Caustic etching - trials and tribulations!

Caustic test prints by Toni Hartill

As a rule I steer well clear of any processes that involve toxic fumes and nasty chemicals but... 

we were introduced to 

CAUSTIC ETCHING LINO

at the Dianne Fogwell PCANZ Summer School.

To be honest I wasn't too keen. Dianne calls it the MONGREL etch!

And when she donned all the safety gear... well... I was walking backwards outa the room!

BUT...

actually it did show potential. 

I had prepared a lino block by painting a pattern with ashphaltum. This was duly etched by the ever intrepid Dianne in full kit and... actually it has proved to be a very versatile and effective plate that I have used extensively.

My caustic etched lino being inked up by Dianne Fogwell.

So, it did warrant further investigation. 

In this blog I will firstly outline what I have trialed, and succeeded or failed at, then I will give more specific notes on what was successful (repeatedly) for me in case you want to give it a go.

Make sure you read labels and follow all safety instructions! Caustic soda burns!

Also work outside with plenty of ventilation and have plenty of water on hand for accidental splashes and spills.

Session 1: fellow printmaker Celia Walker joined me for mutual support and bravery 

and we trialed 

the Caustic Bath Method (as shown by Dianne)

and

the Gel Method (as found online on various sites including here.)

BATH METHOD

I prepared a test plate with an array of various resists.

Resist Lino Test Plate for Caustic Etching

This was etched in a bath of caustic solution as per our instructions but it wasn't a roaring success. As you can see in the image below, the areas that are being etched are strongly patterned. I realized AFTER I had applied most of the resists that I hadn't degreased/ sanded the lino first so then DID sand it for one remaining  square (the Resene Concrete Clear) and the results were much better. However, we found this method quite a palaver with having to be super careful not to splash or spill, the lino needs weighting down as it curls, and ... actually it was very slow-working. The lino needs to be in the solution for up to an hour and by this stage many of the resists were wearing off before we had achieved a deep enough etch.

We were expecting something a lot more dynamic! We were left feeling a bit over-amped and overdressed for the occasion. Although all the safety gear IS A MUST with this technique.

Test plate shows the exposed lino being etched in a pattern,
probably due to not being sanded first.

The test plate was interesting to see which resists stood up better than others. 

My preferred one is the Resene Concrete Clear (because I have it and use it for multiple things - it's basically an acrylic clear glaze). It gave a crisp edge to the etching and seemed to adhere the best for the required long etching time.

Resist Lino Test Plate for Caustic Etching - etched and cleaned.

GEL METHOD

This method is a lot safer and more controlled. A gel is made using wallpaper paste to thicken the solution and it can be "painted' on directly to the areas of the lino that you want to etch. Because the gel is thick there is little risk of splashes and spills once the gel is prepared and, apart from a wee waft of fumes given off in the initial mixing, the gel is not at all pungent. 

Gloves, plastic apron (hence our Snoopy aprons) and safety glasses are still a must.

Preparing the Caustic Gel.

What happens to a brush
if you use it to paint on Caustic Gel!

Note to self: Don't use a brush! Use a wooden spoon or spatula.

Spooning the caustic gel onto a prepared lino plate.

This method felt much more controlled and, with a bit of tweaking to the recipe, showed much more promise for further investigation.

Session 2: GEL METHOD

Taking what we'd learnt, I retested this method.

Step 1: Paint on the resist and leave to dry well.

I used Resene Concrete Clear, but see my test plate above for other ideas of resists to try.

Applying a resist to the lino for etching in caustic.

Step 2: Make up the gel: 

I used a 340g jar.

Into this I mixed 1 (plastic) tsp of wallpaper paste with a dash of water - this is the tricky bit because the paste immediately goes into a thick lump - which you don't want so it takes a bit of practice to sprinkle the paste into some water and mix quickly to break up any lumps. 

Take the time to squash away the lumps. Add more water until the jar is about 1/3 full. Mix and leave to thicken for a few more minutes.

Add 3 tsp of caustic soda granules and mix in well.

The mixture heats up instantly and goes white and a bit frothy.

Step 3: apply the gel:

Don't use a brush - it WILL dissolve! (Speaking from experience here...)

