Monday, 15 April 2013

Solar Plate Workshop

This weekend I went on a course at the Hot Bed Press. I took the acetates that I’d prepared earlier.

We were shown how to expose the plates using various UV exposure units. The plates are then developed in warm water before printing. 



My images were printed intaglio but you can also use the process to create relief blocks.




 I like the idea of being able to manipulate the image digitally before printing and being able to get a great deal of detail and a full range of tones from the plate



On the down side you can’t work into the plate to alter and develop it further. I also had problems with the paper sticking to the surface on some of my prints althoug I think that would improve with practice. (The emulsion on the plates also smell foul when its been developed)


But it’s an interesting process that I think I would like to explore more.

3 comments:

  1. Yes, good tonal quality; although it's a few years since I've done any solar work, I think I preferred it to aquatint.
    like the handwriting overlay on the last one.

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  2. I did some solar etching many years ago and I did like the prints and I think it could be very useful. Your first print looks gorgeous.

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  3. I did a solar plate course in Presteigne a few years ago and the sun, which we'd hoped to harness ,never came out so we used a UV box. I remember it all got a bit technical and a bit of a hassle but your images are great Jac.I'm enjoying this theme you are running with.

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