Participants working in the etching workshop
A participant works his image motif directly into the metal surface with the etching needle.
Here, hard wax is rolled onto a zinc plate as a primer on a heated work table. The wax hardly resists an etching needle, which allows an easy, flowing style of working.
The parts of the image that are not to be attacked by the acid later are blocked here with masking varnish. The parts of the mould that remain exposed are then dusted with rosin. This is burnt in. The result after etching is a two-dimensional dark tone of the moulds.
A participant draws her image motif with an etching needle in a zinc plate primed with covering lacquer. As a next step she will be able to etch
The participant checks the etching process of her etching plate in the acid bath with a stopwatch
Participants work on their motifs. On the left, a plate is coloured
After inking a printing plate, excess ink is removed from the surface with wiping gauze in preparation for printing, so that the ink only remains in the etched indentations.
For shape experiments, a plate was left in the acid for a very long time, so that holes and frayed edges were etched. Here, yellow ink is being wiped out for a print.
One participant has printed and is now removing the printing felt. Other participants are preparing their inks and wiping out the plates.
The participant has just printed and is looking at her sheet to see if the print is what she expected or if she needs to do any rework.
Here, adhesive tapes are used to mark an exact placement for several plates of a multicolor print on the printing table.
One of the most exciting moments is the first impression when you can put the print next to the plate on the printing table.
The art of etching
The art of etching, originally a historical form of intaglio printing, is still held in general esteem today as a medium of graphic and pictorial design because of its wide range of expression. Expression and printing technique have a complementary relationship here. Thus, in 2018, etching was included as an artistic printing technique in the list of cultural heritage of the UNESCO Commission.
Etching workshop and equipment
At the center of the workshop and of the work activity is a large etching press, around which the workstations for print preparation and drawing work are arranged. The necessary tools for the techniques described below are available. Printing is done on zinc and etching is done with nitric acid. We could be accommodated in a former chemistry laboratory, which ensures water connections and ventilation. A large dust box is available for the aquatint technique.
Für das Arbeiten während der Epidemie haben sich die TeilnehmerInen des AK auf zwei Strategien verständigt:
1.„Virtuelle Akademie“
Informationen, Übungen und zeichnerische Gestaltungsbeiträge der Teilnehmer*innen werden via E-Mail ausgetauscht und besprochen. So wird an Entwürfen gearbeitet, die als Radierung umgesetzt werden Sobald dies das Coronageschehen erlaubt, werden wir eine Reihe von mehrtägigen Workshops anbieten.
2. Radieren zuhause
Druckplatten können auch jetzt schon in Kaltnadeltechnik oder auch für eine Strichätzung zuhause vorbereitet werden. Die AK-Leitung bietet Andrucke an. Platten und Drucke werden postalisch ausgetauscht.
Unser Arbeitskreis wurde zu einer Ausstellung im Kulturzentrum Waiblingen eingeladen. Die Ausstellung findet im Dezember 2021/ Januar 2022 im „Kulturhaus Schwanen“ in Waiblingen statt. Dafür soll ja in diesem Semester noch gearbeitet werden, und zu Beginn des Wintersemesters müssen wir die Ausstellung konkret vorbereiten ( Rahmen, Passepartouts, etc.)
More information
Leitung des Arbeitskreises Druckgrafik: Siegfried Albrecht
Azenbergstr. 12, 70174 Stuttgart
- +49 711 631835
- Write e-mail
- Treffen finden mittwochs: 18.45 – 21.30 Uhr im Raum – 2.013 (2.UG) statt
Daiva Sell, M.A., Dipl. Päd.
Supervision of student groups and Working Groups