Use a wooden spoon/ spatula ( I shaped my own fit for purpose) to apply the gel to the lino.

Place your lino on plenty of newspaper
and possibly in a large tray.

The lino immediate starts to yellow where it is etching. 

The longer it etches the stronger the colour.

The lino turns a strong yellow showing
where it is being etched.

Watch the areas of resist to see when/ if it is being etched through and you may want to stop it etching any further. (You can always reapply resist to some areas and re-etch it.) So, when you are ready to stop the etching, place the lino in a sink and wash it well with running water. Pour over a dash of vinegar or lemon juice to neutralize the caustic (the lino will turn back to grey showing it is no longer etching). Scrub the lino well, front and back, dry off on an old towel and leave to dry.

Ta-daa!

Caustic etched lino by THartill

As you can see by the texture, again, I forgot to degrease/ presand the lino! 

But actually the texture is quite appealing and it could be used to advantage.

Caustic etched lino by THartill

I have since carved away areas of the lino to get a combination of effects.

Caustic etched lino and print by THartill

Most of the Resene Concrete Clear washes away with the scrubbing. In one of my plates (as seen below) there is still some remaining on the plate. Possibly, because I reapplied it and re-etched it to get more texture, it was quite thick in places but I have since printed the plate and it doesn't matter that it is still there in places. 

Feeling fairly pleased with these results I have gone on to make some more lino blocks to use as texture plates in my current work.

Applying resist to lino - THartill

Etching lino using gel method - THartill

Caustic Gel at work - THartill

Caustic Etched lino - THartill

Caustic Etched lino - THartill

Proofing the caustic etched lino - THartill

Samples of test prints using caustic etched lino  and
caustic etched plywood - THartill

Hope you find this interesting and helpful!

Happy, and safe, printing!

Why collaborative projects are good for your growth as an artist

I have recently participated in another couple of collaborative print projects and I wanted to share what I think are some of the benefits of taking part in these sorts of events.

Firstly, here is an outline of the projects I have been involved with recently:

SGCI Themed portfolio

Last year I took part in a collaborative project which involved creating a portfolio of works that have been sent to the SGCI Conference -FLUX, in Portland, Oregon, The conference is taking place March 30- April 2nd this year. You can read more about this project here.

50 hour Print Marathon

to celebrate 50 years of the Print Council of Australia.

This was organised in New Zealand by Toni Mosley of Blue Bathtub Press in collaboration with Simone Tippett of Union Street Printmakers in Adelaide and took place over 50 consecutive hours at Nathan Homestead, NZ and at four locations in Adelaide, Australia.

Each group produced 50 themed monoprints. Participants dropped in during the 50 hours and worked on parts of several prints at a time. 

The focus was on building communities, having fun, experimentation, play, and collaboration. 

25 prints from each city will be swapped with the other and, later in the year, each city will exhibit their 25 prints alongside the other city's prints. All prints will be for sale and commemorative zines will also be available.

Several members of my print group,Waitakere Printers Ink, went along to take part and it was fun working alongside, sharing ideas and freaking out at the challenge of working on top of someone else's work, while in full view of others! No hiding behind closed doors or chucking your cock ups in the bin!

Toni Mosley (right) of Blue Bathtub Press

A selection of some of the prints.

50 printmakers produce 5 collaborative prints

also to celebrate 50 years of the Australian Print Council.

For this project there are 5 groups of 10 printmakers.

Each group will produce an edition of 12-14 prints.

Each printmaker will receive a final print that their group has produced.

One print from each group will be sent to the Print Council of Australia to be exhibited under the umbrella of the Print Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

I have just completed my part in this (phew) and so now I can rest easy and watch as it moves around the country, being added to by 7 more printmakers.

So, why do I think collaborative projects are good for your growth as an artist, and why should you participate if you get the chance?

