The Printmakers Copper Backgrounds

For everyone who lives in or around Charlottetown, PEI this weekend is the grand Colonel Gray Bands Christmas Craft Fair. Lots of homemade fudge for sale, Christmas trees and wreaths, wonderful crafts and other gift ideas to get your shopping done. For enjoyment shoppers can stop and listen to groups of students playing Christmas music at different times and locations throughout the fair. It is all happening Friday evening 5:30 to 9pm and again on Saturday 10am to 5pm.

I had every intention of photographing my copper plates in the first snow, honest I did. I couldn’t face the damp cold today. It was to much of a shock after all the wonderful fall weather we have been enjoying. It wasn’t a pretty snow just cold and icy on the windshields of cars. However I did take pictures of my son’s trombone against the copper plates.

I have begun the next stage of “One With Copper”. For the first pattern on some of the plates I decided to put the ground on in a free form way in order to create an organic background. This way lets me perhaps add something else to the plate later on. It is a very messy job, but I enjoy letting whatever happens, happen. My son Thomas took a short 1 minute video of me messing about with the acrylic ground. The black ink I am using for the acrylic ground is Graphic Chemical 1659. I does look like I am making a lot of mess, but the good news is that it all cleans up with soap and water. Next week I will have the etched plates to show.

Happy Printmaking and Good Luck Staying Warm!