Relic 'Egg'
- llatham222
- Jan 17
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 28
I wanted to create a print from the photographs in my collage relics series; a print which could in some way be displayed as an object. In thinking about the print as a relic, or object, I decided that I wanted to cut the plate into the oval shape of the collage objects with the idea of the 'relic window', the glass-fronted section of the reliquary, would be the only part of the print.
Brian used the plate cutter to remove about 90% of the zinc plate for me so that I only had to spend some time filing the edge into the rounded oval form. As before, I wanted to create the same dark aquatint effect with glints of light, so I polished the plate as much as possible before applying the aquatint.
Next, I applied Rhinds to stop out the white highlights, then etched each stage, finishing with what I hoped would be a deep black crescent shape and shadow on the rock.
As with my previous aquatints, I intended to work detailed highlights into the plate by burnishing, almost like a mezzotint.
I was really excited about the print; the rock has just enough realism to make it look like it's floating above the abstract form of the oval. I was so pleased with the timings of my aquatint as I achieved the background darkness I wanted, whilst still allowing the rock and crescent shape to have their own sense of depth. I will bring out the dots and the fine lines even more by burnishing the plate.
I had the idea of printing the egg onto a photograph on Shoji paper, so I did a test print on a blank sheet of Shoji. Interestingly, the print lacks the solid depth of the version on Somerset, and the paper has puckered even under the drying mats. It may be that the paper dried too much during the printing process so wouldn't fully flatten even under the weighted drying mat. I will try to print it again to see if I can get a better print.
I used a ball burnisher and scraper to lightly burnish the plate to bring up more of the line texture and to illuminate the sequins surrounding the central stone.
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