Final Intaglio Prints

Above is my final Intaglio print, two Jack in the Pulpits. The overlay color didn't reproduce quite correctly it is a bit brighter and more yellow on the actual print. I really wanted a soft yellow green but I didn't get quite enough green into the yellow. It looked OK on the mixing surface but when the additives were added it was a bit too yellow for what I was really looking for. Still I think it works with the burnt senna I used for the etched lines. This process, applying a relief color to an etched plate is something my instructor developed and she wanted me to use it on this final plate of Jack in the Pulpits. It does add life to the print so I do like it.

This is actually a fairly simple drawing, I just added a lot of lines to the background to make the focus plants stand out. Jack in the Pulpits are a native wild flower here in MA. These were drawn from a combination of a photos I took last spring and a drawing I had done from life years ago. The plate was etched once with a hard ground, then I went back in using a transparent hard ground to add more background lines, and finally I added some engraved lines to add some additional darkness. The over color is applied with a very large roller that has picked up specially mixed ink from a rolling plate. First I apply the intaglio ink, wipe the plate to my satisfaction then I roll on the over color and print the plate.

Above is a print of the plate on which I used soft ground. I have hand colored it using AquaMonolith water color pencils. First I applied some color with the pencil then using a small watercolor brush applied water to colored areas to smooth out the color. Sometimes while the paper was still damp I went back in with the pencil to add some additional color. I think the addition of color to this plate makes it come alive. The black and white print was pretty boring, though I had tried to add some interest by adding the trees in the background and the door on the cottage. I was the first in the class to try the soft ground process and I think others in the class created better designs on their plates. Utilizing the texture that soft ground gives you in a more creative way. But I think this final print isn't too bad all in all. Not my best work, but not my worst either.

I have only one more Intaglio class and that will be a final critique of all of our prints. I am happy with some of my prints and not so happy with others which is par for the course when it come to printing. I have rediscovered that I love the etching/printing process. I only wish one didn't have to have an expensive print studio handy to make prints. Oh well I will just have to look around and see if I can involve myself with a group that has the equipment - press, hot plates, etching tanks etc.

That is it for this post. I am busy trying to pull together my final project in Graphic Design which is a Resume/Portfolio of my Graphic Design work, and I have a final project for Photography due next Thursday. I do have one brag to write about, all three of my submitted works were juried into the Student Art show at School so I was very pleased about that this week. Submitted works were the Winter Tree print (the one with the dark sky), my Fall Mandala, and my Narrative Story Graphic Design piece. It has been mentioned to me that one of my pieces did receive an award but I don't know what award or which one just yet. Remember comments are welcome.