Heron Etching

I created this heron etching on the ‘Urban Etch’ weekend workshop with Ria Czerniak-LeBov at the Graphic Studio, Dublin.

Etching is a traditional intaglio printmaking process in which lines or areas are etched using acid into a metal plate in order to hold the ink. Tone and detail is created by adding a fine layer of aquatint dust. The aquatint is then blocked out for different amount of times in the acid bath making darker tones the longer it is in. It is a complicated process in which you have to think back to front! You block out what you want light in black!