It is often the everyday scene that informs my printmaking. I had passed this fallen tree several times on my bike when, one day, the light just caught my eye:

The bare bones of the fallen tree trunk resting within the space and the midday sun catching on the bleached wood.

I decided this deserved further investigation and determined to return the following day with a sketchbook and camera.

In creating an etching, the lines of the printed image are cut into a copper plate through the corrosive action of acid. The plate is pre-covered in a thin, acid-resistant “ground” of resin or wax.

Using etching needles, I engrave my image into the ground. The plate is dipped into acid which bites into the engraved linework on the surface of the plate. The incision of the image onto the plate depends on the acid strength and how long it is in the acid.

After the acid has bitten, the plate is removed from the acid bath, the ground gently removed and the plate is dried.

To print the etched plate, ink is pushed into the recessed lines with a small rubber pad, or “dabber”.

The plate is then rubbed with tarlatan cloth to remove most of its surface ink and given a final smooth wipe with tissue paper.

The dampened paper will usually be placed facing the plate and covered by a blanket. When pressed by the roller, the paper is squeezed into the plate's ink-filled grooves with uniform high pressure. Once the whole plate has been “rolled” through the press, blanket is lifted and the paper turned face up to reveal the printed image.

The inking, wiping and printing stages are repeated for individual copies of the plate.

Most of my prints involve a second stage of etching known as “aquatinting”. This requires selectivley biting the plate with acid but in a manner that bulids layers of tone to the final image.

Looking back at my original sketch, I am now exploring how i can add colour to the image yet retain the atmosphere of the black and white etching. Work in progress and to be updated.

Scroll down to view printed image in full.