Posted on 16th May 2023
INTEREtching
Level 12 and Level 13 Art students taking part in INTEREtching visited the School of Art to try another printmaking technique, the aquatint, inspired by their studies at MUZA.
Assisted by local artist-printmaker Jesmond Vassallo, students used an aquatint box to create a cloud of powdered rosin and allow the resin to settle on the plates in a thin layer of dust.
After heating the rosin, the students painted and covered some areas in varnish, intended to be left white before immersing the plate in acid for a calculated period of time.
The acid ate into the metal around the particles to produce a granular pattern of tiny, indented rings.
After that the plate was rinsed and properly dried, varnish was used to cover the areas planned for the following lightest value.
This process was repeated to obtain various tonal areas and build up the image.
Once the plate was fully etched, it was inked and students were delighted to print an aquatint, discovering another way to create a wide range of tonal effects besides lines from the traditional etching printing technique.
This project is supported by Arts Council Malta