Looooooong and late hours have been spent in the print studio... I've been up working far past my bedtime and I have simply been too tired to blog! It is just a tad frustrating, too... when desired results are far from being achieved. Long story short, for our final prints, all our images had to be altered in some fashion so as not too look too photographic... so I found myself spending MANY hours working & reworking plates. Here's the first print from an earlier post~
In order to "save" part of the image, a hard ground substance is carefully applied to the copper plate & allowed to dry~
Then, I went through the whole aquatint process again and added the moon with applications of ground & aquatint in between etchings~
At first, I thought it turned out pretty cool... and was rather happy with it. But, it didn't get the most rave reviews during critiques... even though I didn't see anyone else really pushing the boundaries of alteration. My instructor felt it would be better without the moon, and just a solid black sky. So, I reworked the plate again, & got this~
You can't really tell, but in the print there was still a faint outline of where the moon was... and I didn't like it. I tried making a brand new plate at this point, but the etching acid was weak, and the entire plate was scrapped. Boo Hoo! So, I went back to the original plate & reworked (burnish, scrape, sand, hardground, re-etch.) By this time the acid was REALLY weak. Normally you get a decent etch in 25 minutes... I left the plate in the acid for 4 hours after reworking it! After all that work... this is what I came up with~
All that effort... and this print won't even go in the final portfolio! But, it's true... you never know until you try.
6 comments:
They say we learn more from our mistakes...so take comfort in that Becky. It all seems very complicated to me, but interesting!
...Wanda
Do NOT scrap that print - it actually looks very Van Gogh. I like the wavery sky with the still-black door and cross. Just put it aside and look at it again in a few days. Sometimes "mistakes" make the best art. (Alas, you must please your instructor and not me...) Enjoy the weekend.
Wanda & Barb... you ladies are awesome!!!
I did end up putting that print in the final portfolio... just to show progressive working of the plate. I won't scrap it... but I do feel torn between trying to please my instructor & trying to please myself... makes for lots of extra work & one exhausted Art Student!
:)
I've joined a photo club (largely retired folks) that has competitions each month. I'm struggling with making images that appeal to me and ones I know they will be looking for. Hang in there. I'm envious of you learing these new processes.
Kim
That looks like so much work. I know about the frustration, I end up replastering paintings all the time. The print looks good to me, but I know nothing about it. Don't give up.
xoxo
I actually like the idea of the moon - just a little smaller. But the finally product has an eclectic look to it and I certainly would keep it!
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