Sunscreen

Etching 21/2" x 4"

I did some etching way back in my school days and always wanted to get back into it, but didn't have the space or money for a full sized press. I recently acquired this adorable Open Press (about 3" x 9" bed) and started investigating non-toxic etching techniques.

 I took a workshop at Zea Mays, a world-renowned center for non-toxic print making, and have been experimenting with etching using BIG ground, ferric chloride etchant, and Akua inks. I've been able remove the ground and ink using a mixture of Bon Ami powder and soy sauce - no volatile solvents. You still have to take reasonable precautions with the ferric chloride, but it's definitely safer for you and the environment than the traditional acids and asphaltum ground.

I made a vertical etching tank from a Mrs. Meyers hand soap container with a slot cut to lower the plate into the ferric chloride by a length of packing tape.

This etching used a combination of hard ground, soft ground and drypoint techniques as well some scraping and burnishing where I screwed up.