ETCHING WITH DEVON
Here are the images from the most recent private etching workshop. Devon took a three part etching workshop from Chrissy where she learnt how to do ‘hard-ground’ and ‘soft-ground’ etchings and the basic chemistry behind the process. Here are images of Devon inking up one of the plates she produced using the ‘hard-ground’ method.
SHADOW CABINET
This week Spark Box Studio hosted an etching workshop for a group of gentlemen. The workshop started in the late morning and finished in the mid afternoon. Seventeen individuals came to the workshop, 9 participated and the others watched. The morning was spent transferring images and drawing into the hard-ground covered copper plate. While the men ate lunch at Currah’s restaurant Chrissy and Kyle etched their plates and got ready for an afternoon of printing. When they came back from lunch Kyle demonstrated how to ink a plate, clean the plate, and print he plate. Soon enough it was gloves on and the men were inking their plates. It struck us that we probably should have mentioned to the men to wear or bring some old clothes they did not mind getting ink on, as the men came dressed up and were looking quite dapper. Luckily no one got ink on themselves and everyone who participated had a chance to print the plate they had created and left with at least 2 hand printed images. We had a great time running the event and the gentlemen had a fantastic time as well.
ETCHING WITH LOYALIST COLLEGE
This week we held an etching workshop for the Art Fundamentals class at Loyalist college. Last week we visited the class and discussed the principles of hard-ground etching; how the process works, how to draw into a plate, what things to avoid etc. A copper plate is coated with a thin ground, traditionally wax or at Spark Box we use an acrylic ground. Using a sharp needle the ground is scraped into and the underlaying copper is exposed. You draw your image into the ground and when finished the plate is submerged into an etchant. The etchant will begin to corrode any exposed copper and leave V shaped trenches in the copper plate that later will hold the ink. In addition to talking about etching, we left each student a coated copper plate and a few tools. A week later the class was to visit our studio to print their copper plates.
The students plates arrived a few days before the students were to come so that we could have ample time to etch and prepare the plates for printing. On a Tuesday morning Into our studio marches 20 students along with Robert Kranendonk (their professor). Organizing the large group of students into a cohesive group was not difficult, they were all eager to learn the next steps on the process and we gladly proceeded to demonstrate them. We showed the students the steps of plate preparation and moved on into how the ink the plate and how to print the plate.
Quite quickly students were inking up their plates and getting into the line up for the press. Everyone managed to ink up and print their plate several times. The students really did enjoy themselves and were all quite pleased with being able to produce an etching. By the end of the session everyone’s hands were covered in black ink and surprisingly only a few students got printing ink on their faces.
Photos shot by Kelly Taylor.
OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM
Recently Spark Box has had many people coming through the studio for workshops or continue their visual art practice. Several Open Studio participants are focusing on silkscreen with good results. Lis Gare had not done silkscreening for many years and was eager to re-learn the medium. She quickly realized how much silkscreening has changed over the years. Silkscreen used to be oil based and was very toxic. In fact it was at one point the most toxic art medium available. As many of your know at Spark Box Studio we use a water based silkscreen system. This method is far less toxic than the traditional oil based system.
Also working in the studio a local artist, Mia Lane. Mia has been taking the high realism technique often seen in her paintings and translating them into the etchings with superb results. Local printmaker and owner of Blizzmax Gallery Peter Mennacher has also started coming in to use the studio to print his etchings. Peter’s studio, located in a barn is unheated, as the temperature gets colder inks become stiff and unusable but lucky for him Spark Box Studio is heated and open through the winter!
CHRIS SABA AND LAURA CLAYTON
This past weekend our good friends, recent Queens University BFA grads and fellow printmakers Chris Saba and Laura Clayton came to stay and work in the studio. Chris traveled from Hamilton, where he has been participating at The Print Studio, and Laura Clayton came from Pickering. The weekend brought a lot of printing, Chris worked on a hard-ground etching while Laura braved the soft ground.
We are learning from the artists coming to the studio that community studios are uncommon and Ontario residency programs even more rare. It is with great pleasure that we are able to share our studio space.
RADIO RADIO
Spark Box Studio was recently featured on the Queen’s radio station CFRC. The three part interview was broadcast through their E-file and Alternative Frequency programs.
The interview was conducted by our friend Irina Skvortsova. Irina, along with Queen’s University student Cecily Taylor and Kingston silkscreener Julian Berry, owner of Ironclad Graphics, came to the studio not only to conduct an interview but also to use the space. Part of the interview included a short etching for the three visitors. By short we mean several hours.
We explained our hardground etching process from start to finish. Although the plates were prepared ahead of time we still talked about the importance of plate preparation. After carefully executing their imagery each individual was able to ink up their plate and leave with an original print.
During the coarse of the day Irina engaged us with discussion about Spark Box Studio, our education, experiences and how we had come to build up our business.
Watch our website for the posting of the interview clips.
MIDNIGHT ETCHING
In the dead silence of our living room our current housemates Paul and Hannah work diligently on their etching projects along side Kyle. For nearly an hour the atmosphere was focused and nothing could break their concentration, not even their grumbling stomachs. Both Paul and Hannah had never done etchings before and in the end they turned out fantastic looking prints. Paul drew the image of the crow while Hannah drew the heart image. After working in the living room we adventured to the studio and printed till midnight.
