Last Friday I proofed, then etched again the two plates I am working on. I had been really pleased with the results, and drew further onto the plate with marker pens, before placing them in the Saline Copper Sulphate solution. Today Monday I proofed the prints and, oh my goodness, the results are shocking! I think the solution had been changed because it "bit" so much faster than before, and these two new proof prints are really black and white, and I thought they'd be grey and white. I can see that a lot of burnishing will have to take place to knock back the contrast. I may even start again, having learned my lesson. Really I need to hang fire, and do some test strips showing timings etc. as usual I just dashed in and thought I knew best. Having said that if I scrape back into the image something magical may just emerge. I'll give it a go! This week I intend to draw directly onto the hardground etching plates in the Life Room. I think the immediacy will shine through. I get the greatest buzz drawing directly from nature.
We have just had another couple of bookings for our weekend art courses in April so that is exciting. We have just taken out small ads in the summer art mags, so it will be interesting to guage the interest.
