Living Prints Mezzotint On-line

This is the time to try out the plate for printing intaglio. This is called the trial-proof stage, and often the proofs make the artist decide to make changes in the plate by doing more stippling (or rocking, in a true mezzotint), burnishing, scraping, and polishing.

This artist uses the trial proofing for creative work, also. For example, different papers, varying the wiping techniques, using chine-colle, making plaster prints, etc. Otherwise, the trial proof stage is merely a mechanical process. Artists like variety, and printmaking can provide this necessary ingredient to the artist's life.

It is possible, too, with the presence of the computer in the printmaking studio, to go back to the roots of the image and look at it again to get ideas. These might join with the printing plate, or the altered paper prints and transparencies might be leads to variations--even new prints in different media, such as cyanotypes.

You may now be at the middle of the process. Back-track or take sideways views of the processes by selecting highlighted key words and images. If you want to go back to the first steps, select here.

©1999 Bill H. Ritchie, Jr. ritchie@seanet.com