I've been working on more solarplate intaglio etching--looking for the right images to work out in wash and dark and light contrasts is key to exploiting this medium's potential, and I'm still figuring it out. I've done two previous sketches of this scene from Diablo Lake at the North Cascades Institute's Environmental Learnng Center, and also last year I did an egg tempera painting of it. I'm not sure if anyone else is using walnut ink to create the solar plate image, but I like the wash effects and I'm working out exposure times. One plate I exposed actually burned through all the surface plate material--you can expose a plate for up to 2 minutes--so after that first plate, I reduced exposure time by 30 seconds. For this print I used Magnani Pescia cream paper, and Charbonnel Burnt Sienna ink, mixed with a little raw umber. I love the colors of certain Old Master drawings--Tiepolo, Rembrandt, Leonardo--mostly they used bistre or other drawing sticks, but Van Gogh used colored ink to great effect also.
I really love this etching, Molly!
Posted by: Marilyn McGuire | May 30, 2011 at 02:12 PM