• meet other like-minded artists - you may meet people who will become life-long friends, mentors or even fans of your work!
• build communities of like-minded artists for support, inspiration and future opportunities,
• share knowledge and ideas - see how others work and have the opportunity to discuss ideas for ways of working or approaching problems. I've learnt new tricks and tips that I can add to my arsenal and I love to share what I've learnt along the way,
• have the opportunity to work in a way that you wouldn't normally work - it opens you up to try new things and explore new ideas,
• share the trials and the tribulations of a project - you may think that you are the only one fretting over what you will do and how you will achieve it but, actually, you're not alone - even the artists you look up to are probably quietly fretting over the same things: will I stuff it up?, what if no-one likes what I've done?, what if I leave smudges?....
• let go of your ego - there's no room for ego in a collaborative project - it's about a shared experience, mutual respect for everyone involved and mutual reward for the results. This can be a freeing, and at times, challenging experience,
• because you don't have control of the project (no-one does) you never know where it will end up and what will be revealed along the way - I find this really exciting and completely different from how I used to work where everything was preplanned within an inch of it's life!
• learn to embrace the "happy accident" and the imperfect - it doesn't have to be perfect (sez me and I'm known as a perfectionist!), and it never WILL BE. In fact I'm learning to embrace the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi Sabi centred on the acceptance of transience and imperfection - perfect for collaborative projects!

For a bit more reading on the topic of collaborative art projects read this article here.

So, give it a go next time an opportunity arises, 

or go in search of an opportunity

or create the opportunity yourself!

You'll stretch yourself in ways you never expected and meet wonderful people along the way.

SGCI Themed Portfolio - An honour to be invited to participate.

Earlier this year I was invited to join a group of NZ printmakers in contributing towards a themed portfolio for the conference FLUXPortland hosted by SGCI (Southern Graphics Council International). The conference is being held in Portland, Oregon in March 30 - April 2, 2016.

I had no idea that such an organization could exist for printmakers and that there could possibly be conferences of this size (or any size actually) to promote and support the art of printmaking. My perspective obviously comes from living in this beautiful wee country at the bottom of the world, so far from everywhere else, where printmaking supplies are, at best, expensive and at worst, not available, except possibly on-line. (A recent trip to Spain (and the abundance of art stores) revealed to me the reality of our remoteness.)

So, what is a themed portfolio?

Each group has a curator who submitted a proposal describing how their group would create work to fit within the theme

F L U X :

THE EDGE OF YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW

Our curator is Elle Anderson and our group's proposal can be seen here under the title "Altered Impressions."

The 14 artist who are involved are:

Prue Mac Dougall
Esther Hansen
Gabrielle Belz
Kheang Ov
Nicola Ov
Toni Hartill
Sheyne Tuffery
Kim Lowe
Delwyn Holder 
Deborah Crowe
Struan Hamilton
John Pusateri
Toni Mosley
Elle Anderson

Individually we each have to produce an edition of 20 prints (one for each person in the group + 3 for the SGCI archives + 3 spares for our own archives) which speak for our own personal view on the theme proposal.

As part of our proposal we are also producing an edition of 20 prints collaboratively. This edition of prints is posted from one artist to the next and each artist adds their contribution, responding to what has been done before. We have a fairly tight time-frame to work within in order to have our work completed in time for  shipping at the end of the year. With 14 printmakers working in a variety of media this project brings with it an instability and rate of unpredictable change which can be both exciting and nerve-wracking to be a part of. (My part is done, whew!) To follow the progress of our collaborative print you can visit the facebook page
"Aotearoa SGCI Themed Portfolio".

Collaborative print in progress - 6 printmakers
have contributed so far.

What have I been working on for the portfolio?

In this world of digital imaging where you can press a button and out pops any number of images from your home printer on to photographic paper, art papers or even fabric, it can be hard to comprehend the reality of what printmaking actually can entail and the amount of (literally) blood (spearing oneself on cutting blades), sweat (from the physical energy of cranking prints through a press - in my case repurposed mangle and homemade bookpress) and tears (of frustration when the best laid plans simply do not go to plan - was it the paper - too wet/ too dry, the ink, the plate, the pressure, ... or was it me?!) that are involved in the creation of an image.

 I also think that being blessed/cursed with a "perfectionism" trait
makes editioning all the more vexing.

