The first stage is just an outline done with the hard ground technique. The line is trtansferred through printing to a second plate. Then each is aquatinted or toned differently. This stage of aquatinting is kind of like a coloring book, shading around the lines.
I bought a lot of mezzotint rockers second hand Lyons and Serak). Most of them in very good / perfect condition. One rocker however is missing some teeth on both sides of the row. Can I do something about this myself? BTW, I bought a mezzotint you made in 2020 "Anima-Animus" in the Epreuve d'Artiste gallery in Antwerp.
I am fortunate to own and treasure a large mezzotint by Mr. Werger. Watching the process unfold it's easy to see and understand why Art Werger is a true master of this centuries old printing technique. Thanks for sharing the "magic"...
Thank you! I do work on pre-rocked plates made in London. They are very good and my elbows can no longer take all the abuse of rocking large plates. I also do a lot of aquatint. When making aquatints, I try to achieve all of my values through the stage biting process. I prefer not to rework (scrape and burnish) the aquatint at all. Check out my video artwergeraquatint to see the stage biting process
OK, my dummy brain is missing something. The paint pen colors have nothing to do with anything? But the substance of the paint pens or crayons do? There are different substances interact with the acid at different levels. More interaction means darker? Less lighter? The first bit went by too fast for me.
The paint pens just act as an acid resist. I use different colors at each level of the stage biting to keep track of the different values that will result from each bite in the acid.
Art, I appreciate the clear, concise way you present the whole Mezzotint process. Informative and accessible. Me and my students have benefitted from your work and presentation. Thank you very much.
I just wanted to say I’m in awe here. I started watching the video just for curiosity, as I have never heard of mezzotint and wanted to understand what it is and how it is done, and was amazed by the whole process. I wonder how long it takes you do complete a piece like this one? It is so detailed and intricate. Beautiful work! 🫶
This one took about 6 months and I have spent as much as a year one one 24” x 36” mezzotint. But I also have done many small ones on a one-a-day schedule. Over 500 total…so far.
Thanks for the information. I recently bought a mezzotint and read that the artist generally worked about 500 hours on a piece of art. Now I understand how and why!
What a great tutorial! And what an amazing print, I'm speechless!!!! Extremely well done! I'm a relief printmaker but just recently bought an old copper printing press and want to get into etching and mezzotinto (if I could get the tools...) and feel so motivated now seeing your amazing work! Best regards from Germany :)
