August 15, 2017

Drawn in the Argos Gallery of Santa Fe:


Morning:

Afternoon:

Evening:

On Instagram

PHOTOGRAVURE

Update (August 21): I am looking for a way to translate my drawing style into a more tangible support than newsprint.  I thought that photogravure might directly transfer one of my drawings into an etching medium, if I drew on cotton vellum.  Mary helped me experiment with photogravure at Remarque/New Grounds Print Workshop in Albuquerque:

Various exposures on test plates

using the same pencil drawing

The UV exposure unit

Test plates with the "unit exposure"

listed on the back of them 

(higher number, longer time)

The pencil drawing on cotton vellum paper

(not darkened by the computer, as the image far above was),

which is placed on top of the plate,

drawing side face down,

closer to the copper plate

Washing the exposed plate

in 80 degree water,

to "develop" the image --

after washing, run cold water over the plate

to set the image

The procedure is to expose the plate twice.  One with the drawing on top of the plate.  A second time with a dot pattern on top of the plate.  Then wash the plate in water to develop it.

Afterwards, dry the plate, and let it sit in the sun for 30 minutes, to cure the image onto the plate.

The best tests were exposed to

24 and 22 units.

The "24 Weird" plate was washed less

Ultimately, washing the plate the conventional way, until there was no slippery sludge on the surfae, did not work.  It seemed to wash away a lot of extra emulsion, that destroyed the image.

The most successful print came from a plate that was washed quickly, only until the image showed up.

Perhaps the plates should be exposed to even more units, and washed more vigorously, to pick up all the light grey lines.