Exploring the Art Process

Last November we explored monotype and monoprints in the printmaking process, which are the simplest forms of fine art printmaking, where each piece is unique.

A Quick Review

Monotypes: the process requires an ink medium, a flat unmarked surface to work from, heavy paper, and a press. A monotype print is inherently unique since most of the ink is pulled from the plate surface during the first pressing. With the remaining ink on the plate there can be a second printing, often referred to as a ghost print. This second pass results in a lighter and less pigmented version of the original. Each subsequent pulled impression can be considered a finished piece, or there can be an addition of ink to enhance color or manipulate shapes.

Now let's take the process a bit further, and switch from that "unmarked" surface to a "marked" surface, and talk about etching in the printmaking process.

First, the etching process differs from the monotype process in that the monotype surface is smooth and not to be etched, leaving a non-reproducable work once the ink has been pulled away. Whereas with the etching process there is greater ability to retain the composition and to create duplications.

The etching work surface is typically either copper or zinc plates, a much sturdier surface than the plexiglass commonly used in monotypes. This process has been favored by artists for centuries, as its inscribing style is similar to drawing with pen and pencil. To begin the process a metal plate of copper or zinc is coated with a "ground" of wax with which an artist can cut, scratch and scrape a composition by drawing through the ground, thus exposing the metal. Those exposed areas of metal later become filled with ink and will depart the image onto the paper as it is pulled through the press.

Next the plate is immersed into an acid bath were the etching actually takes place. The acid bath chemically dissolves the metal in the exposed lines of the waxed surface. At this point an artist can determine the quality of marks exposed after the acid etching and refine the area by either going over the same areas again to increase the texture or pull back areas by sanding down and removing an etched area. Either way, it can be a labor-intensive medium!

In preparation for printing, the wax that was applied to the surface as a ground is removed, and the plate is inked and wiped clean, leaving just the etched areas with ink. The plate is then covered with a sheet of moistened paper and now is ready for the press. As it goes through the press, transferring the inked etched areas onto the paper, the pressure of the press also forces the paper down into the etched areas, leaving an impression of the etching into the paper.

Let's take a look at how local artist Bruce Botts of Lopez Island works.

Bruce uses zinc metal plates, and also waxes the surface for his ground, but he has developed an alternative method to inscribe his compositions: he uses salt. Rather than relying completely on the standard of inscribing with hand tools, he creates line with salt. He briefly described his process as the heating of the metal plate, which in turn melts the wax, the salt then sinks into the wax, he then rinses the salt off, and only the wax remains. Bruce uses this technique as a reduction method to create edges. Each plate requires multiple passes through the press to view the success of the etching.

As he reviews his proofs he makes notes to the side where he thinks changes should be made, and then proceeds to edit the plate sometimes by scraping down the texture using a three-sided steel scraper. After each change on the plate he processes the plate into the acid to complete the etching.

Bruce's description on this process alone confirms how labor intensive each of his pieces are, just to reach the stage where he then hand-colors the etched areas to arrive at the finished version.

You can view the hand-colored etched version of "The Ringmaster's Beautiful Daughter" on Bruce Bott's web site: www.brucebotts.com/newwork.htm.

Tori Williams is a web designer who also writes and produces the San Juan Islands' Artist Community web site, www.SanJuanArtists.com.

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