Information about the Etchings
My intaglio images are made by creating grooves and textures below the surface of zinc or copper plates. The techniques I use most frequently are etching, aquatint, photo etching, engraving and water colour painting. For etching, which is primarily used to create lines, the surface of the plate is covered with a liquid acid-resistant ground. And etching needle used to draw through the dried ground so that when the plate is immersed in an acid bath, the exposed metal is bitten. Aquatint is a tonal process. Rosin powder is fused using heat to selected bare sections of the plate and the resulting acid bite creates an even texture. In both these methods, the longer the exposure of the plate to the acid, the darker the area will appear in the print. Engraved lines are cut directly into the surface using a burin. For photo-etching, a photographic image is manipulated and enlarged onto litho film. The film is then contacted to and exposed onto the sensitized metal plate. When developed a negative bare metal image results which is hand worked below the surface using the same traditional intaglio techniques, some which date back to the 16th century. The plate is in and out of the acid many times. When it is ready for printing the acid resistant block outs are removed and ink is spread over the surface of the plate. It fills in wherever the metal has been disturbed and the surface is wiped with tarlatan and then by bare hand. The ink is pulled from the plate onto damp rag paper under the great pressure of a manually operated press. For every print made the process of hand inking and wiping is repeated. Some of the resulting images are then hand coloured.
All etchings displayed on this site are all created by me in my Millbrook, Ontario studio.
Each etching plate is hand inked, wiped, and printed on Arches Cover 270 gsm acid-free 100% rag etching paper using his manual Praga etching press.
The etching inks used are from Graphic Chemical & Ink Co. in Chicago and from Charbonnel Inks in France.
Edition sizes vary but are mostly limited to not more than 70.
There are a limited number of artist’s proofs available, generally numbering not more than 10% of the etching edition size.
Etchings are available both framed and unframed.
Unframed etchings can be sent flat (smaller images) or gently rolled in sturdy mailing tubes that ensure they arrive in good condition.
Framed etchings have museum quality off-white acid-free “shadow box” matting. The etching is ‘floated in the mat with the decal edges of the paper showing. They have quality wood moldings and are shipped with plexiglass.
Crating and courier shipping costs are minimal.
Contact George to inquire about current prices or to order artwork.
All etchings displayed on this site are all created by me in my Millbrook, Ontario studio.
Each etching plate is hand inked, wiped, and printed on Arches Cover 270 gsm acid-free 100% rag etching paper using his manual Praga etching press.
The etching inks used are from Graphic Chemical & Ink Co. in Chicago and from Charbonnel Inks in France.
Edition sizes vary but are mostly limited to not more than 70.
There are a limited number of artist’s proofs available, generally numbering not more than 10% of the etching edition size.
Etchings are available both framed and unframed.
Unframed etchings can be sent flat (smaller images) or gently rolled in sturdy mailing tubes that ensure they arrive in good condition.
Framed etchings have museum quality off-white acid-free “shadow box” matting. The etching is ‘floated in the mat with the decal edges of the paper showing. They have quality wood moldings and are shipped with plexiglass.
Crating and courier shipping costs are minimal.
Contact George to inquire about current prices or to order artwork.