Tuesday 28 April 2020

Getting to grips with Copper Sulphate Etching - Part 2


Kauri Snail by Toni Hartill

Continuing on while I'm on a roll, in this post I'll share with you the next series of aluminium plates I etched earlier this year as I have been focused on getting to grips with this etching process - a way of working I have never previously explored and which has fast become my next favourite thing. 
 
Click here to view my earlier post "Getting to Grips with Copper Sulphate - Part 1".


Auckland Gecko 

 

From a simplified drawing, through multiple visits to the etching bath and finally printing and embellishing with silver leaf. Again, many small discoveries were made which I followed up and retested in subsequent plates, each time challenging myself with the addition of more detail and more purposeful markmaking. The challenge of this plate was to include smaller details and to begin to play with highlights to add depth to the foreground.


Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill





Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill
 

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill


An unexpected bonus with this wee chap is the "scaliness" of his skin. 
Something to remember and play with further.

Toni Hartill


NZ Morepork - Ruru


The challenge in this plate was to create a more "painterly" abstract background that "read" as foliage to try get a sense of depth into the background of the image. This required, again, multiple reapplications of resists to gradually build up the deeper tones and patterning. Scary, worrying about ruining what's already there, knowing when to stop!



Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill

I was really delighted to see the wee ruru even managed to have a hint of a tiny glint in his eye! 
Bless his fluffy wee pompomness!

Toni Hartill


And another small edition while I'm in the "zone".


Toni Hartill



And Snaily makes Three!

 

 This time I wanted to put some of the things I had learnt to the test and include even more detail: lots of linework in the foreground, a "painterly" background and I wanted to try to achieve some interesting textures for the Kauri trunk and ol' Snaily's complexion.

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

I needed to tweak some details so they read better against the background. 
Takes a bit of fiddle and concentration! Good to know its possible to be this exacting though.


Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

 And a final test print.


Toni Hartill


These 3 images are destined for a project which, in light of the current Covid-19 situation, is still scheduled to happen but at a slightly delayed date. Check back for updates. 

I have editioned both Gecko and Ruru but I am holding off editioning Snaily til I have replenished my ink supplies. Especially as I am now trying to work towards a closer deadline of a group show in June, and hence I am feeling "frozen" about using up my precious supplies when I need plenty to "play" with. While others were out panic buying toilet paper and flour I should have been hoarding INK and PAPER!



Toni Hartill

I have since prepped another batch of plates but they will have to wait while I am tinkering and attempting to generate new ideas for work for my group show. This work so far is completely different, inspired by our current predicament of being in "lockdown"and so tuning my outlook to what is close to hand. Its raising interesting thoughts and ideas... 



Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill


Check back later for a new post about my progress 

or follow me on Instagram 


for more regular "work in progress" shots.


Thanks for visiting!

Stay safe and well
Arohanui







Tuesday 21 April 2020

Getting to grips with Copper Sulphate Etching - Part 1


"Agathis Australis" by Toni Hartill

Well, isn't 2020 evolving as the strangest year yet! Who would've thought?! 

As I returned to my studio in early February, post-festive season and summer hols, I was focused on getting to grips with the process of etching aluminium with copper sulphate. In late November last year I had done a wonderful 2 day workshop with Kathy Boyle and a small group of fellow printmakers in which we were introduced to some of the many possibilities of the process. This was just the ticket to whet my appetite and induce me to dedicate time to fully explore the process to decide if I wanted to include it as one of "my techniques". 

Short answer: a resounding yes! 



I had meant to blog about my discoveries to share my enjoyment and excitement of what I've been learning but the last few weeks have been... well... unsettling to say the least! For everyone I imagine.

Back in February the Coronavirus pandemic was only just emerging as a threat in China, and we began to wonder if our planned trip to Japan in April might be such a good idea. By mid March our trip was well and truly scrapped when flights began to be cancelled and borders closed. While most of the world is now in some form of "lockdown" we're approaching 4 weeks in "full lockdown" at Level 4, here in NZ. We can only go out if we are an "essential worker", to exercise or to shop for essentials. Otherwise we have to stay home in our "bubbles". "Stay Home, Save Lives." 

