Tucson Sculpture Festival 2012

Tuesday, 29 November 2022

Printmaking Idea(s)

I signed up for the Open Press Print Exchange #2 (2023).  Their 2022 exhibit during the Southwest Print Fiesta in Silver City was very impressive this year:



Paper size is on only 2.75 inches (7x7 cm) as the edition of 10 has to be printed on their 3D Printed Printing Press.

My idea is to go full on 21st CENTURY.  I'm inspired to create and image with online AI (artificial intelligence) Art programs, and etch it on to a metal plate with a laser engraver.  Then I would make small intaglio prints for the Open Press Print Exchange.

Perhaps I could engrave directly into metal using a fiber laser engraver.  I noticed that the cheapest one was about $1500 on Amazon -- ATOMSTACK M4 Fiber Laser Engraver (but the YouTube review did not recommend this model).  Perhaps ordering from Ponoko would be better to get something laser engraved into metal.

Perhaps I can use my LaserPecker 2 engraver to mark on anodized aluminum business cards, and then try etching those business cards with gallium.



-- or I could try etching the aluminum business card with salt and vinegar.

Another idea might be to draw directly onto the anodized business card with a gallium pencil, scratching off the black coating which would also expose the aluminum underneath with gallium.  This might be the quick and easy way to do some gallium etching for printmaking.



  • We are showing 8x8 inch prints at Remarque Print Workshop in Albuquerque in December 2022 and January 2023.  Our Bucket Prints are piggybacking on their 10th Annual International Print Exhbition, which is appropriate since half of our prints are from Mexico....and the other half are from Remarque artists, plus a few to fill out the row.

Packing the prints to send them to Germany by February 1st.



UPDATE (Dec 7):  At Quelab I learned/did:



The paint burnt off
the aluminum business card


1.94 x 1.8 inches


2 passes, a minute each --
power 100%, depth 3%

Now we just have to "etch" the aluminum card -- with gallium, or vinegar and salt


UPDATE:  I printed a fake AI drawing based on my style, and submitted it to the Open Print Exchange #2:

I laser engraved this AI image into linoleum
and printed it on the small




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