I have to ask

[bmck 117]

Wow! I didn't realise it was an etching. That makes it pretty special. I've done a lot of etchings myself and know how difficult it is. What's the story then? Was it done by applying paint to the etching sheet before printing or was an etching print that was worked over with paints? What size is it?

 

It's Blake's 'infernal method', as he liked to call it. It was actually corroded, burned onto, copper plates and worked backwards. You can find out loads about it here:

 

http://www.rochester.edu/college/eng/blake/inquiry/basic/

 

The etchings, while profound art in their own right, were only designed to contextualise the poems - so seldom over A4 size I don't think. The canvas print I have of Urizen is like A3/2 or something though. I have Blake art up all over the joint in here, he's my favourite poet. Also have an A4 full colour full editions of the 'illuminated works' that P bought me with her design prize winnings.

[bmck 117]

This is plate 4 of the book of thel. For someone with no education, classical training and utterly bizarre method he didn't have to do classical poses well:

 

 

 

If you like insanely good etching of this sort check out his illustrations to the book of job too. Now back to fucking work.... benin bronzes < blake.

Edited March 2, 2011 by bmck

[Zappa 0]

It was actually corroded, burned onto, copper plates and worked backwards.

 

Aye, that's the theory of etching. You apply a hot, but fast-drying and cooling tar-like substance to the copper plate that's generally called 'stop-out' these days, but probably not called the same back in the 18th century. You then scratch/draw your image onto the plate with varying degrees of depth and a lot of the shaded areas are often done with a technique called 'cross-hatching'. When your image on the plate is completed you then 'etch' it by dipping it in an acid mix which eats lines and grooves into the metal where you've scratched through the stop-out. Once the etch is done, you then apply inks or paints to the plate starting by filling the etched lines and grooves with the colours of your choice and wiping off the excess ink or paint. Black and white etchings often stop at that point, but you can apply other paint or ink to the etching sheet before printing it and you can also print it, then paint on the print so it's a pretty open medium at the same time as being restricted.

[Zappa 0]

This is plate 4 of the book of thel. For someone with no education, classical training and utterly bizarre method he didn't have to do classical poses well:

 

 

 

If you like insanely good etching of this sort check out his illustrations to the book of job too.

 

I haven't studied Blake mate, but I remember 'Jacob's ladder' from a book at art college.

 

Most etchings are small and the detail in Blake's work is incredible when you consider the technique! You're talking about a complex printing process here and it's amazing work!

[maineflyer 0]

So no return by Totti then. I see his name has disappeared from the member list too, what happened there?

[juffery 0]

I'm guessing he's been banned outright. Came on a week or so ago, posted a few things that were a tad over the top, the posts disappeared and so did he.

[maineflyer 0]

I'm guessing he's been banned outright. Came on a week or so ago, posted a few things that were a tad over the top, the posts disappeared and so did he.

 

Stupid fellow, thought he might settle down. No loss if he wasn't prepared to.

 

Thanks for the update.

[craig 5,199]

Yep, juffery sums it up well.

 

The sad thing is that much as though admin & the mods felt the need to ban Totti, initially for a 7 day period (it was my doing and I took no pleasure from it) we all preferred that he saw the errors of his ways and would heed the forum rules upon his return.

 

Sadly it wasnt to be.

[Gazza_8 233]

I saw he had returned when his 7 day ban was up but never saw any of his posts.

 

God dammit!!

[maineflyer 0]

I can't believe a topic on Totti ended up discussing fikkin etchings.