So, to produce an edition of 20 prints I wanted to choose a process that would most likely give me repeatable results with, hopefully, the least stress and anguish. Linocut. Only I had never really done much at all with lino. Step 1 was to learn, experiment, "perfect" (yeah right) the skills needed. I started out with small blocks of lino and progressed to larger blocks as I developed skills and worked out techniques. Of course as the block grew in size so too did some of the technical issues associated with the printing of the blocks. My book press needed more pressure. My technician (Hubby) provided a new mechanism for achieving this - a large steel tube to apply more leverage with less chance of a hernia! Simple physics really.

You can see some of the prints I have been working on in this learning process in my previous blogs here.

I'm not quite ready to unveil my finished prints just yet. I have been working with an image that can be viewed from multiple orientations as part of the ideas raised by the theme, which leaves me with a quandary: how/ where do I sign them.... hmmm...

Works produced in the process of developing my techniques and ideas will be exhibited at my coming Waitakere Printers Ink group show at the Barrel Store, Corban Estate Arts Centre.

Summer School 2016 - Dianne Fogwell

I was lucky enough to attend the PCANZ's (Print Council Aotearoa New Zealand) Dianne Fogwell Summer School in Auckland this month. Dianne is a master printmaker from Australia and she is known for her incredibly fine and detailed lino cuts of flora and fauna, and her work as an artists's book practitioner, among many other talents. Visit her website here.

The Summer School was held over 3 full days at St Cuthberts School. We were introduced more closely to her work, and we marveled at the intricate detail and the use of multiple layers and perforations. I particularly enjoy hearing about an artist's inspirations and motivations in the creation of their work and Dianne is very generous in sharing her experiences and knowledge. Over the three days we looked at Structure: of creating books and works in various formats; at creating the lino block, including cutting techniques and etching with caustic; and Printing, including hand printing and how to set up the press.

Detail: lino print by Dianne Fogwell

Detail: lino print by Dianne Fogwell

As an artist's book practitioner Dianne came with a plethora of exemplars to share. I was inspired by her recommendations to consider what your intent is when you make a work, how you wish it to be "read" by your audience, and therefore what structure you might use to communicate this idea. (It might sound obvious but something in that discussion flipped a little switch in my brain and I had ideas streaming in from all directions.) 

Mini "Flag" book by Toni Hartill

Old Korean exercise book exemplar - so tactile
and responsive to being held and manipulated.

Having the opportunity to see Dianne's lino blocks up close was eye-opening. It's made me think completely differently about lino (in my very short career as a lino cut artist!) 

Lino print and lino block by Dianne Fogwell

    No. 1 lesson: you don't need to cut deeply at all! How freeing is that! and having the chance to play with Dianne's Micro Machine to cut the lino meant I was pretty happy with my little lino block. I never thought I would be able to cut something so finely. A whole new world of possibility!

Trigger fish lino block and print by Toni Hartill

Then there was the caustic etching - somewhat scary but again new possibilities. This can be used to create freer, more painterly effects which I look forward to experimenting with further. A group of us are planning on having a "Caustic Party" so we can supervise each other's safety, feel the fear, and do it anyway. 

On the last day we learnt about inking and printing techniques and, most informatively, about setting up the press. Dianne would repeatedly tell us to set things up so we can simply focus on our work. So true. Nothing worse than having technical problems which get in the way of creating. (I took on-board her advice for using runners, chocks and a pusher, instead of a blanket, and I am very pleased with the results.)

Dianne Fogwell demonstrates inking up my caustic-etched plate.

The afternoons were spent working on our own ideas. It was great spending time with other printmakers, many of whom are so highly talented and skilled in their own right.

Following the workshop I have been following through with just some of many ideas generated on the course, mainly printing my caustic-etched lino block to create wee artist's books inspired by diatoms, a type of phytoplankton.

Diatom inspired artist books by Toni Hartill

One of Dianne's key messages I took from the course was to do with "connectedness":

"Connect your body to your tool, your tool to your mark, 

your mark to your intention, 

your intention to you, 

and how you live in the world."

A big thank you to
members of PCANZ responsible for making this summer school happen.

And to Dianne Fogwell
for her generous spirit and inspirational manner
in sharing her limitless knowledge. 

SGCI - Print Portfolio - printed, signed and sent!

