1st aquatint, 2nd attempt

Here is the second printing of my first plate with aquatint. what did i do differently? i re-did the tears of helios process, and gave the ground, tree, background graduated etch times and left the buildings unetched by aquatint. this is definitely more the picture i was going for, but as far as i can tell, the aquatint didn't take as well on the background parts as on the shadowed-ground areas. another problem: a splotch on the lower shadow that must not have had much aquatint initially. also i think the spanish moss hanging from the tree should hang down further so there isn't that blank area, and there should also be more of it. what i do like is the overall values of the 4 parts together, although i think the background could be darker. here is where i also learned that for some strange reason, i really like doing buildings.

1st aquatint

Here's my second attempt at acid etch with the added bonus of aquatint. Assignment: atrocities. this is my rendition of slave cabins that i saw at Evergreen Plantation just outside of New Orleans. what did i learn? i didn't get enough tears of helios on my plate so i didn't get much texture from that. also, i didn't wipe the plate of ink enough, so it looks pretty murky. i wanted the ground to look darker than the open space, and to not be the same value as the buildings. and on we go to my revised print....

1st acid etch

Assignment: 1st ever asphaltum and acid etch. This print is pretty much a complete wreck. I guess this is the time where i say, oh it's a wreck, but I learned a hell of a lot from it. So, as promised:

1. I forgot to write backwards on the plate, so in the original print, the letters/words are backwards. I scraped them off and used a burnisher with oil, but i did not do this very well as is apparent from the big shadow under the words. i guarantee i won't forget this after getting so pissed about it.

2. I need to get back and work on my drawing skills which i've neglected as a result of getting a new camera and photoshop. this looks like it was done by a 5 year old.

3. Here is where i learned that i like crosshatching and the effects you get from it.

First print ever

here is the first drypoint i ever did, EVER, even before that last one. Assignment: texture. what did i learn from this? that i needed to sharpen my scribe tool thing. (Oh, sweet revelation...)

a print!

a second attempt at drypoint...just a little guy