FEATURE
Soft ground
Soft ground was invented in the latter half of the eighteenth century as a means of reproducing the grainy qualities of chalk work. It was first used in England by Gainsborough and artists of the Norwich School.
TECHNIQUE
Soft ground
Soft ground was invented in the latter half of the eighteenth century as a means of reproducing the grainy qualities of chalk work. It was first used in England by Gainsborough and artists of the Norwich School.
Mixing hard ground with tallow, petroleum jelly, or lard makes soft ground. Because of the added grease the ground never hardens so lines, objects and textures can be easily impressed into it.
Soft ground is a great way into printmaking if you like textures and patterns, or want to recreate a pencil drawing effect. It can be used with other etching techniques on the same plate to achieve different layered effects.
more printmaking techniques
Carborundum
Abrasive carborundum grit (silicon carbide) is mixed with acrylic medium or glue and painted onto a flat surface, such as plastic or metal.
More Features
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Incredibly dark and incredibly light
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“If I’m not sketching, then I’m not alive. It’s kind of a bloodline.”
In this conversation between artists Chris Christodoulou and Michelle Avison recorded during the COVID-19 2020 lockdown, Chris discusses his obsessive sketching practice and how drawing is fundamental to his life.
Collecting the Looking
“I love drawing really quickly. I love drawing in really difficult situations. I love drawing in the dark. I like what happens when you can’t see everything or when it’s passed and you have to remember it rather than drawing what it actually looks like, so it’s about the experience of looking as much as what I’m looking at.”
We talk to Michelle Avison about building a resilient artistic practice over 30 years.