Day 9: Jo Lankester Printmaking Residency @ Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts

Day 9 of  my printmaking residency at Umbrella Studio, Contemporary Arts was a challenging one. I prepared some paper the night before, ready to take a proof of the first page, the Lyrebird and the reverse side, the first three plate colour Aluminum etching.

My blankets are only just long enough to accommodate the etching plates, 950 x 400 mm. Umbrella Studios have a couple of thin blankest long enough to print with so I was relived to have another blanket to use.
















The Lyre bird plate is small, 100 x 200 mm and sits in the middle of the first page. I was concerned when printing the three plate image on the other side that I the embossing of the Lyrebird plate would be visible. To my relief it flattened out beautifully.

The first proof I took of the three colour plate etching did not print well. There was not enough pressure, and I over wiped the plates. It took just under two hours to ink up and wipe back the three plates so I was very disappointed when I pulled the print off the final plate.

My second attempt printed beautifully. I left a lot more plate tone on all three plates especially the Yellow Ocher.

Now that I have proofed the first plate I know that the etching times were good, around 15 minutes for each plate in the Copper Sulphate Etch and I can now proceed with the second, three colour plate etching.

Happy Printmaking,

Warmly,
Jo Lankester
Non-toxic Printmaking (Printmaking Handbooks)