ErolinStudios
'Fox in Snow'
'Fox in Snow' is an aluminium plate aquatint etching, printed onto 250gsm Somerset Satin paper. This is one of my first etchings produced in my home studio. Aluminium 'self aquatints' meaning it has a natural grain that can be used to create tones. I created two versions, one plain and the other coloured using watercolour paint.
Like most of my prints the first stage was to draw out the design in my sketchbook. Before transferring the design to the aluminium plate however, I first had to prepare the plate. This involves filing down the edges, polishing, and de-greasing. A thin 'hard ground' is then applied. This protects the plate from the copper sulphate that is used to etch. Once the ground is dry the image is transferred. This acts as a guide for me to gently scratch the image into the ground, exposing the metal.
Once the line is drawn, the plate is placed in a bath of copper sulphate for a few minutes. This etches just the exposed lines. In order to add the aquatint tones, 'stop out' varnish is then used. Like the ground before, any areas covered up are stopped from etching. This can be built up in layers to give the different tones.
I decided to create two versions of the print, one plain as it printed with the greyscale tones, and another painted with watercolour.
And here is the finished print. Printed on 250gsm Somerset Satin paper with Cranfield Caligo safe wash oil-based ink and painted with watercolour.
This is a limited edition of 4 greyscale and 10 colour prints.
Paper size: 28 x 21cm
Actual print size: 19.5 x 12.5cm
