Unlike
most lessons led solely by our teacher, a group of East
London University students taught us how to use a technique called
'Etching'. Etching is a simple printing technique that can take time and effort
but result in a beautiful piece of art using ink. I have broken this
process into 3 essential and 1 optional steps.
Preparation:
You will
need:
Scalpel,
needle or something with a sharp edge
Thick
Silver Foil paper at least 0.5cm thick
Sketching
paper
Pencil
Black
ink
Old
rag or cloth
Tracing
paper
Rolling
press
Step
One: There are two ways you can go about this. Either you can risk mistake by going
straight onto scratching onto your paper or you can sketch your design onto
paper and then use tracing paper to copy your design and transfer it to the
foil paper. This is me sketching my ideas out beforehand.
Step
two: Using your scalpel, gently scratch the surface of the silver paper to
reveal the white paper underneath the silver surface. Make sure you don't dig
too deep as the ink will seep through the bottom of the paper and the image
will not transfer as evenly, however if you scratch halfway into the paper the
image will come out crisp and even. This is me using a needle to create some small details.
Step
three: Once the whole image is scratched into the paper, using a old ruler or
spatula spread the ink evenly over the silver page, Then using the old rag to
pressure the ink into the crevices you created. Tip-Twisting your hand in
circular motion whilst putting pressure on the ink works the ink into the
scratches more. The more in compressed in those lines the better.
Step four:
Using the rolling press create a sandwich effect by placing a piece of paper
onto the board of the rolling press, then placing your print upside down onto
the paper and then placing another piece of paper over the top of your print to
protect the back of you scratched silver paper. Carefully and slowly roll your
print through the rolling press until your print has gone all the way through
and then separate the three pieces of paper. You now have a print of your
scratched picture. This is what your print will come out like.
My Final Piece
-Remember that if you are using any form of type in your work it will come out backwards unless you write it backwards in which case it will come out the right way.
-You can skip Step one, but be if anything goes wrong you can't go back.
-If you need to fill an entire area with ink, then cut out the outline of that area and using your fingers peel it off slowly and be careful not to rip a hole through it.