In a week's time we will move to Level 3. Life will be pretty much more of the same for most of us for at least another couple of weeks although many businesses can return as long as they are "contactless". We are all keeping our fingers crossed that we are well on the way to eliminating Covid-19 here in Aotearoa. 

And I am running out of art supplies!

Having a clear focus of learning new skills has been a great distraction from reality. I've had fits and starts of productivity but with galleries, and almost everything, closing til further notice the pressure to keep working towards deadlines has eased considerably, so I have allowed my mood to dictate my next move. (Now in late April however I am actually trying to generate new work for a group exhibition booked for June, unsure as yet as to whether it will actually go ahead - and I am running out of art supplies! Did I mention that?!)



First Batch of Plates

 

Back to early Feb and my first dabbles with the aluminium etching process: The only etching I have ever done was with zinc and nitric acid when I was at high school and again in my first year at art school - so not a lot and not for a long time. Perhaps this is a good thing as I can't compare "real etching" to a more non-toxic approach. I figure I also don't know enough to have preconceived ideas about what might not be possible so perhaps I am blissfully unaware of the pitfalls? I've worked in batches of a few plates at a time, each time getting more adventurous and experimental with my approach, building on what seems to have worked well. I've also been working with a pre-planned theme which I am currently exploring. (That's for another blog though, perhaps.)


 Generating Ideas with Watercolour Sketches


Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill






For this first batch of plates I kept the ideas simple 
and didn't try to incorporate too many different processes.




 Plate preparation

I found an ready supply of 1.5mm aluminium sheeting at a local hardware store cut to various sizes. This thickness is sturdy enough to etch deeply yet thin enough to cut with scissors to shape the curves. Next came a lot of elbow grease to sand and polish the surfaces.


Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill


Etching the plates

First, the line-work.

Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill

Experimenting with coffee grounds for random textures.


Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill


First test prints

These first test prints showed potential but clearly I could be a lot braver with the depth of etching especially to get some really deep tones.


Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill


More Etching

Adding tone and textures to the backgrounds.

Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill


 Completed Plates

The etched aluminium plates are beautiful just as they are!
(I'm contemplating a project where the plates ARE the artwork...hmmm.)


Toni Hartill



Test Prints

 I have little experience with intaglio printing so getting the hang of inking up was a steep learning curve too. I began using oil-based inks (thinking this was the "better" option although not my usual ink) but struggled to get a print I was happy with and the wiping felt painfully laboured. Not a good sign! I switched to my preferred water-based inks,  Charbonnel Aquawash, and quickly found my groove and began to have some much better results.


Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill


I was really pleased and excited by the range of markmaking 
and depth of tones these early prints displayed.

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill



Vital step: recording what I did, 
what worked and, most importantly, what didn't!

Toni Hartill




 Editioning & Embellishing


Happy with these early plates I took the opportunity to edition them and then to submit a selection of prints to the new round of 2020 PCANZ Small Print  traveling exhibitions (on hold at the time of writing til further notice due to Covid-19.) I went on to embellish each of these editions with gold leaf, gold paint or handcolouring.



Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill
Toni Hartill

 



Toni Hartill
Toni Hartill




Onwards: Another plate


Buoyed by the success of these first prints I began work on another prepared plate, this time wanting to include more detail and to be more deliberate in the use of shading and added texture.





Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill


Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill

Toni Hartill



Again I was pretty pleased with the results of this plate.
 The test print again inked up really well.

I have plans for the prints of this plate 
but I am yet to edition it.

Did I mention I am running out out art supplies - namely ink!! 

Art shops weren't initially open in lockdown although we can now buy some things online...
supposing they are in stock.



By this point, dwindling ink supplies aside,
I would say I am now fairly hooked on this process. It is such a different way of working, as compared to linocuts, requiring a complete brain rewire (for me!) to think in terms of intaglio markmaking. I love the immediacy this process is allowing in my work and the opportunity for more of the unexpected and experimental marks to emerge. Happy accidents! The excitement of the "reveal" at the press is the best! Everytime!


Toni Hartill

I have gone on to create another 3 plates, each one getting more detailed and ambitious in my markmaking attempts. I will share these images with you in my next post shortly.


Thanks for visiting!
Stay well and safe!

Arohanui