Our prints are all finished and have been packed into individual collections, one for each of the fourteen participating artists. Three sets will be sent to the conference in Oregon where they will be retained as a complete set for the SGC International Archives, Portland State University and Pacific Northwest College of Art. The remaining sets will be exhibited in NZ at a time and place yet to be arranged.

To read a bit of background about this project view my previous blog here and visit Aotearoa SGCI Themed Portfolio facebook page here.

To read the statements for each of the themed portfolios that will be on show at the conference go to the SGCI website here.

This is the statement for our themed portfolio about to wing it's way to Portland, Oregon. 

Altered Impressions

Curated by: Elle Anderson

As the mix of its citizens, living in Aotearoa New Zealand continues to evolve, so to is the way they interact with each other and the wider spaces they occupy. This evolution influences changes in the urban environment and it is with this inspiration that works will be generated, exploring how we, in Aotearoa, engage with a state of Flux. Alterations to a landscape creates a state of ebb and flow, a now and then, an unrest. Spaces where past and present can often clash, but also need to blend or live alongside each other, not just peacefully but also with tolerance. This constant adjustment creates a rich milieu in which many artistic conversations take place, providing each artist interpretive space to deal with such urban instability: Presenting areas for explorations from a personal, local and/or global perspective. One print within the portfolio will embrace this state of instability through exchange and evolution. This collaborative work, created by all printmakers in this group, will be generated and pass from artist to artist, each adding their voice to the print in response to what was done before. This print will further aim to reflect on a state of urban instability.

My individual print

"Reflexivity"
Monotype, Lino print
by Toni Hartill for "Flux"

"There is a need to be reflexive when living in a constantly changing environment or risk being impacted by unsympathetic or inevitable forces. Inhabitants need to find their equilibrium, or be prepared to move on."

Reflexivity refers to circular relationships between cause and effect. A reflexive relationship is bidirectional with both the cause and the effect affecting one another in a relationship in which neither can be assigned as causes or effects.

Seaweed is used as a metaphor for the state of flux brought about by a constantly evolving urban environment. I have tried to capture a sense of movement and energy as the Ecklonia hangs on tight in the strong currents of change. This image is very similar to a previous lino print made in the process of preparing for this project but I made small changes to try to be as expressive as possible in regards to the theme. The Ecklonia is still surging and swirling but it is now contained within the frame of the image: we have to be flexible and adaptable but often we still have to fit within the rules or boundaries laid out by others. The tiny fish can be seen to be going in all directions, some in confused groups, some out on their own, and some are about to depart the scene altogether. I also chose to steer away from a crisp image and tried to create something a little more weather-worn using slightly textured paper (Fabriano 5) and a monotype layer beneath the lino print, to try to create a sense of wear and tear and variation which we all experience in our daily effort to keep up with the rate of change around us.

Collaborative Print

My contribution to the collaborative print.

Designing a mini lino block to fit
a free space on the collaborative print, linked to my individual print.

All 20 prints done and drying

The collaborative print after the
6th person (me) has contributed.

"Following on from ideas raised in my individual print I have again used seaweed as a metaphor for the need to be flexible with the constantly changing environment. I also considered the theme of flux in the urban environment to select my “site” on the print, shaping a plate to fit within a free section, like one might design a house to fit within a small urban site, knowing full well the instability of the situation, that planning may change and my site could be “built over” by others."

The evolution of the Collaborative print

There is an edition of 20 of this collaborative print. Each artist has had roughly a week to add their contribution to the print and then post it on to the next artist. If you would like to read each person's statement about their input you will find it on the Aotearoa SGCI facebook page here.

1st layer: Prue MacDougall (black hand and figure)
2nd layer: Esther Hansen (bees)

3rd layer: Gabrielle Belz 

4th layer: Nicola Ov (windmill)
5th layer: Kheang Ov (bull)

6th layer: Toni Hartill 

7th layer: Sheyne Tuffery 

8th layer: Kim Lowe 

9th layer: Struan Hamilton

10th layer: Deborah Crowe

11th Layer: Delwyn Holder

12th layer: John Pusateri

13th, 14th layers: Toni Mosley, Elle Anderson