Marian L. O'Connell Artist, Printmaker
Techniques
Intaglio
Intaglio
printing includes any process where ink is transferred from depressions
and lines in a plate to the printing surface. Aquatint is one of those
techniques which comes from the Latin aquafortes meaning “strong water”
(acid) and tinto meaning tone. The plate is coated with a porous ground
of resin and heated to adhere the particles When bathed in acid, spaces
between the granules of resin will be “etched,” producing a surface that
when inked and printed, will produce areas of light or dark tone depending
on the length of time in the acid. (Summer
Cottage is an example of an aquatint.)
In recent years, I have been experimenting with safer methods that do not use toxins but still maintain traditional fifteenth century European metal craftsmen methods. In 2005 because of reconstructive hand surgery, I have switched to using a light sensitive polymer Solarplate almost exclusively. It requires less hand strength than the traditional copper and zinc plates I used to use. I create a piece of artwork on a transparent film, laying it on a Solarplate and exposing it to ultraviolet light. The plate is developed in water leaving the plate with lines and depressions. I then completely cover the plate with a sticky ink, forcing it into the depressions and lines. I remove the excess ink by wiping it with tarleton and newsprint. Next the plate is covered with paper and then etching blankets and sent through my manually operated etching press. When dry the print is usually watercolored.
Monotype
A monotype is a single image pulled from a glass, metal, or cardboard plate in which the artist paints with or manipulates printers ink on the smooth, unworked surface of the printing plate. The etching inks produce deep rich areas of color and then transferred to paper by the press. A monotype may pass through the press several times but since the plate has not been incised the image cannot be repeated exactly and only one (mono) print can be made. (Sunrise at the Lake, below is an example of a monotype.)
