In another foray into print-making techniques this weekend I attempted copperplate etching in my kitchen. The grand idea was an Arthur Rackham-esque quality print to use for an open call submission.
Having attended a wonderful workshop at the Bury Print Studio and made (what I thought were) diligent notes I assumed success and duly set about sketching ideas.
Suffice it to say the process was nowhere near as simple when unguided by a practiced hand and despite several attempts, I ended the day with an ink-covered kitchen and a few rather unsatisfactory prints.
Initially, I was very disheartened and disappointed in my lack of skill, the prints were stuffed into a corner along with the equipment and I convinced myself I had no future as a printmaker (good old ‘all or nothing’ ADHD brain!). However, returning to the prints a day later I was able to see them anew and somehow in all the strange marks and splodges I could now sense an atmosphere I had dismissed before. All these ‘errors’ carried their own story and added animation and narrative to the background of the print.
The outlines of the figurative elements were very faint but readable enough for me to go over by hand and instead of dismissing these unscripted results, I was able to appreciated them. The finished effect was ethereal and atmospheric.
The whole experience was a metaphorical reminder to reconsider my own human ‘flaws’ in a new light.
The piece has been duly entered into the open call it was originally conceived for. Now all that’s left to do is cross my fingers and plan more experimenting with print.
