I thought I had it all worked out there, didn't I? Ho ho ho. Luckily I have Mr Willis to help me, because otherwise I'd still be ignorant...
It turns out that in addition to ALL the other mistakes I made last week printing this damned edition, I used too much chalk when dusting the plate just before printing. The chalk has mixed with the ink and set hard on the plate. I thought I'd cleaned the plate off successfully every couple of pulls and didn't worry about the 'blackness' still in the etched lines because in my (apparently limited!) experience the lines often 'go black', but it turns out the lovely aquatint I put into the lines is clogged with a baked-on mixture of ink and chalk.
I'm currently experimenting with various solvents to see which one will break down the mixture so that I can clean the plate off properly and start again! And I've put some tonic water in the freezer to cool down so that when I've finished my nightly taxi service, in a few minutes, I can have a large gin and tonic, because I feel like a twit. I'm saving the chocolate I mentioned until a bit later on... when hopefully I'll have a clean plate.
The nice thing about Willis is that although he always gives me a quizzical look when pointing out my mistakes, he manages not to be a patronising bastard about it, for which I am very grateful. It means I only feel slightly smaller. Anyway, Willis is about to embark on a fun-packed trip to the USA and UK, where he'll combine putting work into an exhibition that has been conceived of by Julian Schnabel with not one, but two, artists' residencies, so good luck to Willis and let's hope that I don't muck anything else up while he's away!
1 comment:
Hello Sara - just thought I would drop by to see how things were going in your world.
It sounds like you are up to your neck in it i.e., hard work and pressure !! I wonder how you are getting on by now, with printing that edition and the proofs . A considerable quantity to get done................. absolutely perfectly !!!
I don't think I have done an edition that large although the "Further" portfolio which us 'printmaking at the edge' artists did, may have gone up to that number ... can't quite remember though it was a large edition I know. That was done digitally and although one might immediately think that that is much easier ... well it has it's own 'catalog of disasters' inside the printer (mainly) when it wishes and it generally does (did !!)
Getting back to you well done on the commission aspect.... none the less.
I hope your partner Michael is improved health wise.
Thank you also for the support shown towards me in my recent altercations with el 'Familia Nervosa'. Fortunately they now seem to have left town!! Although I am now left, with a crutch as an appendage and a wonky leg.
Willis sounds wonderful to have around - it's a shame he's gone off now swanning it up with his swanky art associates.
oh by the way i would love to know more about your PhD. is it printmaking related?
And another thing I never iron anything - too much ofit enforced during my girlhood !!
I was thinking though (co incidentally) that this nice turquoise shirt I have been wearing this week deserves an iron when it next comes off the clothes line!!!
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