Artist talk: SooMin Leong

Following a previous career as a forensic psychiatrist, James Anderson’s colourful carborundum and layered woodcuts convey the emotion of inner worlds. We discuss abstraction, inspiration and the hard work of practice with him.

Etching was originally invented as a method for adding decoration to armour during the Middle Ages. Artists began to use metal plates for printing in the 15th century, when Albrecht Durer made work on iron plates. Later artists such as Andrea Mantegna in Italy and Rembrandt in Holland went on to make etchings on copper.

Knives, gouges and other tools are used to carve an image into a block of wood. Ink is applied using a roller; the cut away areas do not pick up ink as they are below the surface. Paper is placed on top and is printed with a press or by hand.