PRESS MAINTENANCE
At some point all presses will need to be maintained. Be it grease, sanding, painting, alignment, or one of the many other tasks. This week brings the beginning of my long journey of press maintenance. Our press bed had become a lovely dark grey color, stained with rust, and dirt deposits. Starting in one corner, with 50 grit emery paper, I began to sand… and sand… and I am still sanding two days later. However, it is quite satisfactory to see the glory hiding behind the dirt when the steel starts to shine.
For any printmakers out there that want more information about the process here are some tips:
-ensure the safety stops are in place, and that you wear the recommended PPE (personal protective equipment): respirator, googles, gloves, and an apron.
-Sand the press bed by going with the grain of the steel.
-An orbital sander can be used, but be careful not to over sand sections with this power tool and avoid gouging the bed with the grinding wheel. A belt sander may be used, but personally I’d prefer to use an orbital sander because of its control.
-Ultimately the best method and the one that yields the best results with the littlest effort is to send the press bed to a machine shop that can re-tool the surface to a perfect state
~Kyle,
Studio and Operations Director
GOOD FRIENDS & NEW PRINTS
This weekend we were very excited to have two of our good friends come down from Ottawa for a visit. We met Tamara Sponder and Adrian Carpenter when living in Kingston. Both Chrissy and I had the good fortune of going through the BFA program with Tamara who is now beginning her Master of Fine Art at the University of Western.
During their visit to Prince Edward County we walked them through our non toxic etching process, which finished with more than satisfactory results. Neither have had an opportunity to do etching in the past so it was a fun new experience. Adrian, who is studying to become a doctor, had never done print before and was surprisingly good at inking up and wiping the plate. It is always exciting to see a print peal off the press bed and even more pleasing to see it well printed.
THE EDINBURGH ETCH
Let the printing begin!
Equipped with heavy duty neoprene gloves and indirect airflow goggles we set forth to mix our ferric chloride etching mixture. Who thought art could resemble science so much? We were both really nervous trying to pour and mix this giant canister of deep orange liquid into a pail… we’d been putting it off for a few days now. The funny thing is, it is pretty safe to use, haha.
Historically copper plates were etched in a bath of nitric acid – this process produced toxic vapors and was high risk when and if it came into contact with the skin. Another bonus of nitric acid is if a beaker was accidentally dropped and it broke… well can we say kaboom? Ferric chloride is not volatile, and spillages can be diluted and neutralized and safely disposed of. Printmakers today use ferric chloride as a means to etch their copper plates through an electrochemical reaction. For more information behind the exact science, which I strongly recommend reading refer to: nontoxicprint.com.
With shaky hands we managed to pour and mix this incredibly heavy amount of liquid into our etching tank creating what is coined as, The Edinburgh Etch. On a side note, a fun fact we learnt was a 20cm x 12cm x 0.5mm copper plate can be entirely dissolved in the solution under 13 hours.
Now located at Spark Box Studio is one bubbling tank of deep orange etchant, fresh and ready to be used.
FALL/WINTER ARTIST RESIDENCY AWARD 2010
Applications are being accepted until Sept. 30, 2010
Awards will be announced in early October, 2010
Beginning your career as an emerging artist can be tough, which is why Spark Box Studio is offering FREE RESIDENCIES to fine art students and emerging artists. This residency opportunity is a unique way for young and emerging artists to cultivate new ideas, access a rich library of arts resources, learn about career-building opportunities, and develop an understanding of the art world from a business perspective.
About the Award
Four emerging artists will receive a one-week residency, 10 will receive a two day residency and 30 will receive one day at our Open Studio in Prince Edward County. The selected applicants will be able to work in the studio using Spark Box Studio’s equipment and resources, and have access to career guidance from local community members.
Spark Box Studio has created these awards as a career building opportunity for young emerging artists.
Participating in a residency is of value to you as it builds on your artistic career, gives you time to focus on a project in a professional artist studio and allows you the opportunity to connect and learn from other artists.
Getting Started:
Below is what should be included in your application:
- A current Curriculum Vitae
- An Artist Statement – 1-2 paragraphs explaining your work
- Digital samples of your work – Please provide 10 images of your work. Please include with the images a list which includes the title, medium, dimension, year of each one.
- Images should be MAC compatible in JPG, TIFF or PSD file.
- Images should be no smaller than 200 DPI and should measure 8” x 8”. If sending through email please compress files.
- Writing samples should not exceed 12 pages and should be sent with cover page stating your name and title of work.
- $15.00 CAD application fee payable to Spark Box Studio.
Check out our Emerging Artist Guide for information to help you prepare these items.
Once these items are ready:
-Complete and submit the Application Form below
-Pay your Application Fee. You can mail a cheque, or PAY ONLINE. Note: you must pay your application fee in order for your application to be processed.
-Send you Application Package to us.
By email: email your package to us using the email subject line “Residency Application – your full name” to info@sparkboxstudio.com
By Snail Mail: Mail your package to: Spark Box Studio, P.O. Box 9002, #7 Bridge St., Picton, ON, K0K 2T0
Making your Application:
Once you have prepared the items above you are ready to fill out the application form below.
Please note that we will use the information you provide to process your application and will not share your information with any other companies.
