not really, but I'm pretty happy with it. I'd like to see other engravers make such tight lines with less than a years worth of experience... part of my huge copper plate engraving project for uni this is a print from a 4"x6" sized plate, it took a good 16 hours to engrave and then another hour to print an edition of 10. here's a detail shot. This is a one inch square These will be colored with marker in the next few days
Did you engrave it by hand? I don't really understand the process. Also, that doesn't look like copper, it looks more like... paper.
why yes, that is paper. one first takes a piece of copper, then using a burin (the basic engraving tool) one then engraves their image into the copper by hand. Once said image is completed, the copper plate is inked and then wiped. It is placed in a press with a piece of paper laid on top of it. When it is run through the press, the image is transfered from the copper plate onto the paper. That image can be reproduced until the plate is worn out. here is the actual plate, ignore the weird surface texture, thats caused the the plastic wrap that protects it.
That's tight as hell. Hope you still have the copper piece. This would look amazing with several different swirls of colors and stuff. I've only done one engraving thing in my whole life. It was for my art club in middle school. We were selling christmas cards. Lol, naturally, being the nerdy bird I am, I did a fairy. I wish I still had a print of that...
Thanks pink I'm hoping to do so crazy stuff with the markers, we'll see how that'll go... Yeah, these plates are staying with me, its too bad you don't have yours. One of the greatest things about engraving is being able to go back to a project done years ago and get the same exact piece once again or rework it. I'm surprised they let you engrave copper in middle school, or rather was it wood or linoleum?
NO! I like this more then the paper version! I really like them both but the surface gives it a "misplaced in time" feel to it, as if its old but futuristic when you combine it with the image. um.... in my opinion.
you've touched very close on my theme roach. I'm using the oldest reliable method of propagating scientific images and information to depict the newest neuroscience, biochemistry, nanotechnology breakthroughs along with some of the social and ethical implications of using such technologies on a large scale. and to tell you the truth, I like engraving more than I like printing. The only engravers on campus are printers though, otherwise you start getting into craft and jewelry territory. I'll probably continue my printmaking schooling in Europe though in a year or two. I believe that there are still fine engravers in the old soviet bloc countries that take on apprentices. Its either that or I'm off to Italy to get a masters in art restoration. its so great to have a plan for the next 10 years about damn time...
thanks man. yeah highschool isn't any place to get proficient at engraving, way too many distractions. although you could say the same thing about college...
that's awesome man, never known a lot of people who did much with engraving myself, but it's such a cool medium.