Printmaking at MCA!

I have started taking a printmaking class at the Memphis College of Art. I am really excited about the opportunity to learn some new skills and try my hand at more “professional” printmaking. I have mainly done soft block carving, namely eraser carving, though there were some (kind of disastrous, due to lack of instruction) attempts in school with linoleum and one metal plate.

Anyway, we jumped right in on the first day with a small test plate, while also preparing the larger plate for etching at our next class. It was fun to have the little starter plate, as it was less “official” than a larger plate, and it was very comfortable to experiment on. We tried using three different tools to mark with: a nail, a paper clip, and the pointy end of a rasp. I decided to write (backwards) on my test plate next to the markings from each tool so I could see which tool made which mark. I know better than to think I would actually remember at this point in my life!

Many of the materials we are using are kind of surprising. We cleaned the copper plate with… SOY SAUCE! After that, we put the “ground” on the plate, which was acrylic floor wax. We will draw into the ground, which will then be were the acid reaches the plate and makes the actual etching on the copper. It is kind of strange to be working with the smell of stale soy sauce lingering on the plate!

The green stuff on the plate in the photo above is “stop out” which is used to block the acid—it lets you keep some places lighter than others.

We each got our own “printers’ copy paper” which works like carbon paper. It was a mixture of alcohol and iron oxide spread on a piece of paper. It lets you easily transfer an image onto the ground.

Course Description:

Printmaking
Do not miss the chance to learn classical and modern printmaking techniques such as intaglio printing and screen printing. Copper plates, screens and other dynamic materials produce amazing results. Students experiment with different etching and printing techniques, that once learned can be easy to fall in love with. Appropriate for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced students. Instructor – Eszter Augustine-Sziksz
Tuesdays & Thursdays / 6 sessions / January 25 – February 10

About the Instructor:

Eszter Augustine-Sziksz is a European printmaker, and has traveled and lived in several countries from Asia to Europe. Eszter’s work blends papermaking, installation and video elements. She is an active artist shown at the regional and international level from Tokyo to Budapest. After earning a BA from Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Eszter made her way to Memphis College of Art where she recently completed an MFA degree in printmaking.