Old Friends

This etching's edition number is 27/50.
Frame dimensions 20.5 x 20 in.

Etching is an intaglio printing process. A metal plate is covered with a protective, acid-resistant wax ground. The artist then draws the image in the wax with a stylus, exposing the metal. The plate is then placed in an acid bath, which corrodes the exposed areas and creates furrows and troughs that will hold the ink. The depth of the etched lines is controlled by the strength of the acid and the amount of time the plate is exposed to it. After the ground is cleaned off, the etched plate is inked and printed in the same manner as an engraving.

Colours in an etching may be achieved by using a different etched plate for each colour or by using a method called “à la poupée”. In Anna's case, she uses for former method.

Where each colour has its own etched plate, the plates must be placed in the same location on the press to ensure the artwork is properly aligned when the work is passed through the press for each colour. 

“Old Friends” -  etching

Looking up at our neighbour’s house I always noticed how the tree and the house seemed to support each other.  The plate is a line etch, repeatedly etched to make rich darks by crosshatching, and I made the tone by leaving ‘plate-tone’ on the plate- not wiping too cleanly in the areas I want some colour. This takes some practice, and is like doing a monoprint on your etched plate to add interest. For instance, I cleaned the sky well with a rag, cleaned out the windows with a Q-tip to show reflected light, and heightened some of the foliage in the foreground. Unfortunately, thanks to Fiona, the friends are no longer together. The house stands alone.

- Anna Syperek