COURSE
£215.00
7 in stock
Join our four week course to learn the basics of etching on copper, using hard ground, soft ground and aquatint.
You will find out why you might choose copper rather than zinc plates for etching, and about the differences between them. You will be shown how to de-grease the copper and how to apply and etch both hard and soft ground, and then spend time exploring aquatint, which looks particularly fine and beautiful on copper.
Importantly you will learn about using ferric chloride, how it bites the plate differently, and what you need to consider in using it, including health and safety considerations. You will explore the difference in etching times and how to ink and print. You can work on the same plate with the different techniques or on more than one plate, using the techniques separately, to fully explore the different methods and understand etching on copper.
Week 1
Learn how to polish and degrease the etching plate, then apply hard ground, draw etch and print your first proof.
Week 2
Degrease the plate and apply soft ground. You will be able to draw into the ground to achieve a pencil-like mark or press textured materials into the surface.
Week 3
You will learn how to prepare the plate to apply aquatint, then etch the plate to different tones. Printing if time.
Week 4
Perhaps add more aquatint and/ or line work to the plate and print.
Rob White is an artist printmaker who has over twenty years of experience working in the biggest print studios in London, firstly working at Thumbprint Editions on projects for Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor, Damien Hirst, Marc Quinn, Richard Deacon and many others.
Rob wanted to add to his skill set and moved to Paupers Press where he’s worked on projects for Grayson Perry, Tracey Emin, The Chapman Brothers, Peter Blake and others. Alongside this Rob has had a working relationship with Tom Hammick working on many print projects over the last twenty years. Rob works mainly in etching using many different techniques including sugar lift, spit bite, chine collé working with multiple plates and colours.
Please bring your sketchbook/ notebook, pencils etc. an apron, a pair of rubber gloves for cleaning, and any etching tools that you have.
Etching is particularly versatile- there are as many ways to use it as you can think of! Bring an image or images to work from with tone, line, texture.
Our south London printmaking studio in Stockwell has a small kitchen with a microwave and fridge, plates, cutlery and mugs. Tea and coffee will be provided.
The course is suitable for complete beginners and more experienced printmakers who want to develop their etching skills and practice.
It is an excellent introduction to both etching, and, working on copper.
The HAUSPRINT Etching Year is a unique opportunity to learn printmaking skills over one year. This etching course is designed to teach you the essentials of etching, to introduce new techniques and help you build and develop your work, whatever your starting point.
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.
A traditional technique in etching. After degreasing the surface of the plate, hard ground is rolled over the surface.
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.
“It’s all because I want to see myself, I want to see those unnoticed moments, how they pass by, what is really happening. So that makes the work very personal.”
We may take photographs or video in the studio whilst you are there, for our website, social media and other studio marketing. We will always make you aware of this activity. Let us know if you don’t wish you or your work to be photographed and/or identified.
Rethink your sketchbook practice! This fun one-day course is designed to free you from the habit of seeing sketchbooks as just repositories for your drawing.
Whether you are looking for a greater understanding of the hard ground technique or are a complete beginner to etching, you will come out of this three evening course with new skills and unique prints.
Explore monotype printing at HAUSPRINT. This course is designed to give you a really good understanding of using water washable, less toxic printing inks to make painterly monotypes.
