The plate is about three times the thickness of the copper foil used by crafters, make registration for the second colour really difficult. I’ve had it through the press ten times and it seems to be holding out really well.
Print from electro-type plate Read More »
I made a silicon mold from one of my old plates, coated the inner surface with conductive paint and placed it as a cathode in an electrolytic cell using copper sulphate as an electrolyte. Copper formed on the inside of the mold making an exact copy of the original plate.
Print from electro-type plate and two more prints Read More »
I took four prints from each plate. The textures achieved with electro-etch respond best to being treated the same way as collagraph matrix. I’ve also been using a technique that Andrew Baldwin describes as ‘double drop’, a plate is first printed in one colour then over printed in a second colour from the same plate.
another day in the print studio making prints Read More »
The plates that these prints are made from started life as electro-etch test pieces. They are all made from electro-etched aluminium. It is a soft metal that etches deeply and in the areas of open bite provides a tooth that holds ink really well. Peter Wray, in his article on saline sulphate etching in Print Making
Adding a new print to a growing series Read More »
I have been spending a lot more time in the print studio recently and have had two insights: Printmaking requires a level of mindfulness that I aspire towards rather than have achieved. Life is far to short for editioning. There were others of a more personal and negative disposition about competence but…
Spending time in the print studio Read More »
This zinc plate has been allowed to corrode all the way through in places. The original batteries made to produce electricity in the 1830s were made by hanging a plate of copper and one of zinc in a solution of copper sulphate. Thomas Spencer observed that copper was deposited on the copper plate (the cathode,
Etching Is The Control Of Corrosion Read More »
The copper plates that these prints were taken from have been both electro-etched and plated. The top of the plate for the first print was roughly plated with steel around the etched copper circle. By combining etching and plating processes the plates are sculpted and are more like collagraphs than traditional etched plates.
Alternative Mark-making Prints Read More »
My research programme is moving into territory that is more satisfying and familiar to me. At last I’m beginning to make work again. Having explored and become familiar with the technology of electro-etching I can now play with its mark making potential. It is possible to etch plates in the traditional manner by replacing acid
Exploring Electro-etching Mark Making Read More »
Bringing together copper and charred wood. The Skull is an example of electro-forming using on a 3D printed mandrel The Buddha’s face used the electro-typing process.
Further explorations Read More »
