Printmaking is more than just a way to make multiple images.  I use the processes as my drawing tools.   I work with zinc and copper plates using both traditional and modern intaglio techniques.

My press.

     Hardground is a waxy resist that you draw through to expose lines on the plate. 

     Softground is a resist mainly used by impressing textures onto    the surface of the plate.  

Aquatint is a dot resist used to make light to dark tones. 

     The entire plate is bitten in a ferric chloride solution.  This is a corrosive salt, much less toxic than traditional nitric acid.

       The etched metal plate is inked, wiped and run through a hand cranked etching press onto cotton or rag paper. 

One of my favorite aspects of intaglio is the fact that you can rework the plate over and over again until you have the final image you want.  The image changes and develops in unforeseen ways. 

A copper plate with resist on it.

after line drawing on hardground

after netting was impressed onto softground

after multi-stage aquatint

after another hardground, scraping & burnishing

     The final image "Mermaid" on tan BFK 250 gram paper with green chine colle.

Chine colle is a technique of using additional papers between the plate and the printmaking paper.  It is glued onto and pressed into the image.  I often use shaped, colored Japanese papers for chine colle.