Mark Making for Etching

This two-day course offers the chance to explore grounds and making marks using Acrylic Resist Etching. This course would fully suit those with some previous etching experience who wish to add new techniques to their repertoire.

What will you learn?

During this in-depth two-day course, we will cover a range of Acrylic Resist Etching techniques:

Open Bite Etching
This technique is one in which will give the etched plate a ‘chiselled’ or sculpted effect. This method produces varying levels within the bitten area, as in a bas relief, to produce it’s unique aesthetic look.

Lift Ground Etching
This technique is a way to achieve a painterly effect, similar to that of a wash effect used in watercolour painting. Marks resembling brushstrokes can be made on to the metal plate, so the printed image can become very expressive and dynamic.

Soap Ground Etching
This technique produces a very textured effect with a patchy white background, instantly recognisable as a soap ground etching.

Spit Bite Etching
This technique calls for the plate to be bitten by painting or dropping the mordant straight on to the chosen area.

Topics covered:

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