Well, NOW I’ve gone and done it….

Yep.  I actually bought an etching press!

I wasn’t expecting to, but my friend Nicci and I were at Jack Richeson & Co. in Kimberly (Wisconsin), and there it was, a floor model that was about 80% off the retail price.  I called Brian for some advice – it was still enough money that I wasn’t just going to purchase it without a “family meeting”.  😀

Once Brian gave his advice (“I think you should!”), I brought this baby home.

Good news – I’ve cleaned my studio since this photo was taken!  🙂

I am a little embarrassed to tell you that I didn’t use it right away; I wanted to wait until I took my printmaking classes at Richeson, just so I knew what to expect!  The teacher, Heather Oetzel, has the same press that I do, so she knows its quirks and what it does best.

Oh my GOSH!  I am so glad I took those classes.  Yes, I’ve done many sorts of printmaking before, including relief and monoprints.  But on an etching press, it’s so different.  The tree that you see, above, was a monoprint I made on Plexiglass using the press.  I love the fact that I can just work on it without the ink drying, unlike the monoprints I make on the Gelli (which of course has its own benefits).

Here’s the linocut I made in class:

I’d made linos before, of course, but never on the etching press! I really love the color coverage, and now I don’t have to use mounted blocks!

And lastly – this week (today, actually!), I finally tried drypoint etching.  Oh myyyy.  I think I’m in love.  😀

 

Okay, so it’s no Dürer, but I can’t wait to try more!  With colors!  😀  I might want to take some of Brian’s photos and start from there.

With this purchase, I sort of feel the tide shifting in my work.  I don’t quite know how I’m exactly going to incorporate it into my fiber art, or collage, but I will.  And I already made a collagraph this weekend, which I’m very happy with!  I used some masonite and just glued evergreen branches right onto it and then varnished it, using Future floor wax.  That stuff works perfectly!  😀

 

This is the collagraph plate AFTER printing – it held up beautifully!

 

….and here’s the collagraph!  I really love this technique!