As part of the Wrexham Print Centres Harts heath Project I have made an electrotyped plate of a workbench that was estimated as being first used in the early nineteenth century. Unfortunately I was only able to take an impression from a small part of it before the bench was removed to a museum. The image on the left is the reverse of the plate which is still attached to the mould and on the right is the part of the bench from which the impression was taken from.
Author Archives: donbraisby
Electrolysis use in ceramic art
Copper & Corrosion
Electrotyped plates for series of prints Hartsheath Textures and Colours
Frances Carlile’s Sculpture
Picture from Frances of the second piece of hers that we plated on Friday 11th.
Working with Frances Carlile
Electro-forming some sculptures made by Frances Carlile from blackthorn branches.
Photograph shows one of Frances’s pieces ‘Breakwater’ standing on a piece of mine entitled ‘Tide’ Really fun creative day.
Electro-Etching Workshop June 2018
Electro-etching with Andrew Baldwin and Don Braisby
An integrated safer & less toxic approach to etching
31 May & 1 June 2018
10:00am-4:00pm
This workshop will demonstrate the mark making potential of combining the use of electro-etching and the safer etching processes and techniques developed and taught by Andrew Baldwin. Electro-etching provides a safe, cost effective and creative replacement for acid etching and its alternatives. The combination of the safer etching techniques and electro-etching makes it possible to etch in an open studio and to teach etching in the classroom.
This is a practical hands-on workshop
Workshops aim:
- Provide a simple introduction to the theory and practice of electro-etching and safer etching.
- Introduce the equipment needed for electro-etching and plating, how to set it up and use it safely.
- Creative plate making using safer methods and processes to; lay grounds, aquatint plates, spit bite and sugar lift.
- Proofing and printing plates in two colours.
- Introduced participants to electroforming and electrotyping as a potential process in printmaking, jewellery and sculpture.
Objectives:
- Participants will have gained a working knowledge of electro-etching and the use of safer etching processes and techniques to use in their print making practice.
- Provide feedback for post-doctoral research.
http://www.printmakingstudio.co.uk/
Non-members £140.00/Members £90.00
Booking essential (via email or telephone)
Print from stereotype plate
This is one of the first prints off the stereotyped plate from earlier entries in my research blog. The plate was inked up using Hayter’s viscosity method, the second colour being silver, the first being cadmium yellow deep hue . The plate is very heavily embossed, it has been through the press about twenty times and is holding out well and will certainly be good for a large edition if it was required.
Stereotyped plate
The final plate has 88g of deposited copper. It will require levelling off on the underside with fibre glass filler or a low temperature metal such as pewter. Three possibilities for inking up stand out, either viscosity printing, Andrew Baldwin’s double drop technique, or as a collagraph ‘a la poupee’ .
Stereotype progress
Over the last twelve hours a total of 37g has been deposited on the mandrel. The pure copper has a magical colour and to my eye it is an object of beauty in itself.
I have used the stereotype process in the past to copy etching plates, this is the first time I have used it to make a plate with the intention of printing from it. This is the back of the plate that will need to be packed to prevent the soft copper from collapsing when it passes through the press. The plan is to continue the plating process for twelve to twenty-four hours.