Explore Photo Etching

Explore photographic etching with photopolymer and solar plates during this in-depth two day course.

What will you learn?

Photographic etching utilises a light-sensitive polymer surface on a metal-backed plate used to produce fine photographic reproductions with great detail. Learn how to prepare your artwork, expose and print from your plates in this two-day course.

Photographic Etching is a process in which a positive image is transferred on to a prepared, metal plate and etched into the superstructure, thereby creating a negative composition on the plate, which can then be inked, wiped and printed in the traditional way. After the desired number of prints have been made, the metal plate can then be re-used to create new prints, if needed.

During this weekend course, experiment with both manually produced imagery as well as digital photography. Students will be shown how to create and print both Toyobo solar plates as well as plates created using Photopolymer (Photec) film.

Topics covered:

• A brief history of photographic etching and its terminology
• Paper types, tools and materials in intaglio printing
• How to produce your own prints using the methods covered
• How to sign and edition your prints