehand, with no prior drawing created a  "painterly" effect. The first stage created white areas as the "stop out" prevents the nitric acid bath from penetrating through to that area of the plate. At the same time the acid reacts with the exposed areas to etch further into the plate at each stage gradually creating darker effects. Overall, the plate went into the acid for a total of just over four minutes, which resulted in black for the final etching process. The stages were as follows:

1. 3/4 seconds (white)
2. 5 seconds (light grey)
3. 8 seconds (mid grey)
4. 20 seconds (dark grey)
5. 3 minutes 30 seconds (black)

I made a first proof to check the outcome (illustrated below).

I was quite pleased with the outcome as on the whole it achieved my goals - the mass and volume of the buildings, details of the structure, tonal qualities and atmosphere. The scratch marks can still be seen, but are less evident after the application of the aquatint. I felt that the process had suited the subject matter, producing good tones and atmosphere and I learned a lot from the process which I can use in the future. I felt that it was constructive to try a different technique for the same subject matter, as it produced a totally different result. Being drawn by hand gave the etching a uniqueness which the photographic screen print lacked, to some extent.

Recent Works, Drypoint Etchings and Screen prints

Dry Point Etchings

I have been looking at the site at South Ferriby to examine what evidence exists to describe some of its functions as a channel for navigation. Apart from the locks and marina, there are a number of interesting items around the lock gates which indicate the importance of the River Ancholme, such as, small landing stages, bollards, ropes, chains and driftwood. I have used dry point etching and screen prints to capture some of these things which have been "left behind".

Derelict Jetty I, Screen print

Influences – Wyeth (subject matter), Warhol (technique)

Photographic Screen print in black, over-printed with colour

Derelict jetty II, Screen print

Influences - Wyeth (magic realism) and Warhol (technique)

Photographic screen print, printed in colour only to produce a “magical” effect.

Derelict jetty III, oil study on board

Inspiration – Wyeth, Turner, (light and technique)

 

Suitable for a larger oil painting

 

 

Derelict Jetty IV, dry point etching

Inspiration – Melvyn Petterson (dry point), Wyeth (magic realism)

 

 Abandoned Ropes, dry point etching on paper, using Perspex plate (Perspex gives a “cleaner” finish than aluminium)

Influences - Prunella Clough, Wyeth (subject matter/etching), Melvyn Petterson (drypoint)

I have transferred this image onto a screen print, with the intention of combining the two techniques and adding colour.

Driftwood, dry point etching on paper, using Perspex plate

Influences - Prunella Clough (subject matter/etching), Melvyn Petterson (dry point), Wyeth

The ropes and driftwood are from the banks of the River Ancholme, near the outlet to the Humber Estuary

 

 

Romanticism, JWM Turner and visit to Exhibition of works by Norman Ackroyd

Romanticism

Romanticism is a very different approach to the Realism we have just been looking at. It demonstrates the shift in attitude away from the dominant classical tradition which tried to evoke the landscape of classical Greece and Rome. In British art, Romanticism was embraced in new responses to nature in the art of John Constable and J.M.W. Turner, and it has a lasting legacy, even with contemporary artists. As Sharma points out, we are all influenced by our culture and the past.

 JMW Turner (1775-1851)

Andrew Wilton’s book, “Turner in his time” (2006 edition) examines Turner’s influence and his “endlessly innovatory career” (Wilton, p. 11). Turner often shocked his contemporaries with his loose brushwork and vibrant colour palette while portraying the development of the modern world unlike any other artist at the time. He was a strong influence towards Impressionism.

Turner’s later career is examined in the book, Late Turner: Painting Set Free (2014) which was produced to accompany an exhibition of the same name which I went to see at Tate Britain.

I have chosen the two images below to demonstrate Turner’s approach to Romanticism, and his later development of looser brushwork, attention to light and colour and the onset of industrialisation.

Norham Castle, Sunrise, 1845, depicts a romanticised vision of the English countryside, designed to vividly portray the natural drama and intensity of the landscape. Pure colours rather than contrasting tones express the blazing light as the historic building and landscape merge. With the inclusion of the castle in the background, it still bears echoes of the “Ideal” or Classical landscape of the previous era.

However, Turner was early to depict the onset of industrialisation.  In Rain, Steam and Speed – The Great Western Railway, 1844, Turner captures the new means of transport, possibly symbolising speed itself, but also at the same time portraying the sublime elements of nature.

I believe that Turner continues to be relevant today. When I try, for instance, to capture fleeting clouds above a factory chimney, or reflections on the water, Turner’s brushwork and use of light is still a good reference point.

JWM Turner, Norham Castle, Sunrise, 1845, oil on canvas, Tate Britain

Turner, Rain, Steam and Speed – The Great Western Railway, 1844, oil on canvas, National Gallery, London

Norman Ackroyd R.A. (b. 1938) Printmaker

Norman Ackroyd’s work demonstrates many elements of the Romantic movement, and its modern- day relevance. I have been to see his major new exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, “The Furthest Lands”. Ackroyd has described how he is inspired by the most outer reaches of the furthest lands, which were once inhabited, but now deserted, and bounded by nothing but sea. He sees remnants of life long ago, fields laid out for agriculture, but now abandoned. (Interview: Ackroyd with Superimpose Magazine, 2011, vimeo). In this respect, he picks up on Sharma’s theme about the changing landscape, and human intervention.

His aquatint etchings capture the wildness of the elements, rugged rocks and dangerous seas, using tone and energy to great effect, such as his etching, Cape Wrath, Sutherland, below.

Norman Ackroyd, Cape Wrath, Sutherland, 2011, The Furthest Lands, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 2018 , aquatint etching.

Conclusion

Through the arguments and examples set out above, I intend to progress my practice to the next level. I will build on the concept that the natural landscape has inevitably been modified by human intervention and culture. Using ideas and techniques that I learn from the artists I have identified, and by challenging what I see and depict, I will portray images that capture the essence of “place” through a range of paintings and prints.