"Stacy"

Hello there! Today I'd like to show you a project I have been working on for a couple of months at this point. This process is what is known as "Dry-point Etching" which is a non toxic, straight-forward method for making plates in printmaking. Essentially what you see is what you get with the dry point process so it is almost instant gratification in terms of carving and inking your plate.

The dry point process can either be done on a piece of plexiglass or polystyrene. Essentially you are using a flat piece of plastic to make a plate. The process is as simple as using your etching needles directly on the plate and carving out what will become the distinctive lines of your composition. No ferric chloride involved! Since the etching process is in the itaglio (recessed) family of printmaking, that means the parts you carve away will take the ink and create the lines. (As opposed to relief printing where the removed carvings create negative space such as a lino cut or a woodblock)

I originally started and printed this project at the beginning of the semester (early February) and turned it in for a better grade after re-working the plate to add some more details and character to the aerial perspective. This piece features my emaciated, miserable, broken-hearted ghost character, Stacy, who somehow died of a broken heart and comes back to haunt the culprits of the crimes of love. I haven't really developed her story, as is with most of my 'toons, but she is fun to draw and her subject matter is another facet in a wacky world of inconsequential cartoons that inhabit the pages of my sketchbooks. Here we have Stacy standing on a grave in the middle of a bleak graveyard.

The process itself was not that time consuming and I especially liked it because I was able to work on my plate while I was on the train or in the car. You could conceivably carve your plate anywhere you can take your etching needles, which is cool because during the course of labor on this plate, I was working on it on my way to the printmaking studio and printed it right when I go there. How convenient! Convenience is definitely a key word with the dry point etching because you can re-work the plate as many times as you wish, it is as simple as cleaning the ink off and adding the details where you see fit, anytime, anywhere.

This is actually my very first dry point etching, which was why I was timid at first to really carve the plate, but seeing the results of the 2nd edition of prints after re-working the plate, you can reach a high level of potential with this process.

Once again I apologize for the crumby webcam photo of Stacy, as with Savannah, but i think you will see the details well enough. This is just a proof, but there is now an 5 prints in this edition. Let me know if you're interested in somehow acquiring one from me. Thanks for reading!

-Mike