Here's the first state proof of my new etching entitled "Ohiopyle Falls". I've tried several times to create an image of this popular spot in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and have often met with difficulties. However, this time I'm determined to end up with a finished image. My process so far has been to take a snapshot of the falls, then scan it, and print it out in black and white with my laser printer. I then transfer the image from my laser print to a zinc plate by rubbing the back of the print with acetone, thereby transferring the toner to the plate. The toner being an acid resist, the plate is then immersed in a tray of nitric acid for about an hour or so, might even be longer. Acid dilution is about 1 to 10. After etching, the plate is then cleaned with acetone to remove any toner residue, edges are bevelled and it is printed using the traditional intaglio method.
I'll be doing some scraping and burnishing, and probably adding some tones with aquatint. Check back over the coming weeks to see how this image progresses.
