Here's a bit of a blurb about Basia Smolnicki's summer school printmaking course
which was held at Inverlochy Art School in Wellington on 17-21 January:
This was an exciting workshop, with the focus being on traditional etching techniques
combined with newer and less toxic print methods.
Students were introduced to traditional etching concepts
using traditional hard and soft grounds on zinc metal etched with nitric acid.
Students were also encouraged to explore and compare aluminium plate etching
Basia produced test strips of different time exposures for line and aquatint methods,
The best results for bold blacks were achieved by simply etching the aluminium plate
using traditional hard and soft grounds on zinc metal etched with nitric acid.
Students were also encouraged to explore and compare aluminium plate etching
with Mark Graver's non-toxic method of using copper sulphate and salt method.
Basia produced test strips of different time exposures for line and aquatint methods,
and etching aluminium metal plates with copper sulphate and salt.
The best results for bold blacks were achieved by simply etching the aluminium plate
(with no aquatint applied, just ordinary plate surface exposed)
in the copper sulphate solution at least a couple of times,
taking the plate in and out between exposures to wash the surface clear of built up debris.
The students also experimented with hand-colouring prints and chine colle methods.
Basia continues to teach printmaking techniques
for beginners as well as more confident printmakers
at Inverlochy Art School and Artsight in Wellington.
Her next course begins mid-February.
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