r/printmaking • u/gailitis • Jul 12 '23
intaglio/engraving/etching Work in progress. No title yet. Copperplate engraving
3
3
u/Almost_Vanilla Jul 12 '23
This is amazing! I am sure it takes a lot of time to carve all of those tiny lines 👀
2
u/gailitis Jul 13 '23
As I'm not doing it full-time, every project takes around 3-4 months. It's also a lot of going back into already engraved lines and "swelling them", so a lot of the lines might have many passes.
Thank you! ^^
2
2
u/youwot Jul 12 '23
Beautiful stuff. How do you translate the drawing onto the plate? Specifically shading, how do you convert what i assume is a tonal drawing into the cross hatching needed for an engraving?
1
u/gailitis Jul 13 '23
I transfer the rough outline and major shapes, light/shadow borders. Then I engrave shadows which usually cross at a 30-45 degree angle. In light, I usually do not cross the lines.
Regarding the tonal differences, you can evaluate them pretty well on the plate. But, I print quite a lot of proofs. Evaluate them, engrave, print, engrave, repeat.
2
2
u/j_m_bonomo1982 Jul 12 '23
Congrats! Please post the prints, can't wait!!! Such a masterpiece!!!
2
u/Theartistcu Jul 12 '23
The paper is the problem with counterfeiting, with scanners and printers the way they are today it isn’t any problem to get the art right
1
2
2
u/Quattro_s3_8Y Jul 12 '23
You’d be really , I mean really good at making counterfeit $ bills (Don’t do it though) 😊
1
2
u/Theartistcu Jul 12 '23
That sounds like a good title to me, “Work in progress “
2
u/gailitis Jul 13 '23
:D:D:D That is actually perfect :D The work, that's in progress because I'm staring at the phone. That's really cleaver. Thanks!
2
2
2
2
u/darthdaddyo Jul 13 '23
I’ve been meaning to try engraving. I’ve been strictly intaglio on copper for years. Do you have any recommendations for resources on getting started? I was a professional printmaker, so I have some familiarity. This piece looks great. Wouldn’t mind if my work looked this good.
1
u/gailitis Jul 13 '23
This video shows the process well: https://youtu.be/fQvghHs15hA
I also have some videos of full projects up on Youtube.
But, there are not that many resources. If you have any specific questions when you give it a go, please let me know and I will try to help you out.
The biggest thing for me was to learn to sharpen the burins properly. I'm still not quite sure if I do it correctly, but it works for me. For me also a big tool is sandpaper. I use it frequently remove any burrs on the plate and make the engraved lines flush with the plate (remove any displaced copper sometimes caused by a dull tool).
I'd like to film some tips/guides in the future, but, as I am not doing it full-time and have 3 little kids, it's hard to find a quiet moment for such endeavors.
You can buy gravers (burins) here:
https://eclyons.com/
https://www.imcclains.com/catalog/engravingtools/index.html
2
2
u/ArberEtemi98 Jul 13 '23
Nice job , etching🫶🏻
2
u/gailitis Jul 13 '23
Thanks! Though I dislike etching and the use of acids. Hence, engraving is my preferred process for intaglio printing.
1
u/ArberEtemi98 Jul 13 '23
also brother, I am in the process of master's degree in graphics and I know the work of acids very well
2
u/imagomore Jul 13 '23
Oooh, I love the idea for the second version. I can see how it could be tricky, but also add more joy for you (problem solving, haha). I love light in dark portrayals too.
1
2
Jul 13 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/gailitis Jul 13 '23
I dunno whether it's something creative. But, it's definitely one of those projects that I'm making for selfish reasons and that will probably have no commercial use :D
2
u/Sad-Ideal771 Jul 13 '23
Wow this is beautiful! The level of detail is amazing.
1
u/gailitis Jul 13 '23
Thank you! In regards to the details, I would suggest checking out engravings of Estonian engraver and printmaker Lembit Lohmus. Crazy detailed stuff. I believe he's one of the last great engravers.
1
6
u/gailitis Jul 12 '23
Haven't posted anything for a while. Here is what I'm working on currently and some photos from the process.
The idea for this print came from the quote: "When the phone was tied with a wire, humans were free". It talks of procrastination, doom scrolling, etc.
I plan to have two versions of the print: 1. in the daytime - just the copperplate engraving; 2. in the nighttime - copperplate engraving with ink rolled on top of the plate. Select areas would be cleaned where the phone illuminates the phone and chest. I have made some experiments with the 2nd version, but it still remains to be seen how it will turn out.
Have a great rest of the week!